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As the caregiver of a young child you are no doubt aware that each child is an individual and there are very few “rules” when it comes to learning new physical skills. Remember back to when your child learned to walk. Think how long it took them to learn; and they practiced that every day, all day!!! Learning to swim is teaching your child a completely alien motor skill. There are also several fear factors that potentially come into play. Learning to be comfortable in the water, put their face in the water, learning to breath correctly and then to push off from the side and trust the water to hold them up. These are major psychological steps. The Aqua Culture instructors are committed to allowing each child to learn and develop at their own pace. We see learning to swim as part of a bigger picture and we value the opportunity to invest our lives in your children and accomplish our mission of growing happy, healthy responsible kids who love to learn.

Checking in with Kisok

We use Check In Kiosk to take attendance. There is a laptop at the front desk. iClassPro assigns a QR code to a family or student. QR codes can be displayed on your mobile device to log into the Check-In Kiosk. Phone numbers can also be used to check in. It is suggested that you take a screenshot of the code to make it easier to locate on your device.

To find your QR codes log in to the iClass app.

  • Select “Accounts”
  • Select a “Student”
  • One of the options under the student is “QR Codes”
  • This will show both your “Family Code” and the “Student Code”

How do the QR codes work?

  • QR Codes assigned to a STUDENT will automatically select that student when checking in.
  • QR Codes assigned to a FAMILY will automatically select all students in the family and work the same as entering the family phone number.

Hold your QR code up to the webcam on the laptop to check-in.

Drop requests should be submitted via the iClass app or our Customer Portal. Remember, accounts are debited 1 month in advance (for example, if you would like to stop taking lessons at the end of March you must submit a withdrawal form no later than the last day of January. The March tuition debit will be processed on or about February 1st.)

To submit a drop request please:

1. Log into your account, click the MY ACCOUNT link in the toolbar at the top of the screen.

2. C,lick the “Enrollments” icon under the student for whom you wish to request. (NOTE: In the Mobile App, select ACCOUNT from the navigation toolbar at the bottom of the screen, select the student for whom you wish to create a future absence, then click “Enrollments.”)

3. Click the DROP ENROLLMENT button next to the class you wish to drop to bring up the “Drop Enrollment Request” window.

4. Enter the preferred DROP DATE along with any NOTES explaining why you are requesting to drop the enrollment.

5. Click “Yes, please drop!” to submit the drop request, or “Cancel” to close the window without submitting the request.

We are in the middle of cold and flu season so we wanted to remind everyone of the preferred process for notifying us if a student cannot participate in lessons. Please do not send your swimmers to class if they have been diagnosed with a contagious illness or have a fever or diarrhea. Of course, this applies to any absence not just illness-related absences. Here are the basic steps for scheduling a future absence. Notifying Aqua Culture of an absence through the portal or app is helpful since these notifications show up on the instructor’s rosters for the day when they check in.

  • Log into the Customer Portal or App
  • Go to “My Account” → “Students”
  • Select “Future Absences”
    You can submit Future Absences by Date (for the whole family) or by Enrollment (for individual swimmers)
  • NOTE: In the Mobile App, select ACCOUNT from the navigation toolbar at the bottom of the screen, select the student you wish to create a future absence for, then click “Future Absences.

For detailed step-by-step instructions visit the iClassPro knowledgebase: How Do I Submit a Future Absence Request Through Customer Portal?

We offer sign up for rec swim opportunities via SignUpGenius. Currently enrolled swim school families and HAWC swimmers/exercisers are eligible to sign up. (Swim school families please do not sign up for a rec swim during your swimmers lessons):

Sign up here

GRIFFITH UNIVERSITY STUDY ABOUT EARLY SWIMMING BENEFITS

Researchers at Griffith University found that swim lessons actually teach a whole lot more than bubble blowing and back floats. In fact, their study showed that kids who took swim lessons before the age of 5, were 6 to 20 months ahead of their peers…in a ton of different areas.

The study looked at 7,000 kids who took swimming lessons in the USA, Australia and New Zealand. Turns out, those swim class kids had a substantial competitive edge across all developmental areas:

  • Intellectually, they were 6 months ahead of their peers in counting and mathematics reasoning.
  • Physically, they were 7 months ahead in motor development.
  • Socially, they were 15 months ahead in socio and emotional development.

Water transfers heat nearly 25 times better than air. That means the body’s heat is leaving it at a rate 25 times faster in water than in air. Thus, 89 degrees Fahrenheit water feels the about the same as 68 degrees Fahrenheit air. As a result, you may feel cold if you don’t swim to generate body heat. This is why we keep the water warm.

