Baby swimming

About baby swimming:

Baby swimming came to Finland and other Nordic countries in the early 1980s. In Finland, the Finnish Swimming Teaching and Lifesaving Association is responsible for baby swimming, its development and training. Baby swimming is a family hobby where the child is the center of activity and attention. In baby swimming, the child does not learn to swim independently, but they learn to play in the water and dive under the supervision and assistance of the parents. In the baby swimming, the little one gets used to the water safely in skin-to-skin contact with her parents. The child also enjoys the undivided attention and encouragement that they get from their parents.

The pressure and movement of the surrounding water also feels safe to the baby. It gives the baby almost the same feeling as a gentle hug or swaddling. The ideal age to start baby swimming is around 3 months. At the age of three months, the child’s awake time is long enough, and he can also move more. In addition, the child must weigh at least 5 kg in order to stay warm in water of at least 32 degrees. Around the age of 3-4 months, the child begins to form an understanding of the limits of his own body. Water differs in its properties from the baby’s daily environment, which is why it offers new sensory experiences that are important for development.

In water babies can do things that they can’t yet do on the ground. For example, in the belly swimming position, the buoyancy of the water replaces the missing muscle strength in the extensor muscles of the body, so the baby can stay longer on its stomach in the water than on dry land. The vibration, lift and response of the water stimulate the baby’s senses supporting the baby’s motor development. Research has shown that baby swimming, which combines movement, sensory stimulation, solid social interaction and water as an element promotes and supports the child’s balanced development.

The goals of baby swimming in a nutshell:

• To be a happy and refreshing playtime for the family
• To support the interaction between the baby and the parents
• To be an event that individually and comprehensively supports the child’s personality
• Make the child enjoy being in the water and make him a water lover
• To create social interactions between families
• Get the child a hobby that is healthy and leads to regular exercise
• Support the child’s social and motor development
• Later on, it helps the child to learn swimming skills and thus also increases water safety

About family swimming:

Family swimming, on the other hand, is a Finnish concept and it refers to the period after baby swimming, i.e. swimming enjoyed by people over one year old. In family swimming, the child still swims with his parents, but the content of the swimming session changes as the child’s skills grow. In addition to the elements of elementary swimming education, the content of the swimming lesson and the teaching methods used are influenced by the child’s age, learning abilities and the child’s individual characteristics. Family swimming is an excellent way to continue swimming together in a guided way until the family and child are ready to become regular spa users or to seek services from, for example, our swimming schools. The age range of children participating in family swimming is from one to five years old. After reaching the age of five, the child can transfer to our swimming school groups.

The goals of family swimming in a nutshell:

• Brings joy and refreshment to the child and parents
• Swimming becomes a constant hobby for the whole family
• Information for parents about the progress of learning to swim
• The child’s independence in the water
• Increased water safety
• Getting used to the groups

In baby and family swimming, the presence of both parents is desired, so that the child learns to trust both parents equally in the water and feel safe with both. However, if one of the parents cannot participate at one time or not at all, you can bring a grandparent, godparent or another friend along. For the smallest toddlers, we proceed calmly and individually, getting to know the baby’s temperament, level of development, etc. Our baby swimming groups for babies aged 11 months are Starfish, Seahorses and Frogs. Baby swimming ends at one year of age, after which the hobby of swimming can be continued in our family swimming groups.

Our family swimming groups are aimed at children aged 1-5. Our family swimming offers a joyful time together with other children of the same age with fast-paced singing and playing moments. For children over one year old, there is no shortage of activity and mood, but children with a calmer and more cautious nature are also taken into account individually in our guidance. Family swims also focus on a certain theme each time, but in practice, almost everything possible is tackled in one swim time according to the interests of families and swimmers. Our family swimming groups are Ducks and Seals.

Starfish (Beginner group) 3 months+

We gather babies beginning swimming into Starfish group. The smallest swimmers are in the group Starfish. The minimum age of the baby in the group is 3 months and the weight is at least 5 kg. A three-month-old baby can already stay awake long enough and move more. The baby must weigh at least 5 kg to stay warm in 32 degree water. There is no upper age limit for starting baby swimming, but for children over one year old, we recommend our Ducks family swimming group.

In the Starfish group, we initially get used to the pool environment and the water element safely with the baby in skin-to-skin contact in the arms of their own parent. Also the parents can calmly practise handling the baby in water. First swimming lesson is a little bit shorter than usually, about 20 minutes, because there are lots of new things for the baby. When the pool environment gets familiar we train the baby to wet the face. When the baby is pleased to feel water on his face, we start with the first small water jug ​​dives, which gradually become longer as the skills accumulate. However, diving is only a very small part of swimming and being in the water is also enjoyed without diving. The main focus of swimming is playing happily together on the baby’s terms. In the Starfish group, in addition to shared play and teaching moments, we spend plenty of time on individual guidance. After a few months of swimming, when swimming and the pool environment have become familiar, it’s time to move to the Seahorses group for older babies.

