24-36months
Taking your first dip with your little one can be daunting and our classes are structured to show you how to gently and safely enter, exit and support your baby in the water and how to stimulate their natural reflexes in the water.
There will be lots of songs, swishes and play during your water session and as you attend each week you will be introduced to new water skills and reinforcing previous skills.
The ASA Discovery Duckling Awards are the start of the learn to swim experience for all children. These awards are perfect for babies and toddlers and pre-school children who are new to swimming lessons.
Ideal for gaining water confidence while staying close to adult support, these awards are followed by the existing Duckling Awards.
Following the Tiddler's Academy programme budding little swimmers will progress through Discovery Duckings 3 & 4 and onto the Active Start Ducklings Awards 1-4 and each have their own certificate, badge and sticker.
Discovery Duckling 3
Being at ease in the water and builds on their water confidence and independance in the water. As little swimmers develop physically we encourage independant arm movements using toys and play.
Discovery Duckling 4
Continuing to work with the natural reflexes we are now developing your learned skills and confidence to become strong and independant swimmers moving towards independant travel through the water using lots of fun floaties.
Ducklings (ASA Foundation Framework)
Duckling Awards are the next step on from the Discovery Duckling Awards.
They are designed to help toddlers and preschoolers enjoy learning to swim.
With Duckling Awards your child can work towards four different colourful awards.
Duckling 1
We will begin to see children start to move by themselves in the water, and building water confidence and safety skills with an adults support. Exercises include making a safe and supervised entry with adult support. Floating on back, and kicking on back with adult support behind the head (without aids). Fun activities such as travelling 5m without adult assistance to collect toys/balls (floatation aids can be used), blowing bubbles at the water surface and wetting the head without submersion are all used to engage with the children in the water.
Duckling 2
Continues to build on a childs ability to follow instruction and move independantly in the water. Safe entry and exit from the pool are extremely important. Children are taught a sitting entry (adult support if required) & learn to rotate 180 degrees in the water (buoyance aids allowed). Building confidence to put their full face into the water, blow objects along the waters surface, move 5m along the pool edge and travel 3m using their legs/arms without assistance (Floatation aids can be used).
Duckling 3
Water confidence is a must for duckling 3 as children are taught to jump to an adult in the pool, kick 5m on their front holding a float, blow bubbles with their mouth underwater, perform floats on front and back without support, show a torpedo shape when pushed to a partner and travel 5m on their front to the side of the pool. Independance increases and adult assistance reduces
Duckling 4
The final stage before moving onto the ASA Learn to Swim Pathway. Children have built confidence and water safety skills through fun learning activities. Children should be able to jump unaided but supervised in the water and return to the side of the pool, submerge completely, rotate through 360 degrees either horizontally or vertically, show a mushroom or star float and travel 10m on their front or back (without assistance).
Frequently Asked Questions
*As a Tiddler's Academy Swimmer you may enrol on to the Carol Saunders Swim School Active Start programme at 3years old
*Teacher's approval is required to ensure smooth transition to independant lessons