Kickers

Kickers

Whilst in our Kickers class, the children’s communication skills come into their own. Language and responding to key words, counting and listening all play a part in this level of the programme. We use two short woggles to help them move around without adult support (which often ends in the parent chasing them around the pool 😊). Many of the Learning Outcomes below are directly linked to personal survival and this is a key element of the programme, including partaking in our PJ week, three times a year, where the children learn how it feels to be in the water with clothes on. They can stay in our Kickers programme until they are 30 months and this length of time is just what some children need to gain and even regain their confidence as this stage can prove emotionally difficult for some toddlers (“Really?”, we hear you cry incredulously!). Our teachers are specially trained to make sure activities are adapted to each and every child and the focus is on encouragement and empowerment, never forcing and never undermining. For those children who have consistently shown aptitude and confidence in the water, we progress them to our Little Dippers class from as early as 24 months.

What are the Learning Outcomes for your Kicker? 

• Enter the water safely, without support, using swivel entry, responding to signals from teacher with support, making progress towards no support
• Respond to key words e.g. splash, kick, reach, hold on, turn
• Hold on to the side of the pool without adult support and move along the wall/bar with or without adult support
• Turn off the wall with or without support to adult for swim away on front or back, supported by parent in swim
• Swim around pool with baby holding onto adult’s back
• Makes progress towards swimming on the back supported by either a parent or a woggle
• Enter the water from poolside/large float using a supported or independent seated jump
• Makes progress towards rotating to parent underwater
• Learn to balance independently on two short woggles and move around pool space, with or without adult support
• Assisting and encouraging Kicker to hold on to poolside and climb out unaided to sit and wait for parent to climb out

Click here to find your nearest Kickers class.