Bring on the Smiles with the magical Turtle Tots Journey
From their very first dip, your little one will be off on a magical, watery adventure. They’ll learn essential water safety and early swimming skills while making new friends, building bonds and making memories that will last a lifetime.
Dive into our fun and award-winning baby, toddler, and preschool swimming journey where we’ll guide your child toward a lifelong love of the water.
Let's take your child on an amazing aquatic adventure
At Turtle Tots, we believe in a gentle, child-led approach to swimming. Our award-winning programme for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers is designed to do more than just teach strokes, it’s about building a lifelong love for the water. We focus on teaching essential, life-saving skills and basic swimming techniques in a way that’s supportive and fun for every child.
Our lessons are structured but flexible, naturally progressing with your child’s age and ability. With the help of Turtle and their sea creature friends, your little one will dive into a world of games and songs, learning key skills like “Holding On”, “Kick and Glide”, and “Horsey Horsey”, all while building water confidence and learning to be safe in and around the water.
Ready to start your unforgettable journey together? Keep reading to discover why our unique programme creates memories that will last a lifetime.
The Turtle Tots Swimming Programme
You can embark on an aquatic adventure with your little one anytime from the moment they are born. Our lessons are flexible and designed to support your child as they learn at a pace that is right for them.
From birth to 18 months old, babies can progress through our Turtle, Seahorse, Dolphin and Octopus levels as we focus on communication, water safety, developing strength and coordination, and having lots of fun together. Our Sea Lion and Penguin levels are perfect for active toddlers aged 18 months to 2 ½ years, where we introduce more fun and games to practice early swimming technique and water safety skills. For super splashy preschoolers, aged 2 ½ to 5 years, our Squid, Stingray and Shark levels are designed to build confidence and independence in the water. Once your child has completed our baby, toddler, and preschool swimming programme, they’ll be all set to join the Turtle Tots Academy or move on to their local STA swimming lessons!
To find the perfect lesson level for your child, check out our handy chart below. If you need help choosing, CLICK HERE to reach out to your local office.
What to expect from your Turtle Tots Lessons
Turtle Swimming Lessons for 0 to 8 Month olds
Welcome to Turtle, the first exciting level of your Turtle Tots adventure! This is where we begin to understand your baby’s unique way of communicating, using it to guide everything from gentle holds to essential water safety. This initial stage is all about feeling relaxed and comfortable in the water, building a deep bond and a sense of trust between you and your child, learn how to swim and float together, and creating unforgettable moments with your little one.
Seahorse Swimming Lessons for 6 to 12 month olds
Seahorse level brings toys and giggles! We’ll pick up the pace a little, introducing new challenges that will let your baby show off their developing strength, coordination, and balance. This is where they’ll get to splash in from the poolside all by themselves, practice essential water safety skills, and even go for short swims under the water when they’re ready. You’ll also learn a new hold to help you swim together as a team.
Dolphin Swimming Lessons for 9 to 15 month olds
Building on all those amazing skills you’ve already learned, Dolphin level is all about watching your little one become a master of the water! They’ll learn how to move independently by kicking, with a little help from fun flotation aids. We’ll also introduce the big play raft, a fantastic platform for them to explore and build confidence. Water safety and holding on remain a key focus, and you’ll find that swimming together becomes even more energetic and exciting for both of you!
Octopus Swimming Lessons for 12 to 18 month olds
Octopus level is where the real fun begins as your little one learns to swim on their own with a woggle, both on their fronts and backs! Get ready for woggle “horses” a super fun way to practice balancing in the water and get a feel for treading water. We’ll also introduce new safety skills, building on everything they’ve already learned by linking them together into fun sequences. Discover exciting new ways to swim together, including some amazing underwater adventures!
Sea Lion Swimming Lessons for 15 - 26 month olds
Jumping in is a big new skill in Sea Lion level, and it’s something most toddlers absolutely love. We teach this skill with a careful, structured approach, maximising both the fun and the safety elements. This is your toddler’s time to shine, as their amazing personality and endless enthusiasm take over and they challenge themselves to do things with less support from you.
Penguin Swimming Lessons for 2 - 3 year olds
Penguin level is all about practice and perfecting. Repetition is essential for helping toddlers refine their movements and skills. We’ll focus on developing key swimming abilities like body position, breathing, and coordinated leg and arm movements, all through fun and playful, child-led activities. As your little one learns more about their capabilities and limits, we’ll continue to keep a strong focus on water safety.
Squid Swimming Lessons for 2.5 - 3.5 year olds
Body position, leg and arm action, and breathing – Squid level will see your child continue to develop their key swimming skills. Toddlers learn best through playful exploration, so our teaching remains flexible and responsive to the needs of each child in the group. We know that confidence and ability can change from week to week. We are always ready to adapt and respond to what each toddler needs.
Stingray Swimming Lessons for 3 and 4 year olds
As children’s brilliant imaginations and language skills blossom, so does the opportunity for even more games and creativity in the water! In Stingray level, the focus shifts from the teacher to the little swimmer as they can now follow directions, with their adult acting as the trusted assistant. This is the age where kids often start swimming more independently, ditching the buoyancy aids and getting ready for some early stroke development and technique practice.
Shark Swimming Lessons for 4 and 5 year olds
We’re getting ready to bridge the gap between our preschool swimming lessons and the Turtle Tots Swimming Academy! In our fun and engaging Shark level, your child will be preparing for the next step on their swimming journey. You’ll see them becoming more independent in the water, with improving body position and the beginnings of recognisable swimming strokes. It’s an exciting time as they build confidence and skill, paving the way for a lifetime of swimming success!
