Brightwater Swim School

06/10/2026

Did you know that chlorine can gradually damage swimwear, causing colours to fade and fabrics to lose their elasticity?

To help your child's swimming costume or trunks last longer, rinse them in cool, fresh water after every swimming lesson to remove chlorine and other pool chemicals.

Avoid wringing out the fabric, using harsh detergents or putting swimwear in the tumble dryer. Instead, gently squeeze out excess water and leave it to air dry away from direct sunlight.

05/10/2026

When swimming, keeping your body long and horizontal helps reduce water resistance, allowing you to move through the water more efficiently.

If your head is lifted too high or your hips and legs begin to sink, your body creates more drag, making swimming harder and more tiring.

That’s why we encourage children to develop good body positioning from an early age at Brightwater. Learning to stay streamlined helps build stronger technique, improve efficiency and make swimming feel easier! 🏊💙

02/10/2026

It’s completely normal for a child’s swimming to vary from one lesson to the next.

They might arrive one week feeling confident, energetic and ready to tackle anything, while the next they could be tired, distracted or a little less sure of themselves.

Children are also constantly learning and processing new skills, so something they mastered last week might not feel quite as easy this time.

That doesn’t mean they’re going backwards.

When learning to swim, it’s much more useful to look at progress over weeks and months rather than individual lessons.

30/09/2026

Learning how to get out of the water independently is an important water safety skill for every child.

During swimming lessons, we practise reaching the side, holding on securely and climbing out safely. Building these skills from a young age helps children understand what to do if they ever find themselves in the water unexpectedly.

It’s also a great skill to practise together during family swims – encourage your child to find the side and climb out independently, while always staying close and ready to help.

29/09/2026

Before we focus on backstroke technique, there’s an important first step: helping children feel happy and comfortable on their backs in the water.

For younger swimmers, lying back can feel strange. They can’t see where they’re going, water surrounds their ears and they have to learn to trust that the water will support them.

That’s why we start gradually, using supported floats, games and plenty of reassurance before slowly reducing support as confidence grows.

Once a child can relax, balance and move comfortably on their back, we can begin introducing the kicks, arm movements and coordination needed for backstroke.

25/09/2026

Ever wondered why swimmers stretch their arms out and make themselves as long as possible when pushing off the wall?

It’s all about water resistance, also known as drag! A long, streamlined body creates less resistance as it moves through the water, helping swimmers glide further and more efficiently.

By keeping their arms extended, head in line and body straight, children can learn to move through the water without using as much energy.

23/09/2026

Family swimming sessions outside of lessons are a great opportunity to practise the skills your child is learning with us.

If your child is ready, encourage them to try a familiar skill with a little less support.

For example, floating without holding your hands, pushing off the wall independently or swimming a short distance without a float.

Keep it fun, stay close and let your child set the pace. Even a few seconds of independent floating or a couple of confident kicks can be a big achievement!

21/09/2026

When children are learning to swim, it’s easy to think that moving their arms faster will help them swim faster. But rushing can actually make each stroke less effective.

In front crawl, a controlled arm movement helps swimmers catch and push the water effectively, maintain a good body position and coordinate their breathing. Moving too quickly can lead to shorter, less efficient strokes and make swimming more tiring.

At Brightwater, we encourage children to focus on smooth, controlled movements before building speed, helping them develop strong technique to build on.

19/09/2026

If you're thinking about swimming lessons for your child you'll likely have a few questions.

From when to start and what to expect, to confidence, progress and everything in between, our latest blog answers some of the questions parents ask us most frequently.

We answer your most frequently asked questions about children’s swimming lessons, confidence, progress and learning to swim.

16/09/2026

❌ Myth: If a child stays at the same stage for a while, they aren’t progressing.

✅ Fact: Progress in swimming isn’t always about moving up to the next stage.

A child might be improving their breathing, refining their technique, becoming more confident underwater or learning to perform skills more consistently and independently.

Sometimes spending a little longer at a stage is exactly what a swimmer needs to build strong foundations before moving on.

Every child progresses at their own pace – and every bit of progress counts.