Parent Information
Everything you need to know to help your child get the most out of their swimming lessons. Please take a moment to read through this information before your child’s first lesson.
This page covers the key information for swimming parents at Table View Swimming Academy. Use the links below to jump to the section you need:
Table of Contents
Rules and Regulations
To ensure a safe and enjoyable environment for all swimmers, we ask that all parents and swimmers please adhere to our rules and regulations.
Water Safety
Water Babies & Toddlers
Children Who Learn to Swim Early Do Better at School
While the physical benefits of swimming have long been known, a four-year study reveals swimming can also lead to academic success. Results indicate children who swam had an advantage over non-swimming children when starting school.
Children under five who participate in swimming show far greater gains in motor development, cognition, language development and mathematical reasoning than the general population. On average:
- 11 months ahead in Oral Expression
- 6 months ahead in Mathematical Reasoning
- 2 months ahead in Brief Reading
Benefits of Early Swimming
- Reduces the risk of drowning
- Boosts development of the whole child
- Improves motor development and coordination
- Accelerates cognitive development
- Increases memory capacity
- Expands cerebral communications
- Strengthens social confidence
- Enhances neurological development
Additionally, swimming children score higher in performing mathematical tasks, following instructions and oral expression, with some swimmers being up to 20 months ahead and achieving physical milestones much earlier than non-swimmers.
Catch-ups and Sick Notes
We understand that life happens. Illness, school events and family commitments can sometimes mean your child misses a lesson. Here’s what you need to know about make-up lessons:
- A doctor’s note must be supplied in order to receive a catch-up lesson.
- A minimum of 2 hours’ notice must be given via WhatsApp if your child will not be attending their lesson.
Swimming in Winter
Our pool is heated year-round, so lessons continue throughout winter without interruption. Consistent training during the colder months is one of the best ways to accelerate your child’s progress. Smaller classes and less disruption mean more focused coaching time.
Year-round swimming helps swimmers retain muscle memory, maintain water confidence and keep building on the skills they’ve worked so hard to develop.
Swimming Frequency
How Often Should My Child Swim?
Once per Week
While once a week is better than nothing, it is not ideal for young or beginner swimmers:
- Helps build a routine and allows toddlers to become comfortable with the instructor and pool environment over a longer period of time
- Progression is slow
- The gap between lessons is very long, swimmers tend to lose their feel for the water
- Takes approximately three times longer to learn and master new skills
Twice per Week and Three Times per Week (Recommended)
More frequent lessons deliver significantly better results, especially for younger and beginner swimmers:
- Reinforces skills and allows for faster progression. Repetition is key to muscle memory and skill mastery
- Helps swimmers get comfortable in the water faster
- Helps swimmers advance to the next level faster
- Reduces the time gap between lessons, maintaining water feel and confidence
The Benefits of Small Group Training
At Table View Swimming Academy, we deliberately keep our group sizes small. Here’s why this matters for your child:
- More individual attention, adjustments can be made individually to ensure each swimmer performs the required task perfectly
- Swimmers must first master and perform each skill correctly before moving on to the next, no rushing
- Maximum practice time, constant and continuous swimming throughout the lesson
- Incorrect technique is quickly noticed and immediately corrected before bad habits form
- Every stroke swum is done correctly and purposefully
Swimwear and Equipment
Having the right gear makes a real difference to your child’s progress and enjoyment in the water. Please ensure your child arrives with the correct equipment for every lesson.
What Your Child Needs
Each child MUST have the following every time they come to training:
- Goggles — proper fitting, easy to adjust, correct size, durable (no goggles are supplied)
- Swimming Cap — correct fitting silicon cap; large AFRO cap for braided/natural hair
- Swimming Costume — one-piece suit, racer back or jammers; snug fit
Correct equipment is essential for your child’s progress. Lessons are interrupted when swimmers constantly stop mid-pool to fix leaking goggles, struggle with ill-fitting costumes, or lose swim caps due to braids. This reduces coaching time and impacts the quality of technique development.
Choosing the Right Goggles
What to Look For
- Goggles that fit perfectly now (don’t buy big so they ‘grow into them’)
- Easy to adjust, quick-adjust straps without loose plastic clips
- Durable and longer-lasting
- Write your child’s name on them with permanent marker
- Buy a goggle zip bag to keep goggles and swim caps together
| Age | Takealot | Mr Price Sport | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 – 6 years |
Wave Splash Junior Swim Goggles
Easy Adjustable (Recommended)
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Silver Swim Goggles Junior
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Junior Goggles (TEMU)
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| 6 – 12 years |
Wave Dive Adult Silicone Swimming Goggles
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Silver Splash Junior Swimming Goggles
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- They break easily, are difficult to adjust and leak easily.
- Any goggle with adjustable plastic clips at the ends of the strap get lost and are very difficult to adjust.
- If the adjustable plastic is lost, the goggles are no longer usable.
- This includes goggles from Crazy Store and Checkers.
Swimming Caps
A correct-fitting silicon swim cap must be worn at all times during lessons.
| ✔ Correct Swimwear | ✘ Not Allowed |
|---|---|
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For Braids and Natural Afro Hair
If your child wears braids, please ensure you have purchased an AFRO swim cap that fits their hair BEFORE they come to their first lesson. Standard caps will not fit and will fall off during the lesson.
- Purchase the correct size — do NOT buy a cap that is too big.
- Small children: a Medium size is usually sufficient.
- AFRO SWIMMA Caps can be ordered online at: swimma.co.za
⚠ Caution — Takealot
Takealot stocks AFRO caps but sizes can be extremely large — not ideal for small children.
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⚠ Not Ideal for Small Kids
Very large caps fall off during lessons and interrupt coaching time.
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✔ Recommended
SWIMMA caps are purpose-built for natural and braided hair.
Order at swimma.co.za →
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