Review: Puddleducks Swimming Lessons

We asked Boom Buddy family, The Hilltops, to try out Puddleducks swimming classes and let us know how they got on.

We have recently been taking our 4-year-old to Puddleducks swimming classes at Spondon Choices Health Club, Derby, and have been really happy with the result. My first impression was of the changing rooms at the venue which are really well taken care of and have all the facilities you would need. 

The changing rooms connect straight to the swimming pool and parents are able to sit poolside, which is a nice contrast to most leisure centres we’ve attended. I have been really impressed with the warmth of the room, and the water temperature was checked by a staff member half-way through the lesson.

The class size is great with a ratio of 1 adult to 4 children. The children are all of similar age and levels, and the teachers Liv and Aoife are very welcoming, kind and attentive. The structure is very well thought through, beginning with education at a platform in the water, followed by swimming with floats across the shallow pool, and overcoming any nerves by jumping from the edge of the pool safely into the teacher’s support was fun and safe learning. Going the full length of the pool with the teacher’s support was a great way to install confidence early in the session.

I really like the way they taught the children to avoid breathing water in without the need to tell them the reason behind the lesson. The children would blow “bubbles” briefly on the surface of the water, which they all found really fun, and it took me a few moments to realise this was teaching them to breath out if ever their mouth comes in contact with the water. The teachers are very good at engaging the children which helps with following their instructions and keeping their attention. 

Our son really enjoyed that some lessons end with a few rounds of “If you’re happy and you know it” with various water related animals, such as crocodiles.

We also liked the sign at the end of the pool. “You can never cross the ocean unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore.”  Nothing felt daunting here. Liv, Aoife, and Puddleducks, teach a little bit of that courage, and have made it seem like an effortless breeze.

Overall, our experience of Puddleducks was fantastic. They offer classes ranging from birth to 10 years, and “teach essential life skills and water safety to over 19,000 babies, toddlers, pre-school and primary school children across the UK, every week.” If you’re looking to get your child into their first class, or are searching for a new one, we strongly recommend you check out Puddleducks!

Note: Although these lessons were gifted, we trust our Boom Buddies to give honest reviews.