Alvin

Deep water aerobics means your feet never touch the bottom. That removes impact entirely, and it raises the safety bar. What the class involves and who it suits.

Water polo as a sport and as swim conditioning: the eggbeater kick, what a beginner needs to start, and an honest look at the contact and injury side.

Pregnancy is a reasonable time to start swimming lessons. What a first session looks like, what to adjust, and the warning signs that mean stop.

Games are how a frightened child stops holding their breath. Six water games that quietly teach the skills a first swimming lesson assumes.

If lessons at home are part of why you are building a pool, say so at the design meeting. Shallow-end depth and fencing matter more than tile.

Water-gun play can gently desensitise a child to water on the face — or entrench a fear for years. The difference is consent. A swimming coach explains how to use them well.