Why It Is Important That Children Learn How To Swim

From potential emergencies at the local lake to pool parties, teaching your little one how to swim is more important than riding a bicycle. But some parents don’t properly introduce their kids to the water, which is counterproductive to an active lifestyle.

Swim classes not only help your children develop distinct motor skills but could also prepare them for fun experiences in water sports. Who knows, your child could even become the next Michael Phelps or Missy Franklin! Your child should learn how to swim at an early age for several reasons and this blog will explain why.

BENEFITS OF TEACHING YOUR CHILD HOW TO SWIM

Lifesaving skill

According to the World Health Organization, drowning is the second leading cause of accidental deaths among kids between the ages of 1 and 14. When your little ones learn how to swim, they also learn how to be safer near and in the water. Even if your child is not serious about competitive swimming, getting a life vest for kids can help your kid feel more at ease around water.

Low-impact activity

While swimming and treading water, your body floats in water up to your neck so you won’t touch the ground. This means that swimming is a low-impact workout that can help you maintain your physical health in the long run. While swimming injuries are inevitable, they make your body much stronger for routine tasks. Unlike other sports, a slight hit on the shoulder won’t force you to quit and you can easily get going again.

Another perk is that swimming allows you to relax the injured part of your body while still exercising the healthy parts. The most usual swimming injuries are from exhaustion, which means swimming is often quite gentle on one’s body in comparison to more intensive and dangerous sports like distance running or climbing.

Kids learn teamwork and individuality

One of the best parts of swimming is the team spirit of learning and practicing with other people. After graduation, most college teams say that they miss the time they spend with each other while training. Swimmers learn to encourage their peers during this collective experience, which fosters a productive and encouraging environment.

But kids can learn teamwork from any sport, so what makes swimming different? Swimming has an individual component to it as well. Competitive swimming teaches you self-motivation and goal-setting. At each tournament, competitive swimmers attempt to improve on their own best times while also competing for their team overall.

Makes kids smarter

Did you know that swimming has become the new brain fuel? A recent study shows that kids who learn to swim at an early age have improved athletic and cognitive abilities. It also revealed that 3 to 5-year-old kids who take swimming lessons have improved arithmetic, reading, vocal expression, narrative memory, and visual motor skills. Plus, they also begin to understand instructions in a better way.

In some cases, children who took swimming classes were 20 months ahead in their intellectual development as compared to those who didn’t take swimming lessons. If your kids learn to swim at an early age, this skill will help them with their growth and development.

Better opportunities for future education

Skilled swimmers may be able to receive a sports scholarship depending on their swimming abilities. This might benefit a student who would normally struggle to afford higher education. Also, if your kid doesn’t have the best grades, swimming could help get your child into a reputable high school or university on sports quota.

Full-body exercise

Swimming strengthens every part of the body and is one of the finest cardio exercises because it increases stamina and enhances the body’s oxygen use. Obese children also consider it easier to swim in the pool as a form of exercise since it’s less demanding on their joints.

THE FINAL PICK

Every parent should teach their children how to swim, especially if they want them to be safe around water. If your kid is afraid of water, you can introduce them to water while using a life vest for kids. Even if they do know how to swim well, a kid’s life vest is a vital safety tool for water activities. Your kids will not only feel more confident in other spheres of life as they get comfortable in the water but they will also learn other important life skills.