To return to main website click here: Baby Swimming~The Gentle Journey
Celebrating over 31 Years in Boca Raton
Headquarters: Florida Atlantic University
Boca Raton, Florida
Raising the bar on teaching with kindness and joy, meeting children where they are, not imposing a harsh, insensitive adult agenda....
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A SPECIAL PLACE FOR LIKE-MINDED PEOPLE |
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 • Our Philosophy centers on teaching the whole child with joy, playfulness, respect and kindness.• Our Environment is child-friendly, stimulating, stress-free and tailored to the developmental needs of children —enriched with toys, games, songs, colors and manipulatives. • Our Methods are gentle, child-centered and age-appropriate. We introduce skills only when the child is open, relaxed, ready and receptive. We never force, rush or push children to learn. We opt for tear-free learning — no traumatizing, no forced back float, no forced submersions. • Our Teachers are nurturing, patient and experienced guides who offer skills both to the group but also based on individual readiness. Our staff is highly talented and especially in tune with the well being, happiness and feelings of the children.• Our Parents are active co-teachers with us in the pool in a group class format — part of a culture and community of caring, patience, and positive encouragement. They are in the moment with their child and enjoying the process of learning.• Our Requirements are parents in tune with their child. If your adult expectations (both Mom and Dad) exceed your child’s readiness (i.e. you’re in a big hurry) — this is not the swim school for you.• Our Results come with time, practice and patience. We help develop happy, safe, confident swimmers who love the water and love learning.Ready to relax and let the journey unfold? Let’s go make some childhood memories. |
Welcome to a watery classroom where
learning is fun! Learning to swim can be one of the most memorable experiences of childhood — a celebration, a rite of passage, a gift of freedom, a burst of self-esteem! The Lifestyle Swim School, is a special place for like-minded, patient parents seeking to nurture the "whole child". Here we build a strong foundation both in personal growth and in swimming skills. We are dedicated to addressing the needs and readiness of the whole child, never teaching through fear, domination or force. Our emphasis is teaching through joy, kindness, understanding and patience. In our swim school, the journey is as important as the destination. By creating a nurturing, stimulating environment that specializes in children 3 months to 4 years old we can develop a learning climate that fosters authentic water comfort and skill. Come join us where learning to swim is a gift of freedom and a celebration of life. Join us for our 30th year in Boca Raton. Located at the Florida Atlantic University (FAU) main pool and at the Henderson School on the FAU campus.
Swimming for joy |
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If you are in a big
hurry, this is not the swim school for you..... We are not
about teaching to the child, but with the child.....Check any accelerated
expectations at the door and celebrate the journey...
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If your baby has been traumatized by abusive infant swimming survival back float methods or harsh regimens that force babies to swim repeatedly to the side of the pool in five days, we utilize our gentle, nurturing methods to deprogram babies. |
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We never use an accelerated agenda utilizing forced, pre-mature and repeated submersions or unwilling, coerced back float. (We welcome those who bring joy not fear). You must understand that this is not "survival backfloat swimming" or "drown proofing". Using force or tough discipline on infants and toddlers demonstrates a great lack of knowledge, experience and understanding of teaching and caring. Teachers and parents need to stay in touch with the feelings and perceptions of the child as the immediate and long term consequences of their actions can impact the child for life, both emotionally and mentally. We are a holistic school, and while we do teach safety skills over time and have been honored for our work promoting safety, we are a child centered, child paced (not fear based) program. We are child friendly and family friendly. We are a happy place, filled with smiles not tears. |
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Rob and Kathy are honored to be the guest contributing authors for the new infant and toddler swim program for Swim Australia.
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Notes from Rob & Kathy McKay and The Lifestyle Swim School |
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 Rob and Kathy McKay Author Learn to Swim • Rob and Kathy are thrilled to share their combined 50 years of teaching experience with parents in their recently released baby swimming book, Learn to Swim. The 128-page book is a step-by-step, illustrated, “how-to” for parents focusing on the couples’ gentle, child-centered, learn through play approach for teaching infants, toddlers and tykes (ages 6 months - 4 years) how to swim. Published by DK Publishing, Learn to Swim features the McKay’s Lifestyle Swim School students and parents. The book’s amazing photography captures our local families as they demonstrate the fine points of technique, the incredible joys of baby swimming and the unique opportunities for family bonding in the water. Learn to Swim is available locally at Barnes and Noble (there is one across the street from FAU at University Commons where they are normally kept in stock), Borders, and Books-A-Million. The book is also widely available on the internet including Amazon.com. Learn to Swim is consistently ranked among the top selling learn to swim books for infants and toddlers in the world. We ask that all of our registered students purchase and study "Learn to Swim" prior to starting class. This will help you immensely and greatly enhance your total experience with your child in class. If your time is limited read at least the first 53 pages, you'll be glad you did. This will help you to understand our "gentle/child paced" philosophy. It is essential that both mom and dad (and caregiver) are all on board and in agreement with our philosophy. This makes for a very fulfilling experience for all. Note: The hard copy of the book has sold out in the United States and most countries. Keeping up with the times, our publisher DK/Penguin books is in the process of converting Learn to Swim to the electronic format. In the meantime you may need to order a used copy of the book. If you have any problems locating one contact our office. |
Our interactive parent/child group class format focuses on a positive learning experience leading to harmony in the water. Learning takes place at the child’s pace, never imposing pressure to perform in a man-made time frame. The long term results have been outstanding--healthy, well adjusted children who become smooth and proficient swimmers.
