Last updated: 23 June 2025
If your child is starting to learn how to swim, you might be wondering how long they should take swimming lessons for. The answer is that it depends! There are lots of different factors that can influence how long it takes a child to learn to swim.
The most important thing is that your child continues swimming lessons for as long as it takes for them to be as safe as possible in and around the water. But how do you know when your child is a competent and safer swimmer?
The National Swimming and Water Safety Benchmarks are a good place to start. These benchmarks are created by Royal Life Saving Australia and outline the minimum competencies children should meet in order to safely enjoy various aquatic environments.
In this article, we explain which benchmarks your child will need to meet and the different factors that can influence how long it takes to learn to swim. We also provide some tips to support your child’s progress.
National Swimming and Water Safety Benchmarks
The National Swimming and Water Safety Benchmarks outline the skills children should achieve by specific ages.
While reaching the benchmarks at the age of 6 is a great start, we encourage families to continue swimming lessons until children meet the competencies expected at the age of 12. This is considered the minimum standard for swimming and water safety.
In Victoria, this is reflected in the Water Safety Certificate, typically achieved by the end of Year 6 in primary school. Similar standards exist across Australia, and reaching this level ensures children are well-prepared to safely enjoy a variety of aquatic environments.
Minimum benchmarks for children 0 to 6 years
- Identify rules for safe behaviour at aquatic environments at or near the home
- Enter and exit shallow water unassisted
- Float and recover to a standing or secure position
- Move continuously for five metres
- Submerge the body and move through an obstacle
- Identify people and actions to help in an aquatic emergency
- Perform a survival sequence to simulate an accidental entry
Minimum benchmarks for children 6 to 12 years
- Understand and respect safety rules for a range of aquatic environments
- Float, scull or tread water for two minutes and signal for help
- Enter and exit the water for a range of environments
- Swim continuously for 50 metres
- Surface dive, swim underwater and search to recover an object from deep water
- Respond to an emergency and perform a primary assessment
- Rescue a person using a non-swimming rescue technique with non-rigid aids
- Perform a survival sequence wearing light clothing
When will children meet these benchmarks?
Every child learns at a different pace, so some will meet these benchmarks sooner than others. The most important thing is safety, so whether it takes your child weeks, months or longer – it’s worth sticking at it to know that they will be safer in aquatic environments once they’ve gained these essential skills.
What factors can influence how long it takes to learn to swim?
There are many factors that can influence how long it takes for your child to become a confident and capable swimmer. Keep reading to learn about some of the most common ones.
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Frequency of lessons
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Fear of water
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Motor skills
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The quality of lessons and teachers
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Your child’s swimming goals
It’s important to make swimming lessons a regular part of your child’s routine. We recommend weekly lessons along with occassional intensive lessons during school holidays to help maintain momentum. It’s normal for your child to experience ups and downs while they learn to swim, but staying consistent with lessons and keeping up their attendance can make a big difference in their progress.
Children who feel uncomfortable in the water may take longer to learn compared to those who are more confident. There are ways to help your child overcome a fear of the water, such as gradually exposing them to the water, providing gentle encouragement and making swimming lessons a fun and positive experience. With time, practise and patience, most children grow to love the water!
Some children will naturally take to swimming quicker than others. This could because their motor skills are more developed or because they’re more familiar with moving their body through other physical activities or sports. But don’t worry, children don’t need to be super athletic to learn how to swim. Everyone learns at their own pace and the more your child keeps up with their lessons, the more their motor skills will improve.
A good swimming program, supported by experienced and passionate teachers, can make all the difference. Swim schools should prioritise safety, have nationally recognised accreditations, and employ qualified teachers who bring out the best in kids. They should also cater to all ages and skill levels and group children according to their ability, so that children aren’t pushed ahead too soon or held back from progressing.
How long your child takes swimming lessons for will also depend on the level of swimming ability they want to achieve. At a minimum, every child should work towards meeting the National Swimming and Water Safety Benchmarks to become a competent and confident swimmer. If your child falls in love with swimming and wants to take their skills to the next level (for example by joining a squad program) then they will attend swimming lessons for a longer period.
Tips for progressing your child’s swimming skills
Staying consistent with swimming lessons is one of the best ways to support your child's progress in the water, but there are other things you can do to help. Check out our tips to see how you can encourage and guide your child's learn to swim journey.
Set swimming goals
Whether your child is working on a specific technique or wants to feel more comfortable in the water, setting swimming goals is a great way to stay motivated. It gives your child something to work towards, helping to keep them focused and engaged in their lessons.
Keep swimming, even in winter
As mentioned earlier, consistency is key! Taking a long break from swimming lessons can slow your child’s progress and affect their confidence, meaning they’ll may need more time in lessons to get back on track. By regularly attending lessons throughout the year, including during the winter, you’ll help your child stay confident and maintain steady progress in the water.
Practise out of the pool
Did you know there are activities and exercises you can try at home to support your child’s progress? Dryland exercises, for example, can help your child improve their core strength, flexibility, mobility and balance, which are essential skills for swimmers. For toddlers and younger children just starting out, try these simple activities at home to help them learn how to kick, blow bubbles, hold their breath underwater and put their face in water.
Be a supportive swim parent
Being a supportive swim parent helps give your child the confidence they need to succeed. It’s important to not push them too hard and instead focus on reassurance and encouragement. Try not to compare your child to others who may be progressing faster and remember to stay positive about swimming lessons. If you’re enthusiastic about swimming, your child will be too.
So, how long should children take swimming lessons for?
Children should take swimming lessons at least until they have developed the essential skills to be confident and capable in and around water. These skills are outlined in the National Swimming and Water Safety Benchmarks, which your child should be working towards in their swimming lessons.
To help your child get the most out of their lessons and continue progressing towards these benchmarks, aim to attend consistently, choose a swim school that offers high quality instruction and stay actively involved in supporting their learning.
Ready to start your child’s swimming journey? Get in touch with us today to learn more about swimming lessons at Kingswim.