LOVE SWIMMING’S
FREE SWIM!
***An exclusive offer for Love Swimming members!
Wednesdays & Fridays 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm
Walk-ins and reservations welcomed on a first-come, first-served basis:
Come add some bubbles to your day!
reservations:
504-891-4662
loveswimmingnola@gmail.com
Improvement.
Isn’t that the fruit that grows on golden trees and makes anyone better at anything? No…? Aww, man! Well, even if the tree of our dreams doesn’t exist, there is always the old fashioned way to improve: Practice.
Practice is something that is necessary for anyone who would like to be better at… well… anything! Of course, the same goes for your little swimmers. As we move into the cooler months, we know that swimming in the backyard pool won’t be an option. And even though Love Swimming houses heated, indoor pools, we must also realize that practicing our swim technique can extend outside the pool as well.
If we only practiced an activity once a week, we would never be as far along as we could be. For instance, if babies only practiced walking once a week, it’s doubtful they would walk before the age of 10, if that. The same goes for writing, speaking, and numerous other activities. So that bares the question: How do we practice swimming out of the pool? Well, we have an answer!
When it comes to swimming, our kicks play the largest role. If we don’t know how to kick properly, we inadvertently cause ourselves to expel more energy than necessary. And if that happens, we can’t swim as long and as much as we’d like to! So, here is a tip we have for our little swimmers to try before they head to bed or at anytime during the day.
Legs Hanging Off Bed — Image by © Image Source/Corbis
Have your child sit on the edge of their bed and kick their feet. Keep in mind that they should kick with long legs, up and down. It’s very easy for young swimmers to kick in a crazy and hectic fashion. But, sitting on the edge of their bed while kicking helps them to be aware of their form and control. The same could be said for kids who are working on incorporating their arms into their swimming. Coordination is something all swimmers must work on. So, if your child is working on their freestyle arms, have them walk while moving their arms accordingly. Using their arms and legs at the same time will improve their coordination, thus improve their swimming.
These simple exercises can last, at most, 5 minutes a night. And you can always make it fun by playing along with your children! Practice makes your best! So, let’s inspire our children to be their best.
If anyone hasn’t noticed by the sweltering weather as of late, summer is here. I mean, how can you not know? There is obviously a looming fear of hot seat-belt buckles brushing our skin, causing a cry comparable to that of a newborn puppy. But, other (more important) concerns lie within our minds when it comes to our children’s safety during the summer.
When you and your family have fun at the beach, community pool, or even your own pool, the safety switch is on. Who am I kidding? It’s ALWAYS on! When that switch clicks, we as parents take the initiative to make sure our bases are covered and our children are safe and sound. One way of doing so is with the use of floaties. But, we must be aware that floaties can help… and “not help” simultaneously.
Now, I know… Floaties give us a sense of safety and calm when they are worn by our children. Besides that, we wouldn’t have the freedom to do fun adulty things. If it wasn’t for the floaties, you wouldn’t be able to:
But, when you consider the progress your child has made in their swim lessons, you may reconsider using floaties the whole time they are in the water. Love Swimming is about teaching your child swim technique, as well as helping them to have confidence and independence in the water. We teach our students how to swim without floaties so they won’t become too dependent on them. But, you shouldn’t stop once you drive away from our parking lot.
The best thing to do with your children is to have them swim the first 15-30 minutes without floaties, with you. Once their time is up, they are welcome to wear them if they or you so choose. The reason why we suggest swimming without floaties first is to give them a confidence boost. If they know they can swim without floaties, they won’t rely on them later on. Also, if they really want floaties, swimming without them will be the incentive to get them back.
It’s all about consistency. If your child can swim without floaties at Love Swimming, they are capable of doing the same elsewhere. It just takes time, consistency, patience and support. As long we offer that to our children, they will not only have the tools to become confident swimmers, but confident human beings as well.
-Coach Will
Children.
What are they besides smaller versions of ourselves? They are adventurers, zoologists, actors, and much more. But, above all they are learners. Generally when we think of learning, we sometimes tend to consider it an in-school activity. But, our children are learning every day! From how to say “Mom” or “Dad” to not crossing the street without a grownup, our children learn to become comfortable with the lessons, activities, and boundaries we instill over time.
When it comes to your child starting a new activity like swimming, there is A LOT to take in. With the fact that they have no idea where they are, who these people are, and why they are here, they are bound to partake in the action that best expresses their disapproval: Crying. It is inevitable!
