Repetition and consistency are key. Research shows that short, more frequent lessons result in higher retention. Here is a bit more info:

It's the way young children learn

As babies, we don't practice walking once a week. Standing, balancing, cruising are done in tiny increments each day as part of our experience of learning to walk. And similar to walking, swimming is a sensorimotor skill best learned by experience over time.

Kids thrive on routine

The consistency of the daily lesson schedule creates an optimal learning environment. When kids know where they are going, who they will be with, and what is expected of them they begin to feel confident and secure, building trust with their instructor as they are taught these priceless skills.

It’s WORK!

People often think of swimming as a "for fun" activity, but they forget...it's a workout! Little bodies get tired quickly, and fatigued muscles + water (the most unforgiving environment on the planet) = dangerous. Safety is our top priority, so instructors closely monitor your child's fatigue to ensure they are practicing efficiently for an optimal learning experience.

Your child will wear a bathing suit and TWO reusable swim diapers.

Once your child is fully skilled and independent, they practice their skills in a variety of different outfits.

Because most children who fall in the water do so fully clothed, we want our students to have experience with such a situation. If a child has experienced the sensations of being in the water in clothing prior to an emergency situation, he/she is less likely to experience panic and be able to focus on the task at hand. If you have ever jumped in the water with clothes on, then you know that there is a significant difference in weight and feel with clothes as opposed to a bathing suit.

For most children, crying is developmentally appropriate and their only way of communicating. Typically, once your child gains the confidence in their new skills, the crying diminishes. Instructors are use to this behavior so don't be concerned about tears interfering with lessons!

Learning new skills, with a new person, in a new environment— who wouldn’t be upset at first? The cry we hear oftentimes in the water is the same cry you get when you take away a toy, don’t let them eat dirt, or even put them in their car seat. It’s a protest and their way of saying they aren’t happy to be here. Remember, this is their way of communicating with us since most children are not yet verbal.

We like to tell parents/guardians that if you can make if through the first couple of weeks, it gets easier. Remember, every day at lessons is another day of building in-water confidence and another day closer to your child being fully skilled. You’ve got this!

Every lesson with ISR is one-on-one and individualized for each student. This means we never have more than one student in the water at a time and keep a 1:1 student to Instructor ratio.

Parents do not get in the water during the child's initial learning. We do encourage parents to sit poolside and cheer their child on. Once your child has solidified their skills, parents are invited to get in with their child for a lesson to learn how to practice their child's new skills.

ISR Self-Rescue skills are a sensorimotor skill— just like crawling, walking or riding a bike. Sensorimotor skills are not simply forgotten, although they can certainly get rusty without use.

We encourage you to return for refresher or maintenace lessons periodically after your child’s initial learning. Thid helps children adjust their skills to rapid growth and keep things sharp.

Look for programs in your area that focus on survival. The most important thing for your child to learn is how to get to their air independently if they were to ever find their way to the water alone.

Select one-on-one swim lessons. This ensures that the instrcutor is 100% focused on your child at all times and makes the lessons safer.

Their skills should be mastered in weeks, not months or years. Be clear on what skills your child will learn and in what amount of time.

Clothing should be a part of the checkout process. More than 80% of children who fall in the water unexpectedly are fully clothe when it happens. It’s important that your child knows how to self-rescue with the added weight of clothes, shoes and a diaper in some cases.

Every ISR instructor worldwide completes an 8-week intensive academic and in-water training program before they are certified to offer ISR’s Self-Rescue program.

Once certified, ISR instructors are recognized as highly skilled, precise aquatic behavior specialists, who understand the unique cognitive, intellectual, and physical development dynamics of young children. Understanding the behaviors of children in the water allows each instructor to respond with ISR’s proprietary technique and provide the safest and most effective lessons for each child.

There are many instructors who say they teach ISR techniques, however, unless they are listed on the ISR Instructor locator on the official ISR website and meet the criteria below, they are NOT Certified ISR Instructors.

All Certified ISR Instructors:

Have an email address ending in @infantswim.com.

Can provide parents with a copy of their current ISR Certificate for review.

Offer lessons five consecutive days per week, for a maximum of 10 minutes each day.

Will require your child to be registered through ISR’s Online Registration Process and approved to begin lessons by our Registration Evaluation Team (approval email will come from an email address ending in @infantswim.com).

Complete the Daily BUDS Discussion form with you prior to each lesson.

Can be found on the instructor locator at locator.infantswim.com.

YES! ISR is dedicated to safety and maintaining numerous safety protocols to promote safe lessons. Your child's health and well-being are our highest priority and are closely monitored daily. Also, your child's medical and developmental history is a mandatory part of the ISR national registration process, all of which are held strictly confidential. All ISR instructors undergo intensive and rigorous training that far exceeds any other training program of this kind. Each ISR Instructor is also required to attend a yearly re-certification symposium that includes quality control as well as continuing education. Your education in the area of aquatic safety for your entire family is an integral part of your child's lessons. You will receive access to the "Parent Resource Guide", written by Dr. Harvey Barnett and JoAnn Barnett, which will inform you of every aspect of swimming for infants and children. With research, you will find that ISR is the safest survival swimming program but also the most effective for teaching infants and young children.