Did you know that swimming is one of the best exercises for children? It’s a great way to improve fitness and coordination, and it’s fun too. In this blog post, we want to discuss seven reasons why your child should start swimming now.
Exercise – Swimming is a great form of exercise for children. It helps to improve their fitness and coordination. In fact, studies suggest that swimming can help to reduce the risk of obesity in children. Even if you can get your child to swim once a week, this is a fantastic start.
Fun – Of course, swimming is also a great way for children to have fun. They can make new friends, explore different swimming pools, and learn new techniques. Swimming is also a great way to spend time with the family.
Confidence – Even if they put up some resistance now, swimming can help to build your child’s confidence (both now and in their older lives!). Each week, they will feel proud of themselves when they achieve new swimming goals. By teaching them early, they won’t have the embarrassing situation of explaining to friends how they can’t swim when they’re older.
Water Safety – Drowning is one of the leading causes of death for children under 14. But, if your child knows how to swim, they will be much safer around water whether that’s at the pool, beach, or even just a friend’s house with a backyard pool.
Life Skill – What’s more, swimming is a life skill; it’s not something that you just learn and then forget. Once your child knows how to swim, they will always know how to swim. This is useful for obvious reasons, but it can also be helpful in unexpected ways. For example, if your child ever finds themselves in a river or lake and they get pulled downstream, knowing how to swim could save their life.
Open Doors – Swimming is required for many activities in life, and not being able to swim could close doors as they go through school and older life. They may avoid school trips rather than love bodyboarding, water skiing, scuba diving, kayaking, and other activities that rely on a level of swimming.
Make Friends – With fantastic facilities like Jump! Swim Schools, swimming is a great opportunity for kids to make friends in a safe and fun environment. Depending on who attends the classes, they could make friends outside of their school too, and this is always an advantage.
How to Encourage Your Child to Swim
If your little one isn’t too keen on getting in the pool, there are some things you can do to encourage them.
Lead by Example – Show them that you’re not afraid to get in the water and have some fun yourself. This will help them see that there’s nothing to fear and before long, they’ll want to join in.
Find the Right Classes – There are all sorts of different swimming classes on offer these days. From group lessons to one-to-one tuition, you’re sure to find something that’s perfect for your child.
Make a Game of It – Swimming doesn’t have to be all about learning new techniques and strokes; you can also have fun with games in the pool. This will help your child to enjoy themselves while they’re still getting used to the water.
Set Some Goals – Whether it’s swimming a certain distance or being able to float on their back, setting goals will give your child something to focus on. Don’t forget to reward them when they reach their goals.
