Bebes Amphibies - swimming lessons Birmingham and Solihull for children and babies

Les Bébés Amphibies International - Aquatic Safety & Swimming Skills

Jean Fouace Method from Switzerland, founded in 1967

Welcome to Les Bébés Amphibies Int. Aquatic Safety & Swimming Skills

Our main goal is your child’s safety in and around water! First we teach them Aquatic Safety Skills, which were developed in Switzerland and officially founded in 1967. These skills were designed and perfected to enable children to float for upto 20 minutes, giving them that extra time for help to arrive, should they find themselves in a difficult situation in the water.

We believe that every child should be able to swim without any buoyancy aid for a minimum of 25 metres by the age of 3 and most definitely be a confident swimmer before they start school. The current national curriculum in the United Kingdom is 25 meters at 11 Years! We at Les Bébés Amphibies International believe this is too late. Once your child has mastered the Aquatic Safety Skills we move on to various swimming techniques.

Please note: Due to the fact that our children work very hard in their lessons maximum lesson time in the pool for children under 4 years of age is maximum 20 minutes there will always be some 1 to 1 time with an instructor.

Babies from 0 to 16 months with max 6 per class (Babies under 12 months are slowly built up to 20 minutes maximum. The instructor may stop your lesson at anytime if they think your baby is tired or cold as the health and safety of your child is our prime concern.

Children from 16 months to 8 years will always have a maximum of 4 per teacher/class until they can swim the width of the pool on front and back without help.

Our swim alone and classes and our advanced classes have up to 6 max per class.

We are very passionate about what we do; we don’t just teach a healthy sport, we teach your children vital safety skills that may save their lives.

Our Aquatic Safety & Swimming Skills Programme

0 - 16 months with up to 6 max per class

We teach your children aquatic safety skills! We introduce babies from birth to floating in a horizontal position. This is the safest position for a baby as they aren’t strong enough to be able to keep their head above the water on their front. There are maximum 6 babies per class up to the age of 16 months, then maximum 4 per class from 16 months up. Once they can do this we teach them other safety skills & to swim, jump and dive.

16 months - 4 years with upto max 4 per class

Give your child the knowledge Be as safe as possible and if ever they were to fall in the water by rolling on to their back and floating fully clothed, this is followed by teaching them the 3 main traditional strokes such as Backstroke, Crawl, Breast stroke, surface diving recovering objects from bottom of pool and distance swimming.

4 - 8 years with upto max 4 per class

We believe that every child should be able to swim at least 25 meters in at least one stroke by the age of 3 years old, from 4 to 6 years old we then start perfecting their strokes. Most of our 4 year olds can swim 100 to 400 meters in at least one stroke. They also learn survival skills & swimming fully clothed with shoes and winter coat.

6 - 8 years Beginners upto max 4 per class

Whether they are total beginners or can swim a little we will teach them Aquatic Safety Skills that could save their lives if ever they were to fall in, swimming fully clothed they will learn Breast stroke, Backstroke and Crawl, jumping in, surface dives, retrieving objects from the bottom, distance swimming and stroke perfection & distance swimming.

Swim alone & Advanced classes from 4 years old with upto 6 max per class

These groups are reserved for our more advanced students, that can already swim breast stroke, Backstroke, Crawl, etc. They will learn lifesaving skills, stroke perfection, recovery position, Basic knowledge of CPR How to help someone in distress, underwater swimming, retrieving objects from the bottom, distance swimming. Bronze Silver Gold Levels.

Advantages of regular swimming

Swimming with your baby is an exciting, enriching experience for both parent and child. While we are teaching your child life Aquatic Safety Skills, they will also be enhancing their communication and social skills among many others.

Helps to keep you fit and healthy

Swimming with your children is good for their health & development, and can allow them to become interested in competitive swimming as they grow older. Swimming provides a complete physical work-out, strengthening the baby’s heart and lungs and also helps to develop the functioning of the brain with swimming all 5 senses – taste, smell, touch, sight and sound are stimulated.

Is a vital life saving skill

Drowning is the second largest cause of accidental death amongst young children in Europe. Learning to float until help arrives, holding on, getting out or swimming could one day save the life of your child, Bébés Amphibies teaches these life saving skills from birth.

Aids physical development

Being in the water helps improve co-ordination and balance. Babies who can swim have better balance and can grasp objects more easily. Their coordination is also usually more developed than those who can’t swim. Learning to float and turn on to their back means that babies use more energy and strengthen their muscles faster in water than they do on land.

Improves psychological well being

Babies and young children learn to swim without being able to touch the bottom of the pool, so they are not afraid to swim in deep water. Whether the floor is 1 metre or 10 metres away, it’s all the same to them. Exercises that involve moving around the pool independently in the water and learning to hold on to the side are really good for your baby’s confidence.

Helps to develop social skills

Swimming strengthens the bond and trust between you and your child creates a special bond between parent and baby.

Babies tend to learn quicker

You can start from birth! Responding to repetitive voice commands can sharpen your baby’s mental skills and increase their levels of understanding. A German study found that swimming babies had advanced motor development, social skills and intelligence.

Pool Locations

Find one near you!

Currently serving:

Holiday Inn Birmingham Airport

Walsall

Instructors

A team of professionals

Les Bébés Amphibies instructors are fully trained and qualified in both Aquatic Safety and Swimming Skills & various other swimming techniques.

Proud to teach children from Birth through to Junior Competition level.

Special Thanks

A special thanks to the Holiday Inn Birmingham Airport for the great years of partnership!

