Teaching children to swim is essential, but who should be responsible?
Is it the role of parents, schools, or should the government provide more resources?
Swimming is a crucial life skill, but many families face the question of how to fit it into their lives—both in terms of time and money.
Let’s break down the costs, time commitments, and effectiveness of different learning scenarios to see who truly carries the responsibility.
The Role of Parents: After-School Group Lessons
Many parents opt to enroll their children in after-school group swim lessons, which typically cost around $20 per 30-minute session.
In these classes, the group size is generally 4 to 6 children, meaning each child gets roughly 5 to 7 minutes of direct instruction time with the coach.
Over the course of a year, if a child attends one lesson per week (52 weeks), this equates to 26 hours of instruction, with about 260-312 minutes of focused attention on your child specifically.
Is this enough?
It certainly adds up over time, but group lessons often mean that your child is sharing the coach’s attention, which could slow down their learning compared to more focused instruction.
The Role of Schools: Larger Classes, Less Time
School swimming lessons are another common option, but the setup is different. In schools, class sizes are generally larger, often ranging from 10 to 12 children per lesson.
If each session lasts 45 minutes and a child receives 4 lessons per year, this adds up to just 3 hours per year of swimming. Considering the larger group size, your child may only receive about 3 to 4 minutes of one-on-one instruction time per session.
Now, over two terms, that’s just 6 hours of school swimming lessons and 24 to 30 minutes of individual attention per year. In comparison to after-school lessons, it’s clear that school swimming programs provide far less individualized instruction time.
Private Lessons: 1-on-1 Attention
For parents who want to see faster progress, private 1-on-1 swimming lessons can be a game-changer. These are more expensive, usually about $30 for a 15-minute lesson.
While the class time is shorter, your child receives 100% of the coach’s attention, meaning they’re benefiting from 15 full minutes of instruction per session.
Over the course of a year (assuming one lesson per week), this adds up to 13 hours of direct swimming instruction. While that’s less total time than group lessons, the quality and focus can significantly accelerate learning.
The Numbers Breakdown
Let’s compare the three options in terms of time and cost:
After-School Group Lessons: One 30-minute lesson per week costs $20. Over a year, that’s 26 hours of instruction at a total cost of $1,040. With 4-6 kids in the class, your child receives around 260-312 minutes of one-on-one time. That’s approximately $3.33 to $4 per minute of direct attention.
School Lessons: Four 45-minute sessions per year in a group of 10-12 students means just 3 to 4 minutes of one-on-one attention per lesson. Over two terms, that’s 6 hours of lessons with about 24-30 minutes of individual attention in total. If each lesson were priced at $20 per student, it would be about $4 per minute of personal instruction.
Private 1-on-1 Lessons: At $30 for 15 minutes, these lessons provide 13 hours of pure, direct instruction over a year. The total cost would be $1,560, but with the full attention of the coach, you’re getting 100% of that time, or $2 per minute of direct coaching.
The Big Picture: How Much Does it Take to Learn?
Let’s compare this to other essential skills like reading or math. Most children spend hundreds of hours learning to read, write, and understand math from the moment they enter school.
The time devoted to these subjects is substantial compared to swimming, where they might only get a handful of hours per year in a structured setting.
By the time a child reaches Year 6, they may have received:
156 hours of after-school group lessons (from weekly lessons over six years).
18 hours of school swimming lessons (assuming 3 hours per year).
Or, 78 hours of private 1-on-1 lessons.
Are $200 Vouchers Enough?
Government initiatives like the $200 Active Kids vouchers are helpful and appreciated, but when we break down the numbers, they barely scratch the surface. A $200 voucher covers only 10 after-school group lessons or 6-7 private lessons. While these subsidies are a good starting point, they are simply a pebble in the ocean when considering the total time and financial investment required to make a child a confident, safe swimmer.
A Shared Responsibility
So, who should bear the responsibility for teaching children to swim?
It’s clear that this needs to be a shared responsibility between parents, schools, and the government.
Parents often take the lead, but schools and government programs need to step up with more robust support and resources.
If you’re a parent, consider starting swimming lessons early and explore different lesson formats that best suit your child’s needs.
Advocate for more comprehensive swimming programs in schools, and encourage government representatives to expand their initiatives, making sure every child has access to quality swimming instruction. Safety in the water is an investment worth making.
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