As an American Red Cross certified Water Safety Instructor (or in layman's term, a swim teacher) I get some of the most peculiar questions about children and learning to swim. Some people ask when their kids would be able to swim, or if their child could teach them how to swim after that child learned. Others asked simple questions like, "did my son do good," or "is my daughter at the right level?" One person, who had a kid in the preschool class, asked me if it's better or faster to enroll his kid in swim lessons or just throw his son in the pool and let him learn how to swim on his own (which is how the parent had learned how to swim). Being a swim teacher, and needing kids to come to my classes in order to get paid, I obviously said yes.

Later on that night, I revisited his question in detail. He asked if lessons are better than letting a kid figure out how to swim on his own, but he also asked if it was faster. So, did I give him the correct answer? Is letting your child teach himself how to swim better than giving him swim lessons? As a swim instructor, I can safely say that it is not better to let your kid "figure it out," although he or she could.

Humans are remarkable beings. We can learn simply by watching other people perform acts over and over. In fact, much of what we learn when we are toddlers is through observation of repetition:

• A child placed in the water could observe another swimmer and eventually "teach" himself how to swim.

• He would learn how to keep himself at the surface of the water, how to propel himself forward, and how to float on his stomach or back.

• Even if he did teach himself how to successfully swim around in the pool though, he has not gained the knowledge of how to do the strokes and kicks effectively and efficiently.

• How much time did it take him to progress through all those skills?

• Time depends on the person, even in a swim class, but proper form and function can only be taught by a qualified swim instructor (which could include advanced swimmers).

If that kid would have taken swim lessons he would have learned the proper way to do each stroke and kick. This would include learning better propulsion, better form for streamlining his body, and building up more stamina to swim longer distances - which can be useful for more than swim team. The skills in the level would be expected to have been achieved by a sort of deadline, which would be the last day of class. He would even have learned some tips and tricks and safety information, or what to do in an emergency at the pool. Not to mention that being in an environment where there is a little competition will encourage that kid to become even better at the skills that are taught. Interaction with other kids can also broaden a kid's view of other people or help him make new friends. And, of course, a swim class is no fun unless you play sharks and minnows... at least a dozen times. Teaching himself or herself how to swim is a successful way for your kid to learn swimming skills - but taking your kid to swim lessons is a much more effective way for him or her to learn.

Now you know which one is better, but which way of learning to swim is faster? You might be surprised by my answer.

About the Author: David Morris is an American Red Cross Certified Water Safety Instructor (WSI) with over 5 years of teaching people how to swim; he also helps with swim team practice.

References:
"American Red Cross Swimming and Water Safety Book"(stock no. 651300)
"American Red Cross Fundamentals of Instructor Training Participants Manual