Summer means spending a whole lot of time at the pool—splashing, diving, and, hopefully, learning to be a good swimmer. Safe fun is the best kind of fun, especially for little ones, and we want all of our Bay Club kids to feel confident in the pool. We sat down with Bobby Savulich, the aquatics director for our Northern California clubs, to hear his top tips on water safety for kids all of ages—from the floatie-loving beginner, to the Panther swim team star.

Bobby’s Swim Tips

1. Start them early. Kids who start swimming lessons at a young age feel more comfortable in the water. Plus, they’ll start with a good foundation of basic strokes if they ever want to pursue swimming more seriously, like on a competitive team.
2. Introduce them to the correct level. Nothing is worse than being in a lesson where you’re nowhere near the level of the other participants—whether you’re much better or not nearly as advanced. Make sure to place your little one in the correct aquatics level, so they’ll feel comfortable among their peers. This will also ensure they get the most out of their lessons, because they won’t be bored, or struggling to keep up.
3. Teach them swimming is fun. It may not be easy to persuade your kids to exercise, but teaching them that exercise is fun makes the battle a whole lot easier! Swimming is a lifetime sport, and we love to incorporate water games to teach kids of young ages that swimming can be a fun form of fitness.

Ready to sign your little swimmer up for the lesson or camp that’s just right for them? Check out all of our youth aquatics offerings at bayclubs.com/swimlifehappy.

Photo by Savvy in San Francisco.