Seahorses (1st extension group)

Seahorses is a continuation group of baby swimming and it is intended for families who have previously participated in one of the elementary baby swimming groups. By entering this group, the baby is already used to swimming in 32-degree pool water and the parents master the basic strokes. The first basic dives have also been tried. In the Seahorses group, swimming is already faster and as the baby’s skills develop, we can try new moves that offer the child greater freedom of movement. Babies gradually learn to recognize the diving signal and we can move towards more active and voluntary diving by the baby. We try new dives and we also bring in equipment that activates diving, such as mattresses, chairs, toys, etc. It is more important than diving to focus on successful dives that the child finds enjoyable. The role of parents is emphasized as skills accumulate, but also in this group we spend a lot of time on individual guidance. From the Seahorses group, families can continue to our Frogs group.

Frogs (2nd extension group)

Frogs group is ment for families who have participated in the beginner and advanced baby swimming groups. In addition to the basic strokes, the parents master more advanced strokes and the baby has tried other dives in addition to the basic dive. In this group, children get to practice moving and diving more independently and voluntarily. Parents carry the child in the water less than before and thus give the child more freedom of movement. In the teaching, the children’s developmental level is taken into account and in the exercises, e.g. the shallow end of the pool. An important part of the course is increasing water safety. After the Frogs group, babies can continue in the Ducks family swimming group.

Ducks (Singing and play group) approx. 1-2 years

Ducks is a family swimming group where, in addition to playing, we remember and practice different strokes and dives. The group is intended for families who may have several baby swimming groups behind them. However, participation does not require previous experience in baby swimming, new beginners are also welcome in the group and will be considered individually. For new beginners, we proceed moderately according to the principles of getting used to the water for beginners. The main focus is on playing and what the child finds pleasant.

Seals approx. 3-5 years

The Seals group is a water play school for children aged 3-5 who cannot yet swim. The goal of the course is to give children the skills to learn swimming through play, songs and various exercises, so the actual goal of the course is not swimming skills. However, we also practice the basics of swimming to some extent, depending on the child’s level. Participation does not require previous baby swimming experience.

Baby swimming is organized on Saturday mornings, each group lasts 30 min (10 times).

Registration for baby swimming:

Register for baby swimming by email: [email protected]. Tell us which course you are signing up for, the child’s name, date of birth and guardian’s phone number. The place will be confirmed to you by email. Admission to the course is in order of registration.

Paying for a baby swimming:

The course is charged during the first time in full, payment at checkout. Cancellations e.g. due to illness with a doctor’s certificate.

Note! The groups are divided based on the child’s age and baby swimming experience, please familiarize yourself with the groups before signing up. Please also tell us if the child has any congenital abnormality or something else that we should know about.

Visit Sat 30.11.2024

During the visit, baby swimmers can take two adults (+children) to the pool for baby swimming free of charge. We ask you to also inform your guests about the practices and hygiene rules for baby swimming:

• No jewelry & watches in the pool
• Washing without a swimsuit before entering the pool
• Wetting the hair and long hair tied up / wearing a swimming cap
• You can’t go swimming when you’re sick

If the guests do not want to come to the pool, they can also watch the swimming from the edge of the pool.

A warm welcome to all guests!

Course calendar on Saturdays 28 September – 7 December 2024

• 7.30 – 8.00 Starfish / FULL
• 8.00 –  8.30 Starfish / FULL
• 8.30 – 9.00 Seahorses / FULL
• 9.00 – 9.30 Ducks / FULL
• 9.30 – 10.00 Seals / FULL
• 10.00 – 10.30 Seals / FULL

Course fees:

Course fee 150 €/course, both baby and family swimming groups. In addition, a sibling participating in the lesson in the same group 7.50 €/time.

The course is charged in full at the time of the 1st time / after, payment at checkout. The course fee includes the baby’s and parents’ participation in the lesson, as well as the swimming of the other children in the family under the supervision of another adult. If one of the parents is prevented from participating, another adult can come in his place. The price always includes two adults.

Note! We charge 7.50 €/person for “Extra” persons other than during a visit.