As parents, we hate to hear our children cry and try to stop it immediately. But, when it comes to teaching your children an activity that you know will benefit them for the rest of their lives, we have to be willing to withstand the crying for their sake. Comfortability isn’t given. It’s learned through repetition, reassurance, and a happy attitude!
Children are so aware that they not only learn their parents’ mannerisms, but they will also learn their parents’ attitudes. If you display a nervous expression, your child will do the same. If you display a happy expression, your child will soon enough do the same. We simply have to be there during the tears and nervousness with a fun-loving, happy attitude. No one said getting used to the water would be easy. But, everything worth having isn’t always easy. Let’s set great examples for our children with great attitudes! After all, our children deserve that and more.
Love Swimming
As we open our doors to let in the fresh, spring air, we know that the time for water related fun is here! Slip-and-slides, pools, and beaches will be the talk of the town for the next four months. And during this time we must keep in mind the safety precautions needed when we near any body of water.
Spring and summer months happen to be the time of year when water related accidents occur the most. Any person who doesn’t know the proper techniques or tips to make it to safety in the event of an accident may find it quite difficult to not only save themselves, but others as well. Love Swimming strives to make a difference in the lives of our fellow New Orleanians. In a city located below sea level, learning how to swim is just as important (if not more) as your other everyday activities. We can’t control how and when accidents occur in our lives, but we CAN control how we react to them through preparation! Just as we have car insurance to prepare for any accident on the road, your child’s lessons will be their insurance when nearing a body of water. It’s all about taking the initiative to prepare for anything! Let’s have no water tragedies this summer.
Love Swimming looks forward to helping your children prepare for any water related accident. Let’s take the initiative! Let’s teach our children what they need to know so they can enjoy the water well into their adult years.
Sign up for Love Swimming lessons today!
As we approach the spring and summer months, more parents are rushing to get their children into swim lessons. Though the water can be a fun experience, it can also be dangerous if a child is unaware of safety and swim techniques. At Love Swimming, we initially enroll new students in 12 weeks of lessons. To some, that may seem like an extensive request. But, when you consider the time and patience needed for your child to not only learn, but retain what they learn, three months is almost not enough.
When we first learn to do anything, from walking to writing our names in cursive, we don’t get it perfectly on the first try. It takes practice and patience. As busy adults, we sometimes feel the need to rush through activities and tasks. But, when it comes to teaching our children efficiently, we simply can’t speed through their lessons. As a swim school that wants your child to learn new skills and retain them long after they leave Love Swimming, we can’t accept cutting their education short. We want them to be the very best that they can be. We want them to build a strong relationship with the water. And we feel that the best way to achieve such goals is by teaching them more than four lessons.
It’s what’s best for our children! And it doesn’t hurt to have some piece of mind whenever your family nears a body of water. So, we hope to see you this summer, and we hope that your children will swim with us long enough to remember their swim techniques well into their adult years.
Happy splashes to all!
Love Swimming
We know there are other places to have the kiddos learn how to swim. So why choose Love Swimming? Easy: Love Swimming offers things that other places don’t. Here are a few benefits you’ll get with us:
When you first jump in the water, you don’t want to be shivering and forcing yourself to stay in, right? And cold water means kids aren’t comfy, either. Well, no worries about purple lips here! The pools at Love Swimming are always set to a warm 90 degrees! This makes the transition to the water more welcomed for our little swimmers.
In many places, kids have to either hold onto the edge or sit outside the pool on the edge when they’re waiting for their turn during swim lessons. Not at Love Swimming! There’s a nice island in our pools, IN THE WATER. This means kids can save their energy from hanging on or getting in and out repeatedly and use it on actually swimming — and it’s way more helpful when it comes to pushing off and swimming back, too. It’s the little things, right?
It’s important that kids not only learn the swim strokes, but the building blocks that will sustain their skills. For instance, one of the key components of the specialized Love Swimming curriculum is teaching breath control. Little by little, swimmers learn how to hold their breath underwater, blow their bubbles and build up to being able to swim while their head is underwater. Then, your little guppy will learn to swim further distances in one breath. That is one of the reasons why repetition is so very important. Plus, swimmers learn what to do when they run OUT of breath while swimming: Roll over onto their backs, relax and catch their breath, then roll back over and continue swimming.
