Your child doesn’t say anything about swimming lessons: how to still get insight into their progress as a parent

TLDR

Your child has been going to swimming lessons for weeks, but when you ask how it was, you only get "fun" or "good" as an answer. And you hear little from the swim school as well. So how do you know if your child is making progress? This overview helps you get insight into your child’s swimming lesson progress, even if communication is lacking.

Why your child doesn’t say anything about swimming lessons (and why that’s normal)

You probably recognize this: you pick up your 4 or 5-year-old child at the pool and when you ask "how was swimming?" you get a vague answer. "Fun." "Good." Or worse: your child shrugs and runs to the changing room.

This is completely normal. Young children between 3 and 7 live in the moment. They don’t yet have the ability to structure and relay their experiences. During the lesson, they are fully focused on the water, the instructor, and their own movements. The lesson is a series of physical experiences for them, not a story they can retell.

Also, their language skills play a role. Words like "backstroke", "correcting leg movement" or "water kicking" simply aren’t in their active vocabulary. Even if they just did that exercise, they can’t name it like an adult would.

Large groups make individual feedback difficult

Most swim schools have 10 to 15 children per lesson group. The instructor spends the entire lesson demonstrating exercises, guiding children, and ensuring safety. After the lesson, there are usually only a few minutes to welcome the next group. Providing detailed individual feedback to every parent simply isn’t feasible.

This is not due to unwillingness from the instructor. It’s the reality of swimming lessons in the Netherlands: demand is high, instructors are scarce, and lesson time is limited. The result is that you as a parent are left in the dark about your child’s progress.

Why good communication about progress matters

Without regular updates about swimming progress, two problems arise. First, as a parent you can’t judge if your child is on track. Is it taking longer than usual to reach a level? Does your child struggle with a specific skill like going underwater or floating on their back? Without feedback, you don’t know.

Second, children miss out on the motivation boost they get when their achievements are recognized. A child who hears "you floated on your back for 5 seconds for the first time today!" gains confidence. But if no one records or shares that moment, that motivation is lost.

Limitations of traditional communication channels

Many swim schools still rely on traditional methods: a quick chat at reception, a paper report card once a quarter, or a group chat mainly for practical announcements. These all share the same downside: they’re unstructured and not available when you as a parent want to know how things are going.

A report card given every three months tells you your child is progressing, but not exactly when. Was that last week or just yesterday? Has your child been at the same level for two months? That information is missing.

How to still get insight into swimming lesson progress as a parent

Ask different questions to your child

Instead of "how was swimming?" ask more specific questions. Children can answer concrete questions about their experience. For example: "What color was your group today?" or "What game did you play at the end?" or even "What did the teacher say today that made you laugh?"

By focusing on a concrete, tangible detail, you help your child recall the memory. Even a short answer like "we swam through a hoop" tells you more about what happened during the lesson.

Use the time at the pool

If the swim school allows parents to watch from the stands or through a window, take advantage of it. Even 5 minutes of watching at the end of the lesson gives you an idea of how your child moves in the water, how they interact with the instructor, and whether they seem to enjoy themselves.

Note: stay in designated areas and don’t distract the lesson. Children perform differently if they know their parents are watching. But a short observation still gives you valuable information you wouldn’t otherwise have.

The quick check with the instructor

Instructors have little time after lessons, but a focused 10-second question is almost always answered. Don’t ask "how is he doing?" but something specific like: "Which skill is she working on now?" or "What’s the next step he needs to take?"

A concrete question helps the instructor give the right answer quickly, without a long conversation. You can note the answer in your phone to track progress over weeks.

The digital solution: view progress in real time

The most effective way for parents to get insight into swimming lesson progress is a system where the instructor tracks scores per lesson, and you can view those scores in real time. This is exactly what Swimmigo offers.

In the app, the instructor sees all 86 skills divided over 7 levels (Red through Gold). After each exercise, the instructor uses a smiley system (0 to 6) to indicate how far your child has progressed. As a parent, you open the app and immediately see your child’s current progress per exercise. No waiting for a report card, no relying on a quick chat at reception.

You see exactly which skills your child has mastered, which are still in progress, and what percentage of the current level is completed. This not only provides insight but also peace of mind. You know progress is tracked, even if you can’t be there yourself.

Push notifications for level upgrades

One of the most powerful features for parents is the push notification when a level is reached. As soon as the instructor indicates your child has mastered all skills of a level, you get a notification on your phone. You immediately know a milestone has been reached, even if your child forgets to mention it.

At levels 5, 6, and 7, your child also receives a truly personalized diploma with name, date, and level, completely free. This way progress is not only tracked but also tangibly celebrated.

Tracking progress during holidays

Going on vacation and your child misses a few lessons? No problem. With Swimmigo’s holiday mode, you as a parent can check off exercises your child does at the holiday pool. This keeps progress up to date and lets the instructor know exactly where your child stands upon return.

Free diplomas as tangible recognition

An important aspect of parent communication is recognizing milestones. Swimmigo generates a free personalized swimming certificate for each level achieved. For the higher levels 5, 6, and 7, this becomes a real diploma with name, date, and level. For parents, this is tangible proof of progress, even if daily updates are missed. Hanging the diploma on the fridge is a daily reminder of what your child has accomplished.

Want to know more about Swimmigo?

• Parent portal: discover how to follow your child’s swimming lesson progress in real time
• All 7 swimming levels: from Red to Gold, with all 86 skills
• Features for instructors: how the app saves swim teachers time
• How it works: start with Swimmigo in 5 minutes

Conclusion

It’s not strange that your child doesn’t say anything about swimming lessons; it fits their age. But that doesn’t mean you as a parent have to stay in the dark. With targeted questions, brief observations, and a digital tool like Swimmigo, you get real-time insight into your child’s swimming lesson progress. Swimming lessons become no longer a black box, but a transparent process where you as a parent are actively involved.

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources

• NJi: Child development and parental involvement, 2026
• NHS: healthy living for families, 2026
• NHS: swimming and health, 2026