Smarty Sponsor: The Club at Oak Branch

By Guest Blogger, Karen H

It's that time of the year again...Schools out and Summer is in!!!! What will your family be doing to cool off? Hit the WATER! Kids love it at any age, whether it’s the sprinkler in your yard, your neighborhood swimming pool, or a trip to the lake or beach. As a parent, you want to be sure that in addition to your kids having a great time, they have the skills to be safe around water. Why not help give your child the life long skills for water safety with swim lessons? They don’t have to become the next Michael Phelps, but at a minimum you want to teach your child how to be safe when in or around water.

The best swim lessons for kids focus on giving your child positive learning experiences in the water. The Club at Oak Branch offers nurturing, positive and encouraging swim lessons for infants as young as three months through the teenage years! Whether you’re interested in learning proper form and technique or you’re looking for that extra edge for competitive swimming, This is the place for swim instruction! Plus, if you mention Triad Smarty Pants when you call, you'll get 10% off any Summer Camp or Swim Session!!!!


Swim lessons at The Club emphasize your child’s individual needs and skill level. They offer small class sizes and qualified experienced staff who encourage a whole life approach to swim lessons. Not only will your child learn proper form, your child will gain confidence, self-esteem and an inner sense of accomplishment as they learn new skills and progress through their lessons. They also encourage their swimmers to participate in new challenges beyond their lessons with events like our “Fun Swim Meet" and “Youth Triathlon”. These events emphasize personal best and the thrill of accomplishment in an enjoyable non-threatening environment. Kids love to learn that, yes - they can do it!

This is a great testimonial from a parent whose child took lessons at The Club:
"My son has taken swimming classes at The Club at Oak Branch for more than seven years. He started as a baby and now swims all four strokes very well at the swim team level. The Aquatics Director, Maria Gonzalez, is very approachable and always accommodating. She strives to be certain every student is completely satisfied with their swimming education and experience. The Club at Oak Branch has the nicest pool in Greensboro! My son loves the slides, basketball goal, underwater music, and Jacuzzi. I enjoy being able to watch him swim while I exercise upstairs. Most importantly, my son has always enjoyed his swimming classes at here. As a result, he has developed a love for swimming and genuinely looks forward to each class. Swimming is a wonderful life skill and The Club at Oak Branch is a great place for kids to learn to swim."

For parents who are looking for suggestions on helping their children enjoy water and become swimmers, the easiest way is to start from the beginning! As infants, make bath time a relaxed and fun time for your baby. Gently sprinkle water on your little one’s face, play games and sing songs to make bath time a pleasant experience. Get in the tub or shower with baby! Your infant will pick up on your cues that this is a safe, fun and welcoming environment, a warm and nurturing time to enjoy. Repetition of making bath time, and later on swim time, a fun positive place to be, encourages your child to enjoy the water.

As your child grows into toddlerhood, they realize that separation anxiety is a normal developmental stage for your child to go through. One of life’s great lessons for kids (and adults!) to learn, is that yes, it’s okay to be un-certain of new things, but if you just TRY, you learn you CAN do it, and WOW! The boost to self esteem and sense of independence your child achieves from that is huge! You can help them with this stage by maintaining a positive and encouraging attitude that they are going to have a great time and learn amazing things in their swim class, and they can show you all about it! Make bath and swim time a place for special toys (squirt toys, floating toys, balls, etc), give Spiderman or that special baby doll water time too! If your child is fearful, try to pinpoint what is their specific worry. Sometimes it’s as simple as a pair of goggles to protect eyes or a warm coverup for when class is over. You are your child’s best role model. Be patient, be encouraging, be positive. Remember it can be hard to learn new things, but what an adventure when you do!

In addition to The Club’s swim sessions, we also offer several Summer Camp options:

-Full Day Camp (for kids 5-12 yrs old) or a Half-Day Camp
option for 2 1/2 to 5 year olds.
-Weekly themed camps—pick your favorites-Pirates, Legos, Mad Scientists and more!
-We also offer Sports Specific Camps and Swim Camps!

All camp options include daily swim lessons!!! Your child is sure to love the summer time while at The Club at Oak Branch!

*Remember, mention Triad Smarty Pants when you call and get 10% off any Summer Camp or Swim Session!!!!

For more information please contact Maria Gonzalez or Karen Heist.
(336)851-1890 ext 1102
The Club at Oak Branch
Greensboro,NC kidsprograms@pyramids.org
www.pyramids.org

Posted by Triad Smarty Pants at 5:00 AM