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With the change of wind, summer is quickly becoming nothing more than a fleeing memory. This doesn’t mean you have to stop taking your child to swim class or stay out of the pool yourself. Fall is a wonderful time to take on swimming for all ages. Here’s your Fall Swim Plan For Kids & Adults:

• Pare down lessons to once a week. Swimming is a great after school activity.  There are many inside pools boasting water temperatures between 80-90 degrees.
• Non-swimmers, think about going twice a week. Especially if your child seems to be on a roll — you want to roll with it by getting them in a class or with a private instructor.
• Experiment with class instruction verse one-on-one, or reverse that. Maybe it’s time to see if your little one might make a bit more progress if you switch things up and get a private teacher; or if things look a little dull with your current instructor to get enrolled in class and experience the group environment-thing.
• In terms of germs, the chlorine barrier is on your side. With the cold season creeping up, chlorine has the power to kill bacteria and viruses. You won’t get that kind of protection in afternoon art classes with all that crayon-sharing going on.
• It’s colder out there than it is in the pool. I often say this to my students when the overcast weather plays games their mind. If you’re in a pool that is between 80-90 degrees, it doesn’t matter if it is raining or cloudy: That consistent lovely temp in the water beats the cold air and keeps your body feeling right. Now, standing out in the rain soaking wet … that’s another story …
• If you’ve never swam in the rain, it’s time to live a little. It sounds like a weak ploy to get you to work out, but it is a heart-lifter (and extremely peaceful) to float on your back and do laps. I’ve never met anyone who swam in the rain and said they didn’t have a good time. It’s also one of the least-crowed times to get your workout on.
• Think about your swim goals. Want Jimmy to swim on his own by the New Year? Looking to try your first triathlon in June? Without the pressure of summer — and summer puts a lot of pressure on swimmers, as there is a general attitude (and misconception) this is the best or only time to swim — you can get a little breathing room to slow down and swim the right way. Swimming is always done best when calm and comfortable!