no i don't work for Ponds Forge before anyone asks.

I started taking my son back to ducklings at Ponds Forge last monday and there was just us!!!!! Yes a private swimming lesson is nice but company is better.

Our Ducklings class is specifically for ages 6 months to 3 years. Swimming from a young age can improve coordination, confidence and encourages water safety. Parents and carers are required to be in the water for the baby swimming lessons on a ratio of 1 adult to 1 child.

babywiggle absolutly loves being in the water but equally there are children who hate it and the staff are aware of this and will make you/ them feel at ease.

it's 11.15-11.45 - £4 per session - but you only pay for the baby/toddler. Mondays are pay as you go which suits us just fine as you never know when illness or other problems may strike. on the downside there is no 'progressional' activities but you can build this in yourself.

£5 deposit for a padlock so you know your buggy is safe.

£1 returnable for lockers (incase you've never been).

maybe see some people there??


feel free to PM me if you want me to meet you outside.(i'll be leaving here about 10 as it is best to get to pool about 11. you can use the baby pool if you are ready between 11 and 11.15 -they don't make you stand in the cold)

Is it nice and toasty there in general? Now my oldest is in school it's something I should consider with the wolfcub. I just find it hard to get motivated to leave the house in the morning on my day off...but if I had the prod of knowing it was warm there, I might manage it. :)

it is.

the water was really warm last week. you obviously feel the cold when you get out but that soon goes when you get a towel round you.

the hot choc is a bit tooo warm tho 45 minutes later it still wasn't cool enough to drink!! :-)

i've just looked out the window - the motivation is draining!! the thought it may may may pursuade babywiggle to take 10 minutes nap this afternoon brings the motivation back.

Mm...I managed to get my husband to do the school run this morning. Icky weather. But it won't last forever. I have to pick cosycub up early today, but I'll see what swimmy stuff we have and will try and get my bum in gear soon.

ohh and mummy/ daddy gets a work out too going up and down the pool with them, i'm shattered some days!!

I'm so excited about taking my little boy swimming :clap: He's as his best in the bath so I'm really hoping he'll like it. When I saw your post I thought 'we are so there!' and even went to buy some little trunks. I've just read the post again and seen that it't for 6 months upwards-GUTTED! My cherub is only 4.5 months :(
Guess we'll see you in 1.5 months. Hope some other babies keep you company next week x

What sort of things do you do during the lessons? I currently take my 14 month old to private lessons but have cancelled them (too expensive!) and I'm looking into alternatives at the moment!

This sounds good, i was rather hoping to find a lesson where both parents can take part, but i dont know if anyweher does them. This seems good though i may have to go.

born free - they have no objections to both parents going - my DH has joined us before as did another boys dad a few times.

louiseallan - it may be worth calling ponds forge - I don't know why it is a 6month limit (it used to be cause of jabs but i don't think it is anymore) and esp while there is no-one going i can't see them refusing you.


they have changed the trainer this time and I'm not sure I'm too pleased with her way of running the group.

Last year:
positive: you went in the baby pool for a splash around, investigate the different ways the water was used, went on the slide, played with animal floats. This got them comfortable and DS loved the slide. Then you moved into the big pool and got to swim up and down - front and back, older children got floats, going under water, blowing bubbles.

If you were ready before 11.15 you could have extra time in the baby pool.

negative: there was no actual 'teaching' and the same thing happened every week.

This year:
positive: you get 15 minutes of 'teaching'. the teacher goes thro different ways of holding your child in the water and how to teach them to kick legs, reach for the side etc. You sing songs to go with different movements.

negative: she won't let the children in the baby pool (so yup DS saw the slide but wasn't allowed to play on it as he always had before).
she pretty much ignores you for the first 15 minutes while she has a chat to other staff.
me and DS had to walk around in a swimy cossie for ages and then go to the downstairs reception as the pool doors were locked until the woman turned up (late) as she thought no-one was coming.


forgot to say - stinking cold so I won't be going next Monday!

born free - they have no objections to both parents going - my DH has joined us before as did another boys dad a few times.

louiseallan - it may be worth calling ponds forge - I don't know why it is a 6month limit (it used to be cause of jabs but i don't think it is anymore) and esp while there is no-one going i can't see them refusing you.


they have changed the trainer this time and I'm not sure I'm too pleased with her way of running the group.

Last year:
positive: you went in the baby pool for a splash around, investigate the different ways the water was used, went on the slide, played with animal floats. This got them comfortable and DS loved the slide. Then you moved into the big pool and got to swim up and down - front and back, older children got floats, going under water, blowing bubbles.

