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While learning to swim late in life as an adult is okay, the benefits of learning it early far outweigh the benefits of doing it later. Swimming can be taught to babies as young as eight weeks old, and the skills they gain, even at this young age, can be helpful in the future.
Your child doesn’t have to start their swimming classes at such a young age, but getting them into swimming coaching early can be beneficial in many ways. Here are five main reasons why your child needs to start their swimming lessons early in life.
Learning to swim early is the best way to prepare for water safety. With children and young adults aged between 0 and 29 years accounting for about 60% of all drowning deaths globally, it’s important that swimming is learned early in life. Drowning remains one of the leading causes of death among children, and equipping them with the necessary survival skills early can help save their lives.
These accidents can occur anywhere near water, such as in open waters, swimming pools, and bath tabs. If they fall in water accidentally, they can use their floating skills or their ability to turn on their backs to avoid drowning or passing in water through the nose. Early swimming lessons from top schools, like Nemo Swim School, also teach them the importance of observing boundaries, respecting the water, and remaining composed in emergencies.
Swimming is a great way for children and adults to calm their minds and improve their mental health. Moving through water offers a calming effect that lets swimmers forget their worries and focus on their present moments. Such calm moments can lower anxiety and stress, helping swimmers feel more relaxed.
Additionally, swimming triggers the release of feel-good hormones such as endorphins. When adults and children swim, they tend to feel happier even after a short swim because of these hormones circulating in their bodies. Swimming also improves blood flow to the brain, which can help swimmers stay focused and sharp throughout the day.
Swimming lessons offer children an early and excellent opportunity to develop their social skills by interacting with their peers and instructors during their sessions. For the developed private swimming schools, children get trained in smaller class sizes instead of larger classes where they may not receive the one-on-one attention necessary for creating quality relationships. The one-on-one sessions with their instructors and one or two other students help children easily make new friends while receiving high-quality training.
At any age, swimming is an excellent full-body workout that improves overall body fitness as it engages nearly every muscle group. Children and adults can enjoy physical benefits such as a toned and strengthened body without enduring any harsh impact on the joints.
As someone swims, the water resistance pushes their muscles to work harder than when on land, which helps in building their strength and endurance. Swimming is also great for children and adults with back and spine problems, as it helps strengthen the muscles around the spine to reduce pain and improve mobility.
It could be that your child is gifted and waiting to shine as a competitive swimmer, and the best gift you could give them is signing them up early for swimming lessons. The earlier they develop this lifelong skill, the better they get at it and the higher their chances of success in other water-based sports like diving and water volleyball. Regardless of the water sport they choose to focus on, giving them the early chance to swim gives them the confidence they need to enjoy a lifetime of aquatic experience.
Learning how to swim early can be the best skill for you or your children as the benefits of swimming lessons extend far beyond the pool. Through swimming, you and your children can master water safety, mental and physical health skills and learn how to socialize while developing a life-long skill. If you haven’t started, start today.