Chance's First Swimming Class

Chance just before class started
Today was Chance's first swimming class. Chance has been looking forward to it for days and I've been pretty excited for him because I took the exact same swimming classes when I was little. We arrived a few minutes early to have time to change into swimming trunks and check the place out. It is an outdoor heated pool with plenty of space and three slides that we didn't go down this time but Chance remembers the awesome slide at the community center in Portland so he really wanted to go but Scott and I didn't have our suits so we will have to save that for another time.


Chance in his red trunks learning the sidestroke
Chance is a headstrong little guy and I often worry about how he will do in classes. Will he listen to the instructor? Will he be patient with the other students? Well he did a wonderful job listening to the instructor and was the most advanced of the 4 students. He had a little trouble being patient with the other kids but after I explained that they were all at different levels and he had to give each of them the time they need to learn how to swim he did a much better.


Chance on the left practicing his kicking
They began work on kicking and sidestroke which are mostly new to Chance and jumping into the pool and blowing bubbles under water which Chance has been doing for a while. By the end of the class he was starting to use his new skills while swimming around the pool. The instructor did a very good job modifying the exercises for each students skill level giving Chance extra help on the things he doesn't quite have yet (like floating) and challenging him a little more with things he can do well like putting the ring on the bottom of the pool for him to retrieve rather than on the stairs where it would be too easy.


Chance swimming to the stairs after jumping in
He loved the class and can't wait for next week. The class lasts 8 weeks, so he will be learning lots of new swimming skills for quite a few Saturdays to come plus if he does well and wants to continue I'll sign him up for the next level of classes after he completes this level.