If you were ready before 11.15 you could have extra time in the baby pool.

negative: there was no actual 'teaching' and the same thing happened every week.

This year:
positive: you get 15 minutes of 'teaching'. the teacher goes thro different ways of holding your child in the water and how to teach them to kick legs, reach for the side etc. You sing songs to go with different movements.

negative: she won't let the children in the baby pool (so yup DS saw the slide but wasn't allowed to play on it as he always had before).
she pretty much ignores you for the first 15 minutes while she has a chat to other staff.
me and DS had to walk around in a swimy cossie for ages and then go to the downstairs reception as the pool doors were locked until the woman turned up (late) as she thought no-one was coming.


forgot to say - stinking cold so I won't be going next Monday!



based on this post im not too sure if i want to go. doesnt really sound like shes teaching much.

based on this post im not too sure if i want to go. doesnt really sound like shes teaching much.

well she is putting me off. will try a couple more times and see if it improves with more people there but if not i may just take him to a leisure session and do it myself.

well she is putting me off. will try a couple more times and see if it improves with more people there but if not i may just take him to a leisure session and do it myself.

Can you only take babys swimming if its a class? Or can you just take them to a baby pool?

Can you only take babys swimming if its a class? Or can you just take them to a baby pool?

course you can take them normally. but don't forget you have to pay adult prices and baby should only be in the water half hour/ 45 mins depending on age.

I went today for the first time. There were only 3 of us, all first timers and it didn't start until 11.15 so I had half an hour of shivering around. I went into the baby pool as seemed only natural waiting for the class to start and got shouted at by lifeguard. There were two lifeguards about - with nothing to do once the aqua aerobics had finished- it wouldnt have killed them to supervise us to let us go in baby pool! My son was screaming because he could see the slide and the fountains and yet wasnt allowed in anywhere! Like taking a child to a sweetie shop and not letting them eat. And they were really horrid- sending me to reception to find out when class started in my wet swimsuit (she said 11am) and when I asked what I should do with a shivering baby 'get a towel" was the response. Charming.

I won't be going there again and I don't think the other two people were planning on returning either. wondered whether joining virgin was really worth it and after todays experience I think it most definitely is.

I went today for the first time. There were only 3 of us, all first timers and it didn't start until 11.15 so I had half an hour of shivering around. I went into the baby pool as seemed only natural waiting for the class to start and got shouted at by lifeguard. There were two lifeguards about - with nothing to do once the aqua aerobics had finished- it wouldnt have killed them to supervise us to let us go in baby pool! My son was screaming because he could see the slide and the fountains and yet wasnt allowed in anywhere! Like taking a child to a sweetie shop and not letting them eat. And they were really horrid- sending me to reception to find out when class started in my wet swimsuit (she said 11am) and when I asked what I should do with a shivering baby 'get a towel" was the response. Charming.

I won't be going there again and I don't think the other two people were planning on returning either. wondered whether joining virgin was really worth it and after todays experience I think it most definitely is.

Thats a horrible thing to do to a baby!

I went today for the first time. There were only 3 of us, all first timers and it didn't start until 11.15 so I had half an hour of shivering around. I went into the baby pool as seemed only natural waiting for the class to start and got shouted at by lifeguard. There were two lifeguards about - with nothing to do once the aqua aerobics had finished- it wouldnt have killed them to supervise us to let us go in baby pool! My son was screaming because he could see the slide and the fountains and yet wasnt allowed in anywhere! Like taking a child to a sweetie shop and not letting them eat. And they were really horrid- sending me to reception to find out when class started in my wet swimsuit (she said 11am) and when I asked what I should do with a shivering baby 'get a towel" was the response. Charming.

I won't be going there again and I don't think the other two people were planning on returning either. wondered whether joining virgin was really worth it and after todays experience I think it most definitely is.


Oh am glad I didn't make it last week. I was going to go on Monday but now I don't think I'll bother, might take babywiggle to pool tomorrow instead. It is advertised as an 11.15 start to be fair to the pool. But as I said last year we had no problems taking the babies in the baby pool first this year they seem to have changed the policy.


Perhaps if ponds forge would lilke to rethink their rules and post on here they might find people turn up.

Is anybody going to HillsboroughLC on tuesday for the bayb swimming lessons? I decided to pass on fonds forge, hopefully at HLC they will have better staff/classes.

Has anyone joined ducklings ? my little one is due to start on friday and im worried now after reading the bad feedback