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Message |
    
jrg
Citizen
Username: Jrg
Post Number: 28
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 22, 2006 - 11:21 am: | 
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I'm looking for any swim lesson options for my 5 year old. We've gone through numerous swim lessons through the Y via Columbia High School pool and I have been less than impressed to say the least (not w/ the pool but the instructions). I have also tried to inquire w/ the SO pool but the links provided come to a dead end and no answer to the phone number listed. Any suggestions? |
Just The Aunt
Supporter
Username: Auntof13
Post Number: 4082
Registered: 1-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 22, 2006 - 11:25 am: |
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Summit Y, Livingston Y, JCC in West Orange all have lessons. I'm sure with the hour you'll hear from people who have first hand experience with each of these places; plus others. |
kriss
Citizen
Username: Kriss
Post Number: 255
Registered: 6-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 22, 2006 - 11:36 am: |
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Summit Y has excellent swimming lessons. |
StellaLuna
Citizen
Username: Stellaluna
Post Number: 42
Registered: 6-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 22, 2006 - 3:03 pm: |
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We took lessons at the Summit Y, Montclair Y, and the JCC. All were excellent. Durin the summer months the South Orange pool gives group lessons and you can have private lessons with many of the lifeguards. PL me if you want moredetailed info. |
JLA
Citizen
Username: Janea
Post Number: 3
Registered: 6-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 22, 2006 - 6:24 pm: |
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My kids (2 and 4) have been swimming at the Livingston Y since they were 6 months old. Lessons are fun and my 4-year-old now swims full lengths during her classes. |
susan1014
Supporter
Username: Susan1014
Post Number: 1369
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 22, 2006 - 9:45 pm: |
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Also a vote for Kristies School of Fish, if you are willing to go up to Route 10. (More detail on old threads if you search the archive) |
Just The Aunt
Supporter
Username: Auntof13
Post Number: 4098
Registered: 1-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 22, 2006 - 9:48 pm: |
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jrg
I would suggest making a visit to each of these plaes to see which you like best. |
Pdg
Citizen
Username: Pdg
Post Number: 513
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 22, 2006 - 11:38 pm: |
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another vote for JCC in W.Orange.
(I heard the school of fish was over $300/session - this from a friend whose 5 yr old is still afraid to put his face in the water after finishing a session there. Made me realize what a good deal a family membership at the JCC is, even if we pay extra for swim lessons there!)
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susan1014
Supporter
Username: Susan1014
Post Number: 1370
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, February 23, 2006 - 8:09 am: |
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PDG, and jrg,
School of Fish is a private enterprise, so may cost more per lesson than Y's and JCC's, although I found that memberships make most other places a bad deal if you aren't using them!
Basically, School of Fish costs the same $15-20 per session that most other for profit kiddie classes cost. (and they did a very good job of teaching my daughter, whatever your friend's experience may have been)
For that you get a pool that is truely warm, so that kids are ready to swim from the moment they enter they pool, as well as one teacher for every two students, so that the instruction is personalized, and the kids learn to swim without wearing floaties (which is not the case at some other locations, I believe).
More importantly for me, the School of Fish offers classes that fit my schedule as a working Mom, without having to block off Saturday or Sunday morning. Not many places offer 6 or 6:30 PM swimming lessons.
Haven't tried the other places, because Kristies has worked well for us, so can't give direct comparisons on the lessons themselves. |
CageyD
Citizen
Username: Cageyd
Post Number: 610
Registered: 6-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, February 23, 2006 - 8:55 am: |
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Seton Hall's Learn to Swim program worked really well for us. I offer some caution regarding the Livingston (west essex) Y program. My child took lessons there and while attempting to swim across the pool, the distracted instructor failed to notice he was struggling and started going under. He managed to grab onto a lane devider and clung to it sobbing and shaking as the instructor went to him. It was then that I realized there were no lifeguards on duty. WHen I asked the swim program director about this he replied "we count on the parents watching their kids to act as an extra set of eyes for the instructors so we don't need life guards posted." I was horrified and never signed up for their lessons again. They may have improved their approach to safety but the whole experience was quite horrifying |
aneighbor
Citizen
Username: Aneighbor
Post Number: 103
Registered: 8-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, February 23, 2006 - 4:57 pm: |
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NJ swim has classes at the Brooklake Country Club in Florham Park. My daughter who is now four has been going for the past year. She's swimming on her own now. The ratio is perfect, just 3 kids with one teacher and the teachers are great; they really help the kids feel comfortable and give them confidence to learn to swim. Go to www.NJswim.com for more info. |
JLA
Citizen
Username: Janea
Post Number: 4
Registered: 6-2005
| | Posted on Saturday, February 25, 2006 - 3:31 pm: |
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In response to CageyD, my experience of the Livingston Y has been very different. I believe there are additional instructors at the weekend with more classes running at the same time, and the summer program is also different. We have always used weekday morning classes. My kids have been in small classes (max 6/instructor) and for most of the time there have only been 2 or 3 students. Except for one summer session, we have always had the same wonderful instructor (Miss Eileen). I have never seen an occasion in 4 1/2 years where there was no lifeguard on duty. |
redY67
Citizen
Username: Redy67
Post Number: 4965
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, February 25, 2006 - 3:33 pm: |
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I prefer the Summit Y over the Livingston Y. I find it to be much more organized. That said both places I believe will allow you to take one class as a "test" for your child to see if they enjoy it. |
Meandtheboys
Citizen
Username: Meandtheboys
Post Number: 3093
Registered: 12-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, February 26, 2006 - 3:45 pm: |
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The Connection in Summit offers swimming classes for kids of all ages and experience levels, weekdays and weekends as well. My kids have been taking lessons there since this past September and they love it and can't wait to get there. They've really progressed in the time they've been there. The pool is nice as is the entire facility, and the people that work there all seem very nice. Classes are $90 for 10 weeks. You will also need to purchase a kids membership which is $40, but that's good for an entire year, during which you could easily fit in three or four 10 week sessions.
