Importance of Swim Lessons for Children

No matter what time of year it may be, water safety is always such an important topic. Today I’m so excited to have Kaitlin here from An Apple Per Day sharing some very great tips on the Importance of Swim Lessons for Children. Kaitlin is a wife and mother who blogs about eco friendly living, and maintaining a healthy way of life at An Apple Per Day. Although, we may not be out at the pool or beach as much during these cooler months, water safety is just as important, so I know you’ll enjoy today’s guest post from Kaitlin.

When we decided to start a family, we bought a house with a swimming pool in the back yard. I knew we’d have  fun times as a family sharing time at the pool. But I was also concerned with safety for my kids around the water, so swimming lessons for the kids were important to us.

It’s all about safety. I read an article by the Center for Disease Control which put it plainly – “formal swimming lessons can prevent young children from drowning.” The second highest cause of death for young children is drowning, so swim lessons became an imperative, and not just something to do when we had time. The kids were taught in a safe environment,  and they learned the basic strokes and water safety techniques, like how to tread water. Here are some resources with more great information:

Why Is It Important To Know How To Swim?

Swimming Pool Safety: Layers of Protection

Learn To Swim: The Importance of Swimming Lessons

Better from an instructor. My boys can be a handful, and I could tell early on that Mom trying to teach them how to swim was going to be a struggle to keep their attention. The instructor had no problems like that – he was confident and businesslike, and I think my sons retained a lot more just from being in a class. The kids had to repeat back to the instructor what they had learned, and go through testing before moving to the next stage. The seriousness of the class helped them realize how they were learning something really important.

A lifetime skill. I went to a party at a neighbor’s pool one time, and saw a young teenager sitting off to one side, looking miserably at the other kids playing in the water. He didn’t know how to swim, and you could tell it bothered him. For my kids, there will be trips to the beach, lots of time spent at the community pool, and many occasions they will be around water. I didn’t want them having to sit on the side like that unhappy teenager.

Best learned young. Kids are natural sponges when it comes to learning, so if they are introduced to the water at an early age, they quickly grow comfortable in the water. I read that not all children react the same way to the water, so parents need to watch them carefully, to let them adjust at their own pace. One of our boys was a water baby – he just loved the pool from the first time he was in it. Our other son was more cautious, so I let him go slowly to get used to the water. He quickly warmed to it, and now can’t wait to get into the pool. But the early introduction is one of the reasons my sons are so comfortable in the water.

It’s a great physical activity.  Swimming is a great physical activity, and I wanted my children to be exposed to it early. If they didn’t want to be on the swim team, but would rather play football – that was fine. But these days, there are so many things (video games) that can keep kids away from exercise, I wanted my sons to think about being involved with physical activities, so it would become part of their lifestyle. They also develop social skills as they play pool games. I’ve watched as the kids learn how to work in teams, how to resolve conflicts (no, you can’t get out of the pool when you’re chased) and have bonding experiences.

I smile as I watch the kids in the pool with their friends. They are confident in the water, and I can see the benefits of their swim lessons as they play.

Kaitlin Gardner started AnApplePerDay.com to further her passion for a family friendly, green living lifestyle. She is married to her college sweetheart and lives in Pennsylvania. She and her husband enjoy going for long hikes, to get out and enjoy nature. She is working on her first book about ways to live an eco-friendly, healthy, natural life.

Stop by and see all the wonderful ideas she is sharing over at An Apple Per Day. You can also connect with Kaitlin on Twitter. Thank you so much Kaitlin for stopping by today and sharing the Importance of Swim Lessons for Children.

At what age did you teach your children to learn to swim? We’d love to hear if you taught them yourself, or participated in lessons for your little ones.