We know that baby and toddler swimming lessons have many physical, social, and emotional benefits. However, developing a love of the water from an early age can also lead to some fantastic opportunities and achievements, as Lily T. from Falkirk will testify.

Lily started swimming with Turtle Tots at just six weeks old and she worked her way through the whole programme, leaving at the age of four and a half able to swim more than five metres independently.

Her mum, Karen T says, “I was a competitive swimmer from an early age. It gave me so many opportunities and I enjoyed my experience so much that I was keen to get my kids into the water as soon as I could. Baby swimming with Turtle Tots was so much fun, something Lily and I could enjoy together.”

After graduating from Turtle Tots, Lily moved onto independent swimming classes, building on the skills she had learned during her earlier lessons. In 2022, at the age of seven, she joined our local swimming club and, at the end of last year, competed in her first club championship.

Lily won not one, but four gold medals and one silver medal, along with trophies for top under 9 girl and the girl who broke the club record by the greatest amount.

“I am so proud of Lily. She loves the water and swimming. This is thanks to such the wonderful experience she had at her Turtle Tots lessons. I loved bringing her along to classes each week and watching her skills and confidence grow over the four years she was there, so much so that I decided to become a Turtle Tots franchisee, running baby and toddler swimming classes in Falkirk.”

Not every Turtle Tots graduate will go on to become a club champion like Lily. But we hope that every child that completes the Turtle Tots swimming programme will have the confidence to follow their dreams, whether that is in the water or on dry land.

Congraulations Lily, and from the whole Turtle Tots team, we wish you all the best of luck with your swim competitions in the future.