Babies as young as four months old can take free weekly swim lessons at Goldfish Swim School on Beechmont Avenue in Anderson Township.
The school's 30-minute sessions are open to infants ages 4 to 8 months, WKRC's Marella Porter reported Monday, Sept. 7. Parents get in the pool alongside their babies, staying within arm's reach while instructors use songs and toys to help infants get comfortable kicking, reaching and controlling their breath.
General manager Makenna Tindal told WKRC the program aims to reduce children's fear of water early. She cited a statistic that swim lessons cut drowning risk by 88%.
That figure comes from a peer-reviewed study in Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine. Researchers at the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development found the 88% risk reduction applied to children ages 1 to 4, not infants younger than 1 year.
The play-based classes are small enough for one-on-one time with an instructor. During sessions, water is poured over babies' heads so they learn to control their breath and get used to the feeling on their face and shoulders. The pool water stays warm year-round.
Anderson Township parent Niena Cichon has watched her one-year-old son, Ezra, progress over several months of lessons. Ezra is learning to float on his back and find the pool's edge.
"He's jumping into the water by himself now, putting his full face in," Cichon told WKRC. "He did not like that when he first started."
Cichon said she believes Ezra could get himself out of the pool in an emergency. Tindal said the school teaches children from an early stage to turn onto their backs so they can breathe if they fall in.
Goldfish Swim School also has locations in Kenwood and West Chester. The Anderson Township school is at 8253 Beechmont Ave.
No enrollment deadline has been announced. Parents can check availability or register through the school's free introductory lesson page or call (513) 813-5534.
Upcoming community events:
- Anderson Parks Oktoberfest, Saturday, Sept. 12
- Anderson-area libraries voter registration assistance through Nov. 3
