Swimming pool with slides?

[kristymac1]

Hi,

Does anyone know where the best swimming pools with slides are? DD is 3.5yrs and just learned to swim, but likes to launch herself off slide first - I'm looking for a pool where the slides aren't particularly massive and we don't mind a reasonable drive. Any info/recommendations gratefully received!

Thanks x

[Kat]

Bromley swimming pool have a small slide for the little ones

http://www.bromleymytime.org.uk/pavilion-leisure-centre.html

[Ruffler]

My kids used to like the elephant slide and the wave pool at the Latchmere centre when they were young. http://www.reallykidfriendly.com/latchmereleisurecentre_2226.html

[njc97]

Deptford pool has a little poolside slide. Warning, they've got rid of the carpark next to the pool, but the one on vanguard st is nearby.

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[ryedalema]

Bromley pool has a slide (elephant) but it's in a really shallow bit so not great for 'launching yourself in the water'. Deptford Wavelengths pool has the same slide but it's in a decent level of water so they can 'jump in' from that (but really rubbish shower arrangements). Not sure about Greenwich one - haven't been yet but wouldn't mind a trip.

I think all three are part of the same group - they all have the same equipment, including flumes for the bigger kids.

Madam is very partial to a slide too - fancy a trip?

[new mother]

We love Latchmere!

[mrs.lotte]

Having been to Depford, Latchmere and Bromley in order to search for something comparable to the pool (sorry, sub-tropical swimming paradise) at Centerparcs we have found a winner. It's a bit of a hike but well worth it - Woolwich leisure centre (just beyond the woolwich ferry turn off) it has LOADS of slides, several pools, a wave machine decent changing facilities and a car park. It is brilliant.

[kristymac1]

Thanks for all the top tips guys - will definitely be checking a few of them out! x

[Tanza]

Ooh I like the sound of this one. But as a non driver can anyone recommend the best way to get there on public transport. Is the best way, train from East Dulwich to Queens Road Peckham and then the 177 from there to Woolwich? At that point do you have to take the Woolwich ferry?

mrs.lotte Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Having been to Depford, Latchmere and Bromley in

> order to search for something comparable to the

> pool (sorry, sub-tropical swimming paradise) at

> Centerparcs we have found a winner. It's a bit of

> a hike but well worth it - Woolwich leisure centre

> (just beyond the woolwich ferry turn off) it has

> LOADS of slides, several pools, a wave machine

> decent changing facilities and a car park. It is

> brilliant.

[Fuschia]

You only take the ferry if going to north of the river.. not to go to woolwich itself

[ryedalema]

OOh - the Woolwich one sounds fab - we'll def try that one out. Where is the Latchmere and how does it compare to the Woolwich one, anyone?

Also - does anyone know how many adults you need for an eight month old and 2 x over 3 year olds? Is it 2 or 3 adults or does it depend on the pool?

Sorry hijacking your thread KM.

[Fuschia]

always 1:1 for under 5s I think.

At Beckenham etc think you can have an over 5 and an under 5, but not in Southwark (IIRC)

[Fuschia]

http://www.gll.org/lg/greenwich.pdf

p19 seems to say in Greenwich 2 under 8s Ok for one adult

[ryedalema]

Wow - so I can take our eight month old and three year old by myself to the Greenwich pool (page 19) if we stay in the shallow end and have arm bands etc. Not sure I have the nerve, but great to know.

[Fuschia]

ryedalema Wrote:

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> Wow - so I can take our eight month old and three

> year old by myself to the Greenwich pool (page 19)

> if we stay in the shallow end and have arm bands

> etc. Not sure I have the nerve, but great to know.

Southwark won't allow that, MrF and I can't take our 7yo and twins :-(

[mrs.lotte]

Latchmere - Battersea; lots of middle class parents (very dad heavy on a saturday) 2 slides, both toddler aged, wave machine shallow entrance, car park (usually full) toddlers pool but usually closed for swim lessons on a saturday. Woolwich is much more of a leisure pool; 1 huge slide which goes right outside the building, 3 practically vertical slides side by side, several kids slides, toddlers pool, wave macine, shallow entrance, water jets and probably same level of busyness as Latchmere with a really high lifeguard count.

[reneet]

Sorry to hijack you thread, but you said your child just learned to swim? How old can they be before they start lessons and does anyone know of a good local place to go for lessons and how often do they need to go.

[kristymac1]

reneet Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Sorry to hijack you thread, but you said your

> child just learned to swim? How old can they be

> before they start lessons and does anyone know of

> a good local place to go for lessons and how often

> do they need to go.

I actually took her to swimming lessons last year when she was 2.5 but she didn't get on with them at all - bit of a waste of money tbh (for us anyway). She actually learned to swim on holiday (every day in the pool for hours!), she can manage a width of a small pool without any aids, but could definitely benefit from some lessons in technique (her current one is pretty exhausting!) so am hoping she can sign up to some weekend lessons at Dulwich Pool when it (finally) opens. Have a look at the website littledippers.co.uk, they have some worksheets and videos that you can download for a couple of quid to use with your little one yourself, we did that when she was very little and they were a great help (and much more reasonable than a littledippers actual course)

We checked out Deptford at the weekend and RDMa - they must have moved the slide into a shallow area since you went - its so shallow I was worried DD would break her legs going into the pool! Little one loved it of course (wave machine and flumes were fun) but there wasn't much swimming going on (and the shower system is total cr*p....) - cheapish though ?3.50/adult, little one went free. Will definitely be checking out Latchmere and Woolwich.

[reneet]

Thanks Kristymac, looked at the website and it looks promising, my daughter currently uses armbands and I deflate it a little every week so that she is relying on it less and less. Don't know if I am actually helping at all but she seems confident enough in the water now. Should probably take her swimming more frequently as she is always better while on holiday cos she gets to swim daily.

[ryedalema]

Woolwich def sounds like a winner. I'm very envious of you lot with little ones that actually swim (or try to) in the pool. Our 3 year old only seems to want to dive bomb and climb all over us, oh and do aeroplanes. She's not interested in actual swimming at all.

How did you get your little ones interested? Or is it just our nutbag nelly who's treats the pool like a human pin ball machine?