Ages
Babies are born with a natural relux allowing them to easily adapt to water from birth, we have had a baby at only 2 days old, but most parents tend to come to us when their babies are between 8 and 24 weeks. We believe it is best for babies to start the Foundation course before they reach the age of 1.
What to wear
We have a ‘double protection policy’ to help prevent accidents in the pool, which means 2 swim nappies must be worn in the pool.
- The ‘under’ nappy, or disposable nappy can be purchased from any supermarket or large pharmacy chain – 'Huggies Little Swimmers' work well.
- The ‘over’ nappy is a neoprene nappy (called a Happy Nappy) with elastic waist and leg bands. This should fit snugly around your baby's waist and legs to prevent any leakage. The 'Splash About Happy Nappy' can be purchased from the office or online from www.splashabout.com or from leading baby retailers and some of the big pharmacy chains.
- Splashabout now also produce the duo system happy nappy which has a re-usable inner lining, which saves you having to buy the disposable nappy which is also kinder to the environment.
You also need to bring a swimming costume and towel for you and your baby.
Please note your teacher may refuse entry into the pool if they feel the nappy protection is inadequate.
What if my baby is ill?
It is very common for babies to pick up bugs during their first year, particularly if they also start nursery. Our general rule is that if they have a runny nose but seem happy in every other way then it is fine to bring them along. However, if they have a temperature or if you think the cold has gone onto their chest then we would advise you to miss that class.
If your baby has been sick or had diarrhoea we ask that your baby is clear of any symptoms for at least 48 hours before bringing them swimming. If your baby has any kind of skin infection or rash we advise you to check with your GP before coming along to your class.
What happens if I miss a class?
We know that holidays and sicknesses sometimes mean you have to miss a class. Please note we DO NOT REFUND missed classes. However, we do offer 2 free make up classes each term where you can join another class to make up for the one you missed.(subject to availability). If you require any additional make up sessions they are charged at £7.50 a class.
In order for our make up system to work we require prior notification of your absence to create space in a class for other parents. As our classes are usually running at full capacity, without prior notification of absences we are unable to offer any replacement classes.
We ask that you give us as much notice as possible by contacting us by phone, leaving a message, or emailing info@littledippers.co.uk. Please note that due to the constantly changing availability of make up classes we can only organise these over the phone. Make up classes must be taken in the current term and cannot be carried over to the following term unless in exceptional circumstances agreed with the office.
Please note that make up classes are given as a gesture of goodwill and we CANNOT REFUND a class if you are unable to arrange a make up for any reason.