As we are approaching summertime with hot days and visits to the beach,lake or local swimming pool, it becomes even more important to ensure your child has the ability to swim.
According to the CDC, between 2004-2015, The US sees 3,536 unintentional fatal drownings annually. Of which, 1 in 5 victims were children under the age of 14.
Apart from the obvious safety reasons to teach your child to swim, there are other benefits to teaching swimming skills to children. Here are 4 great reasons to enroll your children in swim lessons.
Safety
With formal lessons, children learn how to swim in a safe environment, and are taught swimming strokes and basic water safety techniques like floating and treading water. For kids aged 1 to 4, a U.S. study found that risk of drowning decreased by over 80% if children had taken swimming lessons. If your child will be in or near water, make sure their lessons prepare them to do these basic life-saving skills:
Tread water or float for at least 60 seconds.
Turn in a circle and be able to locate an exit.
Swim at least 25 yards before exiting the water.
Pull themselves out of the water without a ladder present.
Jump into the water until fully submerged and be able to return to the surface.
Children should also be coached in common-sense safe behaviors including walking instead of running when near water, only swimming when an adult can supervise, and being aware of weather and environmental conditions.
Strength & Fitness
Learning a swim stroke can help with gross motor skills and basic coordination. Swimming can help a child build all-around muscle strength in arms and legs.
Once they learn to swim, a child has a skill that can be used to improve fitness throughout his or her life. Since swimming is a low-impact activity, it puts less stress on joints while providing a wonderful aerobic activity. Swimming can improve both strength and cardiovascular health in one activity.
Social development and confidence
Most swim lessons take place in groups, and as they learn to swim, children are also learning social skills such as observing peers and learning to wait their turn. Another benefit: socialization for water activities, as children learn the difference between acceptable behavior and rough play that might hurt someone else. That distinction teaches children responsibility for their actions. A third factor supporting social development is that children who really enjoy swimming will continue on to activities such as swim teams, in the process developing friendships which may last a long time.
Lifelong skills
Experts suggest that, compared to adults, children have a much easier time of learning to swim. For parents, knowing that their child has strong swimming skills will increase their ability to enjoy time around water.
When a child is comfortable in the water and swimming successfully, it is truly a rewarding feeling. A parent can feel a sense of satisfaction that they have given their child a tool that will serve them well throughout their life.
Before you sign up for swim camps or lessons, do some research to find out more about swim schools near you. You may want to learn about instructor background, class size, teaching style, cost, and the features of their facility, including pool size or temperature.
Source: http://blog.activityhero.com/benefits-swimming-lessons-kids/