If the family is prevented from participating in swimming due to a sudden, long-term illness, this should be reported to the Tropiclandia staff as soon as possible. If this unfortunately happens, we always negotiate on a case-by-case basis about a possible refund of the course fee. Cancellations due to illness with a medical certificate.
If the course is interrupted for reasons beyond Tropiclandia’s control:
1) if less than half of the course has been attended, we will refund half of the course fee (gift card refund).
2) if the course is interrupted after halfway, we will not refund the course fee.

Baby swimming info material will be sent to your email (Starfish group). For more information, if necessary, email [email protected]

At Tropiclandia, we maintain a high level of safety, cleanliness and quality. We are a safe baby swimming place recommended by the Finnish Swimming Teaching and Lifesaving Association

Swimming water purity and suitable temperature

In Finland, the quality requirements for baby swimming water are the highest in the world, and the water quality in a baby swimming pool must meet the requirements defined in Regulation 315/2002 of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health. Tropiclandia’s maintenance staff constantly monitors the water quality, and in addition, the city’s health inspector are also responsible for monitoring the quality of the swimming water with regular sampling and monitoring. The latest research results on water purity can be seen on the wall of the spa near the control room. The swimming water is at least 32°C during baby swimming. The warm water guarantees the pleasantness of the swimming pool and the comfort of the babies.

For water purity, e.g. the number of bacteria is affected by several different factors. It is impossible to monitor and avoid the baby’s possible peeing in the pool, but this occurrence does not pose a risk of infection, because the baby’s pee is sterile. Liquid and oral secretions are also not so bacteria-rich that the “drops” getting into the water would be important in terms of water quality. In the event of a poop accident, however, bacteria can easily spread into the pool water. In this case, it is necessary to act quickly and report the incident immediately to the baby swimming instructor, so that the necessary measures can be taken. However, such damages happen very rarely.

Every visitor to the swimming pool affects the quality of the water. The majority of the load that gets into the water comes with the swimmers, so the importance of washing thoroughly before entering the pool can never be overemphasized. All families participating in baby swimming and their guests are required to thoroughly wash their entire body before entering the pool. Instructions related to washing can be found in the section “Hygien instructions”. In terms of safe baby swimming, as important as taking care of personal hygiene is the fact that everyone participating in baby swimming only comes to swim in good health.

Trained instructors

Our instructors are competent and professional. They have been trained in swimming lessons, baby swimming guidance, first aid and water rescue. All of our instructors have completed the basic swimming instructor course of the Finnish Swimming Teaching and Lifesaving Association or Folkhälsan, as well as the baby and family swimming instructor course. We have also prepared for possible accident situations and our staff is trained to act in emergency situations. Fire and rescue plans have been made for possible emergency situations.

Information

In accordance with SUH’s instructions, we organize an Info event for all starting groups (Seafish) before starting the baby swimming course.

General safety and cleanliness

In the changing and washing rooms and in the pool, you should move calmly to avoid falls and accidents. In the case of babies, moving around in the pool area becomes a special feature in terms of safety. Babies should be transported in the pool areas in a safety cradle and the belts must be fastened. Unnecessary haste should be avoided, and for this reason it is good to arrive early. Parents participating in the baby swim should ensure that the baby’s siblings do not cause danger to themselves or others by running, for example. Most accidents can be avoided by following the general rules of the spa. For this reason, it is good for all baby swimmers to familiarize themselves with the rules of order in the spa and follow them, this way we can each contribute to public safety.

We check cleanliness systematically and continuously. If you see a dangerous situation or lack of cleanliness, don’t hesitate to tell our staff. When participating in the baby swim, it is good to take into account that for hygienic reasons, you are not allowed to enter the shower and pool areas with your own stroller that has been used outside. At the cashier of the spa, you can find indoor strollers for the use of customers, which can also be freely borrowed during baby swimming.

Preparing for baby swimming

• Consult a counselor or doctor if you are unsure about the suitability of baby swimming for your child.
• Get your baby used to being awake during baby swimming.
• Get used to showering at home with your baby.
• Bathing: It is good to lower the temperature of the bath water gradually from 37 to 32 degrees. Bathe the baby on his back so that the ears are covered in water and keep the whole body in the water. Vary the bathing positions. Increase the bath time gradually. When bathing, you can wipe the child’s face with a wet hand. It is a good idea for both parents to participate in christening the child at home.
• You make sure that your child’s basic needs are met. Give the child food approx. 1.5 hours – an hour before swimming. A child who is too full or hungry will not enjoy swimming. The happier your baby is when swimming starts, the more he will enjoy being in the water.
• Make sure you have enough time for the journey and for washing. Move calmly in the washrooms and pool to avoid falling.
• Have your baby wear a tight-fitting swimsuit while swimming. We also have swimsuits for sale.
• It is good to transport the child in the pool and washrooms in a safety seat, which should be protected with a plasticized terry cloth (for example from the maternity pack).
• Take a big enough towel to the pool, inside which the baby is nice and warm while waiting for his own swimming time.
• Please note that strollers that have been used outside may not be taken into the shower or pool areas for hygienic reasons.

