In part one, we listed many benefits of swimming with your young children. As a parent you may think, are there any more reasons that I need to know to take my young child to swimming classes? Actually there are and the most interesting one is ……wait for it…..wait for it……

Early Swimmers perform better academically at school!

Science behind importance of infant swimming

In a major research by Griffith University (in Australia), 7000 children (5 years and older) from 3 countries; Australia, New Zealand and U.S.A were studies. Children were tested and assessed for different variables to measure their psychological, emotional, physical and cognitive developments.

The results were fascinating and it showed that the benefits of early-years swimming, were far beyond just learning swimming skills alone. Children who had regular swimming lessons since they were babies or toddlers, were ahead socially, physically, cognitively and emotionally of their peers, who didn’t have swimming lessons. Interestingly, the effect of early-years swimming was regardless of gender and social background.

The most amazing was the difference in Story Recall (17 months ahead) and Understanding Directions (20 months ahead) when swimmers were compared to non-swimmers. So evidence tells us when it comes to starting swimming lessons, the sooner…the better!!! Swimming lessons have been proven to add social capital to your child’s life and provide life long and life saving skills.

Children’s Mental Health & Swimming

A separate study in the U.K has also shown that swimming is the best activity to promote children’s mental health.

But, please just remember, learning is not a race- it’s a walk of discovery.

Children learn how to swim at their own pace and to master this magnificent sport and life skill, swimming needs to be a year-round activity. Many of us can think of days at the beach or in the pool as children and remember how fun it was to play in the water. Wouldn’t you like your child to have the same memories?

The gift of learning how to swim will provide your little ones with the competence and confidence needed for a lifetime of fun in water.

So, if you are investing your time and resources as well as your child’s energy, in swimming lessons, you have made a good choice. There are so many benefits to be gained out of learning to swim, so, give your child the gift of swimming and do it all-year round.

Enquire About Our Lessons For Baby, Toddler & Pre-schoolers

Ref: Early-years swimming, Adding Capital to Young Australians (2013)