we went to a nearby-ish leisure centre yesterday, I've heard about it for yonks but never gone before, it was a horrid rainy overcast kind of day so the pool was of course busy. We first had to encounter changing rooms and small people had to be changed, then a locker had to be found (one that worked and had a bracelet on it...locker number three turned out to be ok).
I wasn't sure how it was going to go at first (could make all the usual complaints about Other Half letting me child wrangle four kidlets on my own...but we'll just take that as a given) as Kane was not a happy bunny and Maya was clinging to me like the proverbial limpet. We had purchased arm bands for the purposes of small child floatation so I could let go of her, but she wasn't so sure. Ruthie loved it and bounced around diving and whooshing about happily, Chay loved the idea but hadn't got his head round the fact that the water wasn't the same depth all the way around.
Kane eventually calmed down about his lack of floating ability, which in turn helped him float...I took that child for swimming lessons for years when he was little and you wouldn't know it!
It was a good set up there, they had four areas, one for serious swimmers, one for teeny tinys and two for kind of playing in...ooh and a circular pool called the vortex where the water pulls you round at speed (we all liked that one ). There was also a slide...I don't know what it was like as I ignored it .
We managed to stay in for two hours and by the end of it Maya was swimming kind of froggy fashion and sooo pleased with herself too. Kane had gained enormous confidence and was attempting to swim, Chay was much less bothered by all the water splashing in his face and I was dead pleased at how well it had gone, Madam Ruthie of course was having a fabulous time showing off to her siblings as she has been several times before with friends and knew where she was going and what she was up to!
After all the exercise we were shattered, Kane was unwell (more to do with popcorn consumption I think) Maya was worn out but happy and I felt the great need for an afternoon nap, which sadly didn't happen.
So a successful outing and it didn't cost the earth, everyone is saying we must go again ...yay? No, it would be fun it's just co-ordinating everyone and swanning about in a swimsuit which bothers me.
Right off to check littlest girl who seems to still be asleep... which is odd, but maybe another cuppatea first
I grew up in the water and was a rescue swimmer. Laura takes after me and has been swimming like a fish since she was 4 or 5. Frankie can't swim a stroke and I have had no luck teaching her despite repeated attempts over the past quarter century. I guess she'll never learn.
ReplyDelete