"The Lifestyle Swim School, in Boca Raton, Florida, U.S.A., has the world's foremost infant/toddler learn-to-swim program." Ross Gage , CEO/Director Swim Australia
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All classes are held in a group format of 8-12 students with parents in the water
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 Learning unfolds on a long term basis
The majority of our students register for multiple
sessions each year. We have found it most practical to All Swim Parents, Previous, Current and New, Need to Review Web Site In Lieu of an Orientation Meeting. For each new class, it is imperative for your child’s success and positive development, that all parents (and caregivers), both returning and new, study and review our web site Baby Swimming~The Gentle Journey in it's entirety. An informed parent, in tune with their child and our long term "baby friendly philosophy", creates an optimal learning environment for our budding Diaper Dolphins. |
Six levels of classes exist
for infants and toddlers age 3 months- 4 years.
Refer to the "Course Description" page linked below to learn what long term skills can be acquired.
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Five levels also exist for our pre-school and school age children |
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These classes are held on a
limited basis in the summer months in the morning during school break for
children ages 4 1/2 thru 12 years old.
(See schedule page linked below by clicking on the black and white photo of the baby swimmer for current dates).
Ranging from the beginner level through eventually learning the four competitive swimming strokes. Our entertaining program includes the parents in the class allowing for maximal learning time, creative recreational activities, educated parents and secure children. This enables parents to practice correctly at home and become aware of their child's capabilities. Parents are also educated on the importance of their role in home pool and water safety.
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Once you have studied this web site and both parents agree with our gradual, gentle, child paced philosophy and your are ready to register for a specific class, please follow the directions below. If you or your spouse is in a big hurry this is not the swim school for you. This only works if you are patient, playful and on board with the instructors and our positive, child paced philosophy. |
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A most unique opportunity to share time with like minded, in tune, nurturing, "mindful parents" who connect with their children. |
| French Psychologist Visits Lifestyle Swim School | ||
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Dr.
Daniel Zylberberg visiting the Lifestyle Swim School for several
days, May 2010, with Rob and Kathy McKay.
Dr. Zylberberg is an infant/child psychologist and professor at the Leonardo Di Vinci Medical School at the University of Paris. He has conducted research on the gentle approach to infants participating in an aquatic classroom environment. He is a leading infant authority on baby swimming in France. Like Rob and Kathy he is a proponent of joy in the water, with nurturing parents working together with their baby. No pushing, no forced back survival swimming and no five day crash course swim lessons. The water becomes an aquatic playground.
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| Rob and Kathy McKay were recently featured on Lance Armstrong's health blog livestrong.com in an article entitled "Aqua Exercises for Infants" |
For Lifestyle Swim School Complete Information
Course descriptions, schedule, how to register, registration form, procedures and policies, directions/locations/parking, absentee policy and courtesy make-up class schedule, what to bring to class, school news and about our staff, click on links below.
After reviewing all the information, you will need to call to verify space in your intended class, by following the directions on the How to Register page.
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| Director Rob McKay with twin swimmers Benjamin and Julian 6 months old | Kathryn flying off Mr. Duck at the Lifestyle Swim School in Boca Raton, Florida |
Here is Twitter for
Lifestyle Swim School updates
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All visual and written material copyright 1999-2011 Lifestyle Productions
structure our enrollment periods
into a 16 lesson session format. For students new to the water world, we highly
encourage our four times per week for four weeks format. This allows for maximum water and
lesson exposure. The consistency and repetition allows for optimal retention and smoother
learning, especially for cautious children or those not liking water on their face. Once
children are relaxed with the water and swimming 5 seconds, some parents will transfer to
our twice a week for 8 week schedule. Just remember that the more times per week your
young swimmer attends class, the more dramatic his or her progress will be! For those
individuals in other areas of the country or world you may wish to purchase our
infant/toddler learn to swim videos "Diaper Dolphins"