First, ask him/her to swim using the skills they learned during class. Remember, practice only makes permanent, perfect practice makes perfect. Take advantage of rec swim times. Second, encourage him/her to swim with their face in the water. Third, the body should be horizontal in the water when making forward progress. Finally, try to reassure your children that the water is a fun activity.

Our policy is to transition from Pearl classes with caregiver participation to swim lessons between 2 ½ and 3 years of age. Before this age students are too young to follow directions or to be separated from their caregiver. We recommend starting Pearl classes before 18 months, since about 18 months children begin to develop fears. During Pearl classes, little swimmers and caregivers are taught proper techniques and water adjustment.

Condensed from “The Baby Swim Book” by Cinda L. Kocken & Janet McCabe

  • Pack your bag
    • Parent & baby’s swimsuits
    • Accessories to tie hair back
    • Three towels
    • Baby’s snack
    • Lotion
    • Diapering needs
    • Baby’s favorite water-resistant toy
  • Arrive early to allow time to acclimatize to the new environment.
  • Dress comfortably and familiarize the child with the suit they will be wearing. (Remember children under the age of 5 must wear a cloth snug fitting, reusable swim diaper.)
  • Feed your baby a light snack such as a cracker or piece of banana 15 minutes before the lesson and bring a snack for after the lesson. Swimming is hard work.
  • Accommodate your child’s nap time and if possible schedule a nap before the lesson.
  • Come prepared to participate fully, your interactions and participation will set the tone for your baby’s involvement.

Certainly swimming is a physical activity but ½ hour of swimming often seems to be much more exhausting than ½ hour of other sports activities. If your child is in an upper level class the answer may lie in your water bottle. Proper hydration is very important particularly in a warm water facility like Aqua Culture. It’s easy, and common, to mistakenly figure that because your sweat isn’t obvious, that it’s not happening. You can sweat off 6 to 8 ounces every 15 minutes in the pool. Following are some Smart Swimmers Drinking Rules:

  1. Take a healthy swig of fresh water (not pool water) every 15 minutes.
  2. Pre-hydrate. Drink 2 to 3 cups of water an hour before swimming.
  3. Drink before you are thirsty.

Staying fully hydrated will also help with the post swim munchies.

It’s a fact that swimsuits fade and disintegrate as a result of repeated low-level chlorine exposure. However, recent research indicates that more of the suit damage is actually caused by body fats and oils released as a result of warm water exposure than from sanitizer-oxidizer exposure. Good quality chlorine resistant suits (as compared to “lay-on-the-beach-and-get-a-tan suits) are manufactured from polyester. Polyester by itself has excellent durability and withstands chlorine best. For reference purposes, our target chlorine level is 2.0-3.0 parts per million (ppm) and typical addition of 8 ounces of Clorox to your washing machine raises the chlorine level to approximately 80 ppm. The key to long swimsuit life is rinsing in cool water immediately after use and drying without heat. Take advantage of the SuitMate spin dryer, in the hallway by the door to the pool area.

Some children’s eyes are more sensitive than others, and therefore would significantly benefit from goggles. The best rule to follow when making this decision is whether or not the child will fully participate in aquatic activities without the use of goggles. If the answer is no, we suggest trying a pair.

Try to avoid food and drink immediately before any aquatic (or any physical) activity as this may cause your child to develop cramps and become sick, at the same time try not to bring your child to the class hungry.

We suggest no, as you may tire your child and your child may be reluctant to participate in the lesson. Please make every effort to bring your child to their lesson well-rested and ready for a fun learning experience.

The swallowing of large quantities of water can cause water intoxication. In an organized aqua baby class this is not common but it has occurred and is a risk in the following situations: (1) prolonged class time, or (2) where your child is extremely frightened. The initial symptom is likely to be impaired consciousness or unusual behavior followed by seizures. The Pearl classes are designed with this in mind and the class length and limits on submersion are part of our effort to make this a safe learning environment.

Of course. A warm swimming pool can be a fertile breeding ground for all sorts of organisms, especially when young children occupy the water. That is why we use both chlorine residual to insure that the water is

Swimmer’s ear is a painful inflammation of the outer ear canal. If water remains in the ear canal for many hours, conditions may be conducive for the growth of bacteria. Swimmers ear, however, is not a common occurrence.

A pool with a properly maintained chemical balance will not support the growth of bacteria. The absence of bacteria in the pool goes a long way toward eliminating swimmer’s ear and why we are fanatical about keeping our water clean. In our 20+ years, there has never been a documented case of swimmers ear from exposure to water in our pool. Students should be sure that the ear canal is free of water after leaving the pool. 