Health

Each of us can contribute to the spread of infections, which is why you can only participate in baby swimming if you are healthy. Children with runny nose, cough or other infectious diseases may not be brought to swim. This is important not only for the child’s own well-being, but also for the sake of other swimmers. If a child or a parent gets sick, doctor is the best person to tell when it is safe to continue swimming, because there are no clear instructions for this.

Ear infection is one of the most common children’s ailments and sometimes parents wonder if baby swimming water can cause an ear infection. However, this is not the case. An ear infection originates from a respiratory infection, as a result of which the inflammation rises along the ear canal up into the middle ear and causes an infection of the middle ear. So ear infections start “from the inside”, so baby swimming water cannot cause inflammation. If the child is brought to swimming with a cold, swimming may, however, contribute to the worsening of the infection and rising to the ears. After an ear infection or ear tubes, the doctor gives permission when it is safe to continue swimming.

A rash is not an obstacle to swimming, as long as the skin is not broken or purulent. If necessary, dry skin can be greased with base cream after swimming and washing, however, do not grease the baby before coming to swim, as this would make it difficult to handle the baby in the water.

Sometimes parents are also worried about whether the child can drink too much pool water during baby swimming and especially diving. In baby swimming, drinking water is prevented by teaching the parents the safe basic grips right from the start and by limiting the number of dives. The recommended safety limit for the number of dives is easy to remember: as many dives per swimming session as the child’s age in months. For a baby to become water-poisoned, it would require drinking about two baby bottles of water in a short period of time, and the baby won’t have time to swallow such a large amount during half an hour of swimming.

If your child has a congenital abnormality or a chronic illness, you should discuss the suitability of baby swimming with a doctor. Remember to mention this when registering for baby swimming and to the baby swimming instructor in the pool. In general, baby swimming is suitable for everyone, but the suitability of baby swimming for e.g. a heart-defective or otherwise ill child is at the discretion of the doctor, not the baby swimming organizer or instructor. The participation of special children in baby swimming always requires the approval of the attending doctor and an opinion on whether the child can and is worth diving. Regarding the individual guidance of special children, we consult a pediatrician or physiotherapist whenever possible.

Hygienic instructions

• All families participating in baby swimming are required to thoroughly wash their entire body before entering the pool. However, babies do not need to be used in the shower before swimming, but the bottom should be washed.
• Particular attention should be paid to cleaning certain skin areas, mainly armpits and bends, and to intimate hygiene before entering the pool. Always wash without a swimsuit.
• There are a lot of microbes on the scalp and hair, so you should wash your hair before going to the pool. In addition, it is good to tie up long hair after washing. Use a shower cap in the pool if for some reason you cannot get your hair wet.
• Remember to remove watches, jewelry, etc. before swimming, because they collect dead skin cells. In the swimming pool, this skin cell comes off and creates an ideal breeding ground for bacteria.
• The temperature of the sauna also effectively removes dead skin cells from the surface of the skin, so you should only go to the sauna after swimming.
• Wash off your make-up before going swimming.
• Make sure that the friends or relatives who visit the baby swimming also follow the washing rule.
• You may not come swimming under the influence of alcohol.

As a general rule, you should remember that baby swimming water is only as clean as the people swimming in it. After all, we want our children to be able to swim and dive in clean water.

Good to know

Babies are individuals and they react individually to different stimulation. What suits one may not suit all. Don’t compare your own child with other children, but exchange opinions with other parents. Enjoy your unique child.

Children develop at different rates, so give your child the opportunity to progress at a pace that suits him. It is important to act regularly, consistently and flexibly. All activities take place on the baby’s terms. Getting used to water progresses step by step, just like the rest of a child’s development. Be patient during developmentally “quiet” periods.

Parents should not compete over whose baby is progressing the fastest. Competing with the neighbor’s baby takes the sensitivity out of the activity, and the joy of one’s own child is covered by competition.

In the pool, you must listen to the wishes of the babies, no one should be forced or overburdened. Give your baby enough rest breaks. If the baby has a “bad day”, don’t hesitate to stop swimming earlier that time. What is important is the meaning of the swimming session, not so much the length of the swimming time.

Parents are responsible for their own children during baby swimming, both in the changing, washing and pool areas.

WELCOME TO THE TROPICLANDIA BABY SWIMMING!