Reviews
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We have been coming since June when my daughter Penelope was 4 weeks old. She absolutely loves it, the swimming instructors are amazing and every week we look forward to bringing her back.
Nicole 
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We have been coming since June when my daughter Penelope was 4 weeks old. She absolutely loves it, the swimming instructors are amazing and every week we look forward to bringing her back.
Nicole South Hampshire
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My son started swimming with Turtle tots since the age of 2 years and for the last 4 years, my son has had an amazing experience with some fantastic teachers. And he looks forward to go for swimming lessons every wee.
Ashin -
My son started swimming with Turtle tots since the age of 2 years and for the last 4 years, my son has had an amazing experience with some fantastic teachers. And he looks forward to go for swimming lessons every wee.
Ashin South Hampshire
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Our daughter has been going to Turtle Tots since she was just 3 months old, and we honestly couldn’t recommend it enough!
Not only does she absolutely love the classes, but she’s also made some amazing friendships that we hope will last a lifetime. The classes are fantastic, the instructors are brilliant, and it’s been so lovely watching her confidence grow in the water.
We’re so glad we started her at Turtle Tots — we wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them to anyone!Anonymous South West Wales
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Our daughter has been going to Turtle Tots since she was just 3 months old, and we honestly couldn’t recommend it enough!
Not only does she absolutely love the classes, but she’s also made some amazing friendships that we hope will last a lifetime. The classes are fantastic, the instructors are brilliant, and it’s been so lovely watching her confidence grow in the water.
We’re so glad we started her at Turtle Tots — we wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them to anyone!Anonymous -
We enrolled our daughter when she was just six months old, and at 2.5 years old now, she still counts down the days to every lesson.
Starting so early gave her an incredible sense of water confidence, but what really sets this school apart is the teachers. They strike the perfect balance between fun, song-filled encouragement and essential water safety skills. Over the past two years, watching her progress from gentle splashes and submersions to kicking, paddling, and climbing safely in and out of the pool has been amazing.
The pool environment is always warm, clean, and welcoming for little ones, and the instructors are wonderfully patient with toddler moods. It’s easily the best activity we’ve invested in for our daughter—couldn’t recommend them highly enough to any parent considering baby or toddler swimming!Efstratios C South Hampshire
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We enrolled our daughter when she was just six months old, and at 2.5 years old now, she still counts down the days to every lesson.
Starting so early gave her an incredible sense of water confidence, but what really sets this school apart is the teachers. They strike the perfect balance between fun, song-filled encouragement and essential water safety skills. Over the past two years, watching her progress from gentle splashes and submersions to kicking, paddling, and climbing safely in and out of the pool has been amazing.
The pool environment is always warm, clean, and welcoming for little ones, and the instructors are wonderfully patient with toddler moods. It’s easily the best activity we’ve invested in for our daughter—couldn’t recommend them highly enough to any parent considering baby or toddler swimming!Efstratios C -
Absolutely amazing my little one has been swimming since 10 weeks old he’s now one and loves his swimming
Yes -
Absolutely amazing my little one has been swimming since 10 weeks old he’s now one and loves his swimming
Yes Southampton
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It’s very good. Seems well structured and the trainer knows what they’re doing.
The only that stops a 5 for us is I often think there are too many in group some weeks. It could be our baby not liking too much noise and distraction but sometimes you are almost tripping over other people owing to the numbers.Anonymous -
It’s very good. Seems well structured and the trainer knows what they’re doing.
The only that stops a 5 for us is I often think there are too many in group some weeks. It could be our baby not liking too much noise and distraction but sometimes you are almost tripping over other people owing to the numbers.Anonymous Southampton
Frequently Asked Questions About Our Programme
How can I book my child into lessons?
Booking your child into our swimming lessons is super easy. Just Click on the FIND A LESSON button at the top of our website and enter your postcode into the search box above the map. You will be presented with the pools where we offer lessons that are closest to your postcode. You can enter your home postcode if you’d like lessons close to home, or a postcode close to your work, family or childcare provider if you’d like to find lessons to work around your daily schedule.
When you have found the pool that is right for you on the map, click on the pin and then click on the link to visit that pool’s dedicated web page. On that page you will find a timetable of the lessons that we offer in that location.
Find the day that best suits you, select the right level and lesson format that suits your child’s age, then check that you are happy with the cost and start date before clicking the BOOK NOW button.
You will be directed to a registration form. Complete all fields and click submit and a member of your local Turtle Tots team will get in touch to confirm your details and booking.
How do I choose the right lessons for my child?
Turtle Tots award-winning swimming programme has nine levels for babies, toddlers and preschoolers.
Here is a breakdown of the levels and the recommended age range for each one:
- Turtle – Babies aged 0 – 8 months
- Seahorse – Babies aged 6 – 12 months
- Dolphin – Babies aged 9 – 15 months
- Octopus – Babies aged 12 – 18 months
- Sea Lion – Toddlers aged 15 – 26 months
- Penguin – Toddlers aged 2 – 3 years
- Squid – Preschoolers aged 2.5 – 3.5 years
- Stingray – Preschoolers aged 3 – 4 years
- Sharks – Preschoolers aged 4 – 5 years
We have designed the programme with built in flexibility to make sure your child can find a class that matches their age abilities. When booking, you can simply select the level that you think is most appropriate based on your child’s development. If you are unsure, please contact your local Turtle Tots team and they will assist with booking you onto the right lessons.
During your first lesson, our teachers work with you and your little one and if they feel you need to be in a different level, they will advise you accordingly.
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