Wednesday - Little Prince's first swimming lesson

Little Prince was so excited about this swimming lesson. He obviously can't remember when he last went swimming, which was probably last summer!! I put his swimming trunks on under his clothes before we set off, he kept asking if he would wear his vest to swim? His socks? His jumper? He couldn't quite understand that I was going to let him go swimming in JUST his undies!!! When we got to the pool, he was outraged that I was undressing him in a public changing room!! WHY are you taking my vest off?? He was almost bouncing off the walls he was so excited :-) Once it was time for the lesson to start the teacher sat the children (only 5 of them) on the side of the pool and talked to them a little, Little Prince was much too busy trying to touch the water behind him to listen. The children then climbed into the pool, from the side (not using the steps) Little Prince got part way in and then started squeaking very loudly (not sure if it was cold or he was so excited!!) he then held himself half way in as he wasn't sure he would be able to reach the bottom with his feet. Eventually he did get all the way in - and then it got even funnier!! The teacher asked all the children to stand three steps away from the side of the pool, and then pulled them towards her using a broom handle! Little Prince seemed to think this was a race, and that he was losing, so he kept bouncing back to the side of the pool. When it was his turn the teacher had to persuade him to move away from the side and be pulled in. He obviously didn't trust her completely as he held onto the pole, but kept his feet on the bottom of the pool and walked!

Next the children were asked to swim across to the other side of the pool. Little Prince walked and bounced and splashed, but there wasn't a lot of swimming going on - he did get there first though and that's what is important to him!! After a few tries at this, the teacher insisted he put armbands on, as he obviously wasn't listening to her instructions and she wanted to make sure he was safe. The children were given small square floats and asked again to make their way to the other side of the pool, once they got there the teacher told them to go back. Little Prince took this instruction totally literally and tried to make his way across the pool by walking backwards. Me and LMS (who were watching from the side) were killing ourselves laughing :-)

He was extremely confident in the water and would deliberately put his face under water, the trouble is he hasn't worked out that he needs to keep his mouth closed under water and came up coughing and spluttering each time. Didn't stop him trying again, and didn't teach him to keep his mouth closed!! I don't think we have a future Olympic swimmer in our family, but he had a fabulous time and can't wait to go again next week - and that's the important thing - to have fun :-)