Hi Lori,
I hope you will give swimming another try. Water can be a great equalizer. My dd is terribly uncoordinated. She is always the last one in a race and usually by a large margin. But she swims like a fish. Exercising in water is great because it builds muscle tone and provides a cardiovascular workout.
My younger dd is much more athletic than my older but she would not cooperate during swimming lessons. I just decided to teach her myself. I have found that just letting kids play in the pool frequently (without floaties or life vests) helps them to become comfortable in the water. Yes, it takes more work on your part at first but it pays off in the long run. I never let my kids wear floaties and they were both competant swimmers by age four. Also, if coordinating hands and feet at the same time is difficult, your child can use a kickboard or noodle to practice kicking.
Also remember that swimming does not require that a child have perfect form. Many kids prefer to swim underwater like an otter or frog. If your child likes to study animals, he could do experiments in the water to study different types of animal swimming styles.
