I have started my boys in swim lessons at the Santa Clara Swim Center(Swim Club).The lessons are great, and i was very impressed by the way they teach them, although the price is very high. We recently joined the YMCA in Saratoga. The boys have less anxiety when we take them into this pool. Maybe because we are swimming all together. At swim lessons my youngest crys the whole time. But when we are at the Y, he wants to practice and do it all by himself. They offer swim lessons through the Y, and I was wondering if anyone had an opinion of the swim lessons through them. I dont know anyone who has used them, and any info would be great.
Thank You,
T.
My son, 3 months, and I go to Water Babies in Campbell. I love it and so does my son. They have a really great staff.
S. Nolan
My kids have been to summer Y camps that offer swimming lessons and it has worked out great. We have used the Y summer camp program for the last several years and it has been really nice. Of course in the end it comes down to the teacher but I would definitely trust a Y program. Other places that offer swim lessons are Almaden Valley Athletic Center (AVAC) and Water Babies Swim School on Bascom Ave. at Apricot Ave. which is about a block down from Bascom and Campbell Ave. Not sure how close these are to you though and if you are already at the Y I think it is worth a try. The price is probably much more affordable. Good luck.
The Santa Clara Swim Club facility, while obviously superior to the YMCA facility in size, is probably very intimidating to your youngest. I'm sure you should be able to observe a swimming class at your Y and compare what you think about the instruction and the instructors. Of course the Santa Clara Swim Club has an excellent reputation for training competitive swimmers, but if your goal is just getting your kids basic swimming instruction, perhaps the Y is for them at this stage. I'm a Grandma who took my 2 Grandaughters to swim lessons at the South Valley YMCA, age 3 and 6.
Personally, SCSC offers the best in this area. My three children participated in the program (26,22,18) since 1990. If however, you want non-competitive swim program, the Y is better. My oldest daughter taught in the LTS program for 7 yrs, & "crying" is part of learning-how-to-swim for the younger kids. Go for a walk around Central Park or neighborhood, the instructors can be trusted. Or talk to the "deck" person for advice.
Hi I use to work at the southwest yMCA! And right now my 3 kiddies take lessons at Santa Clara swim center, ha ha. My youngest who will be 3 this week cries every time I take him. I feel guilty but I think Santa Clara's aggressive way of teaching kind of nips it in the bud if you really want you child to learn to swim were as places like YMCA and AVAC will dilly Dally. Sure your child will have fun but will never learn to truely swim...that's how I feel with my 3 kids. They took lessons at AVAC and YMCA and still couldn't get their faces splashed. When my hubby is gone all day at work and I'm alone with my kids ages almost 2, almost 5 and 7, I don't want to ever have to worry about a drowning incident especially this summer being around water all the time.
I think you should take lessons where your boys are the most comfortable. If one is crying the whole time he's there, he not learning much and may come to dislike swimming. It has to be fun when they are small.
My son has taken swim lessons at the Y in Saratoga for years. He really likes them and usually gets good teachers. Observe to make sure that they are doing a good job.
I take my 11mo old to De Anza Cupertino Aquatics. 68.50/mo for (4) 1/2 hour lessons. The pools are indoors and heated to 90 degrees. You can check out the website at www.daca.org
Check out AVAC in San Jose. My 3-1/2 son has taken lessons at there for a couple of years. He loves it. Not sure how price will compare.
SCSC is perfect if you want your children involved in competitive swimming. If your goal is for them to become competent swimmers in a non competitive environment, then the Y is great. My son began swim lessons at the Y when he was 2. He's 34 now with 2 sons who are also taking lessons at the Y. They all love the water and swim like fish. I suggest you observe a class and then decide which best suits your needs.
L.
