Self-rescue survival swim lessons teach children how to find air independently by rolling to their back and floating for an indefinite period of time, without the need of a flotation device or intervention from a parent.

When people hear that we are survival swim instructors, 9 times out of 10 their immediate response is “Oh I’ve seen the videos online…where people throw the kids in the pool”. That is by far the BIGGEST misconception. A true certified survival swim instructor will NEVER throw your child in the pool.

At LSA, our certified instructors complete an extensive 6-week training program offered by Infant Aquatics in Longmont, CO. Their certification consists of over 100 hours of in-water training and education in child development, child behavior, anatomy & physiology, and sensory motor learning to ensure safe and effective lessons for all children.

Our program structure and timeline for achieving results are two major points of differentiation.

At Little Squirts Aquatics, students embark on a 6 week journey where they enjoy private 1:1 lessons with their instructor 10 mins a day, 4 days per week. Since our lessons are private, the instructor can customize each lesson based on a child’s needs. Each lesson builds upon the previous day’s lesson so there is measurable progress each week. Because of this structure, children are able to master the skills to swim and float in a matter of weeks NOT years! At the end of 6 weeks, children then transition to our maintenance program where they will continue to enjoy private lessons one to two days per week to maintain the integrity of their self-rescue skills.

69% of childhood drownings happen when a child is fully clothed. Clothes and a diaper on a child who isn’t yet potty trained can add 10-20lbs so we ensure children who go through our program have mastered their self-rescue survival skills fully clothed.

DO’s: Always wear a US Coast Guard approved life jacket when on or around open water like lakes, oceans and rivers.

DON’Ts: Use puddle jumpers or floaties as “learn to swim devices” or for routine recreational swimming. These devices create a posture similar to the vertical drowning position and when used regularly create a dangerous muscle memory towards this position. They also give children a false sense of security and confidence. Although these devices are US Coast Guard approved, their approval is not for use in the pool, it only extends to use on water vessels!

1. Constant Supervision (GET IN WITH YOUR CHILDREN. Touch distance!)

2. Designate a Water Watcher (if everyone is watching the pool, no one is watching)

3. Pool Fence

4. Alarms & Locks

5. Learn CPR

6. Wear brightly colored swimsuits to prevent blending in with water

7. Get your child SKILLED

Currently, the cost for our new swimmer program is $720 for 24 private lessons. That nets out to be $30 per lesson which is in line with what traditional swim schools in our area charge for 30-minute group lessons! Our private lessons are only 10 minutes, but it’s important to note that if there are three swimmers in your child’s group class, your child is only averaging 10 minutes of hands-on work…and that goes down as your child’s class size goes up!

For those families wanting to enroll their children in our program but are concerned about the cost, scholarships are available so we encourage you to reach out!

1. Safety: Since all lessons are one-on-one, your child will be very tired at the end of each lesson (perhaps before, in which case their lesson may be shorter than 10 minutes on some days). Infants and young children have a more delicate physiology than adults, and we want to make sure the lessons that are intended to make them safer around the water are themselves not unsafe.

2. Short attention spans: The short lesson help us capitalize on the brief attention spans of young children and maximize their time for learning.

3. Better learning and retention of skills: Research shows that motor skills like walking, running and swimming are best learned in short, intense periods of practice over a long period of time. So not only will your child learn to swim and float better initially because of the lesson format, they’re more likely to retain the muscle memory long after lessons are over if they need to use their skills again before coming back for maintenance or refresher lessons (see below for "further lessons").

It takes incredible concentration and objectivity to teach a very young child how to respond to an aquatic emergency, and research shows that parents often find it too difficult to be objective to be effective teachers with their own children in the water. This is even true with survival swim instructors and their own children. However, we do get parents in 1-2 times over the session to teach them how to swim safely with their own children, after the skill has been mastered.

This does not apply to the Little Dippers class where a caregiver is in water for the duration of the class.

Breath holding skills are taught in the first lesson, as it is the foundation for all swimming skills. We shape breath control using highly effective positive reinforcement techniques.

We recommend that you bring your child back for private lessons 1-2x/week. Frequency depends on the child's age, growth rate, skill level, and confidence level. The goal of maintenance lessons is to help your child adjust their new body size and weight to their existing skill level. We will work with your child to help fine-tune their aquatic experience to assist with building efficiency, which will result in self-confidence. This is especially important if your child is not able to practice any appropriate aquatic skill between seasons. Maintenance lessons are important because children change so much both cognitively and physically during the first 4-5 years of life. It is important that their aquatic skill and abilities grow with their bodies!