Winter Swimming? Lessons?

I know that FOSS is very expensive!!! I think that they are just taking advantage of new parents who don't know what lessons should cost. I know that the Brooklyn Center Community Center has lessons starting at 1 years with parents that are really affordable. The pool is not fancy, but fine and they have a zero depth seperate wading pool. Shingle creek pkwy and 694.

Edinbourgh in Edina has an indoor pool & an indoor play area open to the public for a fee. It's at 494 and a little east of France Ave.

Also try your community education. In Bloomington, there are swim classes for babies and older at the middle schools. We found Foss not worth the price (they actually made my kid afraid of the water).

Hey J.. Me again. I hear that the Southdale Y has a warm (theraputic) pool that is used for open swim and kid lessons. The ridgedale Y also has open swim, but it is a little cool if you aren't swimming laps. I think we might go today... I can let you know.
-T.

I am not sure about "open swim" options-maybe your gym? Not sure if they allow babies, but you could ask. As for lessons, I took my son when he was 9 months old. I knew they wouldn't do/learn a lot at that age so I didn't want to pay for pricey lessons. I took him to classes thru Eden Prairie community ed last summer. It was great-and cheap! He loved it and got really comfortable in the water. It was a great bonding experience for he and I, too. Good luck!

After taking our kids to community ed swim lessons where the pool was always cold (read: freezing), a friend recommended trying the Courage Center in Golden Valley. (They have classes that are open to those without special needs.) We (and our kids) loved it there. Both the pool and the room were nice and warm and the staff friendly and accomadating.

The Univ of MN Twin Cities campus offers open/rec swim. I don't think it's FREE, but it is really cheap, like $2-$3 per person. Of course, you have to deal with parking, too (there is a deck and street parking).

See schedule below ("Public/Open Rec Lap Swim")

http://www.recsports.umn.edu/link_files/facilities/hours/...

I haven 't swum there in awhile, but I recall certain lanes being closed off for families.

I have not been there but have many friends who use it...the Maple Grove Community Center. I hear it is absolutely wonderful! I can't wait to try it out myself soon. Maybe check it out online first but I am sure they have options for you...

Try www.slpcommunityed.org

We also live in SLP. Winter swim "lessons" start next week and as of late last week there were still plenty of openings. This will be the 3rd year we have taken our daughter, now 2 1/2, and the first year for our son, 8 months. I know the age range for the class is 5 months to 4 years. It's only 30 minutes, the parent is in the pool with the child and it's really just to get children familiar with the water. I think it's only about $50 for 10 or 11 sessions (once per week). It's at the pool in the Central Community bldg on highway 7 and Wooddale (the Spanish Immersion school). Good luck...maybe I'll see you there!

G.

Check out a local community center with a pool...there are several in the Twin Cities, many which would be free for a child under 1. We took my son to our local community center in Maple Grove for swim lessons which he loved, and the price was reasonable. And just FYI--my friend took her son to the FOSS Swim School for lessons, but said it was way overpriced for the lessons, and that they might be more appropriate for the price for when he is older (she took him when he was 1 ).

Foss offers family swim days. I think Sundays.

Check all the community education offerings for surrounding communities. Many of them offer both open swim or parent in the water lessons for infants. We took our son to the Roseville community education swim class when he was 4 months old. He loved it.