Safety is a HUGE focus at Love Swimming. Each week, lessons incorporate safety skills for kids in AND out of the water. Swimming is an important life skill and all kids should know how to stay safe, so they can have fun in the water. From teaching them to walk rather than run by the pool, to holding on to the ladder and taking one step at a time, Love Swimming covers those bases so your children know all they need to know about safety.
Love Swimming prides itself in its instructors. Not only are they trained in swim technique, they are also trained to teach children proper swim technique. And when it comes to your little ones, they deserves someone who is patient, understanding, knowledgeable, and FUN! Love Swimming’s instructors have all those qualities and more. For a child to excel in swim lessons, they must feel comfortable with their instructor. And Love Swimming has the teachers that will make you and your child comfortable not just in lessons, but in any body of water.
Even though your baby can’t walk yet, he or she can certainly start learning swim skills! At Love Swimming, our trained instructors use integrity, compassion and trust to teach kids ages 6 months and older swim skills that will stay with them for the rest of their lives. You’ll find some additional benefits to jumping into lessons with your infant below.
You may be surprised at how naturally babies take to water (after all, they were quite the little swimmers before you met them) — so it is only fitting that you immerse them in water to maintain familiarity. The sooner you introduce your baby to the water, the easier it is for them to enjoy the environment. Once they get a little bit older, toddlers may enter phases where fear (of many things) is more prevalent. So, by having swimming as a natural environment early on, they will not have any new feelings to become adjusted to when they start learning how to swim.
Maybe you’ve heard about the parents who struggle with bath time, or maybe you hate when your little one becomes agitated with water being poured over his or her head. Want an easy fix? Sign up your baby for swimming lessons! At Love Swimming, lessons teach babies that being in the water is fun — which translates to having a LOVE for all water, including in the tub.
Moms (and dads) may often find that taking a shower becomes nearly impossible when there’s a new baby — because when there’s a window of opportunity, say, when baby naps, you have to decide which is more important: Sleep or a shower? Usually sleep wins, right?! But when your baby is accustomed to the water, you can bring your little bundle of joy into the shower with you (provided you’re using proper safety precautions). Use shower time as time for both of you to get clean, then you can both nap at the same time. Two birds; one stone!
Just because your little one isn’t walking doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the water when you’re at the beach. Sure, you’ll have to make sure your baby is properly protected from the sun, but it’s definitely more fun to be splashing in the water than trying to stop all those tiny pieces of sand from continually making its way into your baby’s mouth. Because you’ve had your little guppy in swimming lessons and you’ve seen some extraordinary results, you won’t have to worry that he or she doesn’t know what to do in the water and you can enjoy the splashing and feel of the refreshing water.
It can be a funny sensation for a baby to have their legs dangling in the pool with nothing to stand on, or just being wet in a pool — if they haven’t been introduced to it previously. When your baby is in swim lessons and looks forward to playing in the water, you get to enjoy the water, too! No more sitting on the sidelines looking longingly to the pool: You can bring your baby in the water with you! And babies who aren’t even one yet can learn how to go under water. Pretty fascinating, isn’t it?
Enroll your baby in our Love Swimming Parent-Tot classes today!!!
The holidays are quickly approaching, and that means gift ideas are probably swirling around in your head as you read this sentence. It happens every year: Soon after Thanksgiving dinner a number of adults will head off to the nearest mall, Best Buy, and computer to find the perfect gift for the little ones in their life. Of course video games, dolls, and board games may very well be on your child’s list. But, there is a gift we can give our children that will outlast the video game and doll: A life saving experience.
We have numerous options for presents these days, but one of the best gifts to give your little one is an experience. Trips to theme parks and getaways are sure to be remembered years later. So, why not provide them with an experience that is life saving? Let us not forget that New Orleans is a city under sea level, making us more susceptible to flooding. We are surrounded by water whether you live Uptown, Downtown, or in Metairie. So, what could be the best life saving experience you can give your child? Swim lessons.
A number of New Orleanians don’t know how to swim. It’s something that you would expect a resident surrounded by water to be able to do. Swimming is without a doubt an activity that has saved the lives of those confronted by water related accidents and natural disasters; not just in New Orleans, but around the world. Of course, it’s a fun activity! Who doesn’t like to swim like a mermaid or shark? But, it’s not just fun. It’s a fun experience. But, it’s not just a fun experience. It’s a fun, life saving experience.
So, give your children the best! Provide them with the tools necessary to become a well rounded, knowledgeable human being, and surprise them with the gift of swim lessons at Love Swimming. You will be glad you did!