The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has changed its recommendations regarding swimming lessons. 

In the past the AAP did not recommend lessons for children less than 4 years old.  The concern was that parents might get a false sense of security around pools and other bodies of water and not properly supervise swimming children.

New evidence shows that children ages 1 to 4 years may be less likely to drown if they have had formal swimming instruction; however, this does not take the place of good supervision.

The new AAP guidance, which I agree with,  recommends that parents should decide whether to enroll an individual child in swim lessons based on the child's frequency of exposure to water, emotional development, physical abilities and certain health concerns related to chemicals (some children with asthma are very sensitive to chlorine in indoor pools).

Some other water safety advice includes:

1)    Never - even for a moment - leave small children alone or in the care of another young child while in bathtubs, pools, spas or wading pools or other open water sources.
2)    Closely supervise children in and around water. With infants, toddlers and weak swimmers, an adult should be within an arm's length.
3)    If you have a pool, install a four-sided fence that is at least 4 feet high to limit access to the pool. The fence should be hard to climb (not chain-link) and have a self-latching, self-closing gate.
4)    Parents, caregivers and pool owners should learn CPR.
5)    Do not use air-filled swimming aids (such as inflatable arm bands) in place of life jackets. They can deflate and are not designed to keep swimmers safe.
6)    All children should wear a life jacket when riding in a boat.
7)    Counsel teenagers about the increased risk of drowning when alcohol is involved.