Whether you’re a swimmer yourself or not, you should definitely teach your child to swim. Swimming is an activity that is not only fun but can save a person’s life. While we encourage people of all ages to learn how to swim, especially if you are an adult who never has, the earlier you start the better. There’s so many benefits in picking up the skill of swimming, but for now here’s a few of the standouts for your child.
Water Safety
The most important reason for enrolling your child in swimming lessons from a young age is that they will learn vital lifesaving skills from the get-go when they are in the water. Drowning is one of the most common causes of accidental deaths among children worldwide, which is why at Aura we start teaching water safety skills to children even in our Junior Swim Academy. As your child progresses through lessons, they will enhance their water skills from things as basic as staying afloat in the water, to recognising a water emergency and how to act. By having your child in swimming lessons from a young age they are building a tool kit in water safety, learning the dangers of water, and ultimately you are giving them the power to not only save their life in an emergency but even the lives of others.
Healthy Habits
Not only is learning to swim a potential lifesaving activity but it also holds a number of health benefits for children both physically and mentally. Swimming is a fantastic form of cardio fitness, which is an alternative to the likes of running or cycling which lots of children don’t enjoy and not only that but is supports muscle development in children as swimming is a full-body low-impact workout. As well as that swimming is incredibly beneficial for mental health as swimming itself helps you relieve stress, while at the same time releasing feel-good chemicals in the brain known as endorphins, mixing this with the physical side of things also means your child will be more likely to rest and get a good night’s sleep, which is good for everyone. Swimming has also been shown to increase cognitive function in children, improve eating habits, enhance coordination, balance and posture, plus much more.
Social Skills
While a lot of swimming requires you to be under water or exercising, there is a great deal of socialising involved, particularly in children’s lessons. Whether it’s between the swim instructor and the student, or children together, there is a learning process to be shared by all. Children will build up social skills by helping others, or working as a team in certain swimming exercises as well as becoming a good listener when the instructor is talking. Even from the youngest of ages there are social benefits to be made as your little one is brought out of their comfort zone and learn to trust others.
Confidence Building
It cannot be understated the role that learning to swim at a young age has on confidence. The very ability to be able to swim with the knowledge that you are braced for danger is confidence building, so the earlier you have the necessary skills the better. Add in the social aspect of swimming lessons and making friends, as well as having goals to reach as you progress through levels before achieving them, it’s clear that swimming boosts confidence. This is not only something that is beneficial in the water but outside whether that’s in school, playing other sports, or in life in general and swimming helps your child increase their confidence.
Accessible
One of the greatest elements of swimming is that it is so accessible. Firstly, no matter what level of swimmer your child is, there is always more for them to develop whether that be in their stroke technique, knowledge of the pool, lifesaving skills or something in between. Secondly, swimming is a wonderful activity for any children suffering from mobility issues or disabilities, due to the calming nature of the pool and low-impact factor of the exercise. It can be a place that children that have difficulties can feel comfortable in from a young age while reaping all the other benefits mentioned above.
Fun
Ultimately, what every parent wants, is for their children to have fun and that’s exactly what swimming from a young age allows. Children love to learn which they will do as they swim, and they will make plenty of friends during lessons which is fun too. Learning to swim as young as possible also gives you piece of mind when your child is around water, which means more fun for you and them. There’s nothing better than something a parent and child can bond over, with swimming being exactly that.
Our Closing Splash
There you have it, our 6 top reasons why children should learn to swim. Whether it’s due to being safe around the water or having fun, there is a vital life skill to be developed through swimming and it’s important everyone has it. The younger you start your child’s swim lessons, the longer they have to boost their mental and physical health in a safe manner. Even better still swimming is the ideal sport for building social skills and confidence for people of all ages or abilities.
How Aura Leisure Can Help
At Aura Leisure, we run Ireland’s biggest children’s Swim Academy, meaning your children are working with experts from the time they start. While we have our Junior Swim Academy available too which allows little ones to not only build confidence in the water but also enhance the bond they have with their parent. Even better still, if you’re inspired to swim as an adult we have adult lessons too, which cater for adults of all ages and swimming ability. Meanwhile, if you’re just someone who loves to be in the water or head for a swim every once in a while, our members get access to part of our pool as part of their membership.