Cramps are uncomfortable, but they will not endanger your life unless you panic. The best remedy is to massage the affected area or carefully stretch the involved muscles. Be particularly careful about over use of specific muscles through activities like kicking with fins.

Based on the normal vision standard of 20/20, vision underwater is 20/4000 without the aid of goggles or a mask. Most states consider persons with 20/200 vision to be legally blind. The use of goggles will restore normal vision underwater and also help to protect the eyes from the potentially irritating effects of chlorinated water.

With few exceptions everyone floats, however, most people think that they are the exception. The degree of buoyancy is dependent upon several factors: the ratio of fatty tissue to muscle tissue; the amount of bone mass; and lung capacity. Generally, persons who are physically fit are less buoyant. The goal of Aqua Culture is to teach proper body position and balance so that each swimmer can maximize their buoyancy.

Water weighs approximately 60 pounds per cubic foot. It is this weight that causes the sensation of pressure. Water pressure increases by one-half pound per square inch per each foot of depth.

Some people are naturally more sensitive to the chemicals that are used in a pool’s purification system. There are some very important steps you can take to help prevent any adverse reactions. To protect skin and hair, you should always shower before and after using the facility. Ideally, showering should occur without soap and with cool water. This helps to cut down on any contaminants that you may be bringing into the pool as well as any with which you may leave. To prevent excessive drying of your skin and the development of any rashes, apply baby oil or highly emollient lotions to your body after showering. Triswim lotion, which many swim instructors have found effective, is sold in our pro shop. This is especially important if you have sensitive skin. If you use these preventative measures each time you swim in chlorine, you should not have a problem with how your skin reacts.

Games are the basic ingredient of any program with young children and their repetition helps build skills. The primary objective of these Caregiver-Child classes is to provide a safe, enjoyable environment where your child can build self-confidence, and proper respect for the water and prevent the development of undo fears. Over several months, your child can learn to safely submerge and eventually float unsupported and “swim” several feet working up to a submersion of 7 seconds.

These are potentially two different questions. As a guideline, you should not be in the pool if you have a fever, if you have a cold with a sore throat, or diarrhea. If you have a “cold” with no sore throat or fever, you may swim but be careful about the level of activity.

Many swimmers see halos or rainbows around lights after fifteen minutes of entering the pool. This is nothing to be concerned about and is the result of water being absorbed into the eyes. The water in the pool has less salt than the fluids in your eyes (tears) and as a result the pool water moves into your eyes by osmotic pressure. This water accumulates in the clear part of your eye and this temporary swelling is called corneal edema. Some cells are lost off the surface of the cornea causing the symptoms of blurred vision and sensitivity to light (photophobia). After leaving the pool your eyes may remain more sensitive to light and irritants like smoke for a short period. These effects usually disappear within 30 minutes of leaving the pool. Using goggles will help to lessen the temporary effects of corneal edema.

Aquatic Consulting Services Pool Tip #24: Why Swimmers See Halos Around Lights

It’s hard to know what to do when your child cries during the swim class. A part of you wants to go rescue your child. But, another part of you wants your child to “tough it out” and gain victory over this fear. You may feel embarrassment to have a child who is so unhappy, and you are hopeful he/she doesn’t disrupt the class too much. Crying is not uncommon and is a natural expression of his/her emotional discomfort due to immersion in the water or separation from you. We will actively combat your child’s discomfort because his/her emotional comfort will greatly affect the acquisition of new swim skills.

Suggestions on how you help:

  • Give your child to the instructor.
    Walk your child out on deck and hand him/her over to the teacher. Then calmly walk back to the viewing room with a pleasant expression on your face. By handing your child over to the teacher, you are telling your child that you trust the teacher.
  • Hide In The Observation Room
    If your crying child continually looks at you and calls to you in the observation room, break eye contact. This can easily be done by looking at a magazine or book every time your child looks at you. Keep a pleasant expression on your face. We prefer that you not hide from your child or disappear from the viewing room.
  • Play with them in the water.
    Come to a rec swim time and play with them in the water to speed up the adjustment period. Don’t make this a mini-lesson, just have fun and enjoy the water together. Do not come for practice time immediately before the lesson. That is like putting dessert before dinner.
  • Praise and encouragement
    after lessons is very important! Don’t forget children are learning even if they are crying. Muscles are being built, coordination is increased, correct patterns are developing in the brain, and breathing control is increased
  • How Long Is Too Long?
    How long is too long for your child to cry in swim lessons? On average, most crying swim students have stopped after the third lesson. At the very least you should notice that the crying is diminishing. If not, it is possible that your child may need a private lesson. Some children are much more comfortable with the undivided attention of a caring teacher.