Testimonials

Here is what our clients have to say:

My Baby is 6 months old and has never liked water on her face so she hated swimming when we first started, Kim and Karen convinced me that she would get used to this and not to abandon. After a few lessons they were right she stopped crying when she got splashed and now she is actually so relaxed when floating unaided she falls asleep ands a little moan when we disturb her at the end of the lesson.

I can’t recommend Bebes Amphibies enough they are so patient with the children and parents like me lol.

Thank you

Debbie Reynolds

I wouldn’t go anywhere else. Both boys are amazing in the water thanks to Kim and Karen and Team. Each child is treated individually and works at their own pace. The Team are all so patient. My youngest who had the biggest fear of any water on his face, can now swim 100meters unaided, for us that is more than we ever thought he would do. I just wish every swimming school would teach this method rather than be kitted out with goggles and floats and armbands.

Cant recommend Bebes Amphibies highly enough.

Tracy Lee

Les Bebes Amphibies are fantastic! My 4 year old nephew had lessons with other company’s for 2 years and didn’t even know how to float yet. We started with Bebes Amphibies a little over a month ago. I have watched as my nephew has learned how to swim and how he has grown in confidence. Kim is a fabulous teacher so kind and works well with my nephew even when she was screamed at for most of the lesson. Everything is explained so well and she has the patience of a saint. Thank you

Charlie Appleby

Fantastic results by professional teachers. Their skill and patience with the children is amazing. I have 2 children that attend these swimming lessons 3.5 years and 7 month old and would recommend them to anyone.

Claire Pedley

The posters say that their aim is for children to swim 25m unaided before they are 3 years old. I can’t say I was convinced! but anyway I gave it a go and my son turns 3 next week and can actually do it easily! He loves swimming and we always get lots of comments from people when we go swimming and they see him ump in and swim back to the side to do it again and again…. Thank you Kim and Karen, I’m delighted at the progress that Oliver has made xxx

Julie Brooks

After 12 months using different swimming clubs where our 5 year old son was pulled up and down the pool, wearing goggles and with a float, we wanted somewhere that would give him essential life saving skills and teach him to actually swim. Kim and Karen have a no-nonsense and firm approach which is invaluable for learning to swim, especially when working with stubborn and often unwilling little ones like ours! Amazed that after a couple of sessions Robert was swimming alone on his back up and down the pool without any flotation devices. We’re about 17 lessons in now and he can dive (his favourite thing in the world!) and swim with clothes and shoes on Another plus is that he will have his hair washed now without wearing goggles! Triumph. We just have to accomplish face in swimming now, but we know he will get there with the help from Kim and Karen. Thank you

Kirsty Tidman

Best decision I ever made bringing my son Harrison here. My little boy refused to do anything to help himself in the water for no other reason than stubbornness. Kim and Karen helped him in every single way they could. Using all their skills they have developed over the years and their pure passion for these methods. I’m so pleased they did! He loves the water now, he’s confident, and progressing wonderfully. I couldn’t be prouder of him and them. As much as my son is having fun here, he is also, and more importantly being taught how to be safe in the water. That alone as a parent is very reassuring. I have always and will always recommend these classes to everyone, Thank you for all you have done for Harrison.

Alicia Doyle

My son started a few weeks ago, previously he was terrified of swimming. Now he is confidently diving in and swimming both on his back and his front. I can see progression every single time. Amazing! So impressed we signed our daughter up too.

Wished we’d done it sooner. We’ve tried two other places for swimming lessons but they just do not compare. The teaching style and some one on one has had them both coming on leaps and bounds.

Thank you

Julie Anne Dearn

Our 2.5 year old and 8 month old boys attend these classes. They each gained so much in just a few short weeks here than months and months at another swim school we tried.

It can be difficult to begin with because its a different way of teaching but the results speak for themselves.

My 2.5 year old can float and swim on his back unaided. He jumps into the water with confidence and can climb out independently. My 8 month old can float on his back unaided and after only 3 classes! I wish I had taken my eldest when he was younger.

Thank you Kim and Karen x

Marianne Brazier

This group is a must! After just nine lessons, my three year old has gone from scared of the water, to being able jump in, turn onto his back and swim a length of the pool. We are immensely proud of what he has achieved in such a short space of time, as is he. The support, encouragement and calm atmosphere created by both Kim and Karen is why it is so successful. We prefer this group as it is nice to go to a swimming group that is focused on the children gaining skills rather than singing songs.

Rachel and Roman Barr

Harry joined at 18 months and is now 3.5 years. He is a great little swimer now and I feel confident that he can cope in the water should he fall in. Great lessons teaching an invaluable life skill.

Sadie – Harry’s Mom

Kim and Karen are dedicated and passionate about teaching children, not only to swim but most importantly, to save their life. We started attending lessons with Kim at Bebes Amphibies 4 and a half years ago after a friend recommended it to us. We were amazed and thrilled with the rapid progress our 2 young children made. At the time they were 2yrs old and 11months old. Within 10 weeks they were both able to float independently and before much longer had passed their self survival test. From then onwards they made rapid progress learning various strokes and developing their confidence. Currently our youngest child, who has just turned 1, is able to float in her pyjamas for 20 minutes WITHOUT flotation devices! She is so relaxed that she often falls asleep in the water. We cannot recommend these classes highly enough. Our children LOVE to swim and that is thanks to Kim and Karen and the amazing Bebes Amphibies swimming techniques.

Natasha Archer