IMHO, very affordable and well worth the 15 minute drive.
www.theconnectiononline.org |
Shanabana
Citizen
Username: Shanabana
Post Number: 233
Registered: 10-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 28, 2006 - 2:08 pm: |
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Does the Connetion have the option of swimming with the little one while the older one takes a lesson, or have toddler and older lessons at the same time? I took my son once to my daughter's lesson at the Y and it was like torture for him. |
Meandtheboys
Citizen
Username: Meandtheboys
Post Number: 3109
Registered: 12-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 28, 2006 - 2:42 pm: |
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Shanabana, I took swimming lessons with my middle child when he was just a little guy and mom and baby are in the water together. If you're talking about you and your son being in the pool just messing around, you can't do that during the time there are lessons, because there are 2 or 3 classes going at the same time. They offer lots of different options so you could potentially end up getting classes at the same time.
Last term, my oldest and middle child were in two seperate classes that both met at 4 in the afternoon on Monday's. This term, my older child advanced to the next level and my middle is repeating the same level. They are taking class on Sunday mornings, one from 11-11:30, the other from 11:30-12.
When I was taking them on Mondays, my youngest and I just hung out and walked around the rest of the facility--or on the nice days there's a playground just outside--until they were done. The classes were only 25 minutes long. This term the older two go with Daddy and the baby and I stay home, so I don't have to drag him along now.
Also, there are lots of other kinds of kids classes you might be able to enroll your son in at the same time. Active classes like toddler gym and stuff, but I don't know the schedule. Call them and ask to be sent the new catalog when it comes out. |
amandacat
Citizen
Username: Amandacat
Post Number: 1011
Registered: 8-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 1, 2006 - 12:00 pm: |
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I asked this on another swim lesson thread (in education), but figured I'd try here too:
What's the warmest pool around? I want to take a Mommy & Me infant swim class with Babycat, and would prefer to do so where the water is nice and heated. I hate getting into a cold/lukewarm pool!
T.I.A.!!!! |
Meandtheboys
Citizen
Username: Meandtheboys
Post Number: 3118
Registered: 12-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 1, 2006 - 12:23 pm: |
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What pools have you tried that you thought were cold?
I took swimming lessons with my middle child at The Connection when he was little. Don't remember thinking the pool was either too cold or too warm. So I guess it's probably somewhere in the middle. |
amandacat
Citizen
Username: Amandacat
Post Number: 1013
Registered: 8-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 1, 2006 - 2:18 pm: |
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I haven't tried any indoor pools in the area, so I guess that doesn't help much with comparisons. Basically, I'm looking for the kind of pool temperature where you don't have to psyche yourself up to get in, and where you don't have to swim around to "warm up". You know, a pool for wusses! |
Rastro
Citizen
Username: Rastro
Post Number: 2475
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 1, 2006 - 2:39 pm: |
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Find a class toward the end of the day, after a lot of lessons (especially for young kids) have taken place. Definitely after lunch. I'm sure the water will be plenty warm...  |
Meandtheboys
Citizen
Username: Meandtheboys
Post Number: 3124
Registered: 12-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 1, 2006 - 2:44 pm: |
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Amanda, I think it's safe to say those are my criteria for a pool as well. The Connection pool seems plenty warm enough as I don't recall ever having to psych myself up or swim around to warm up. And if I'm not mistaken, I was in that pool during the winter. I know it's plenty warm in the room where the pool is. I've been in there a couple times recently, in street clothes to round up the kids, and it's very warm. And I'm sure if it were too cold, I'd hear about it from my kids. |
Glock 17
Citizen
Username: Glock17
Post Number: 315
Registered: 7-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 7, 2006 - 9:08 pm: |
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warmer pools are not as good for healthy swimming
us competetive swimmers hate em |
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