Kids love to play around in the water and one of the best ways to spend a summer holiday is near a pool or a beach. Teaching kids to swim is one of the most important life skills that a parent can give them. It guarantees them a lifetime of healthy exercise, fun and safety. Swimming lessons and water games are a great way to introduce kids to water safety, and can start with kids as young as one to four years old.
Why your kid needs swim lessons
Swimming is one of the healthiest forms or exercise, and also one of the most popular in the U.S. It’s a great way to cool off in the heat of summer without danger of overheating or heat exhaustion. And most of all, it’s fun. There’s no end to the games and challenges that kids can come up with once they’re comfortable enough in the element.
Most people live near a pool, or a lake or beach that’s safe for swimming. Swimming lessons introduce young children to water safety at an early age, and reduce the risk of accidents. Most pools and organizations like the Red Cross and YMCA offer swimming lessons for kids.
When to start
Parent and infant water play classes can begin even when a baby is less than a year old, and they will help the infant feel at home in the water. Swim lessons for preschoolers can begin anywhere between the ages of one and four, depending on the individual. At this age, classes can include both parents and children and can be planned as a fun outing.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), most kids are ready for swim classes by the time the have reached the age of four years old. They are ready to learn skills like floating, treading water and exiting the pool. By the time they are 5 or 6 years old, most kids can do the front crawl. It’s important to remember that water safety for kids is much more than teaching how to swim. Kids should be supervised at all times around water and pools and other water bodies should be blocked off securely at times when there is no swimming.
What swim lessons should cover
Swim lessons should teach kids how to stay safe and feel comfortable in the water, as well as the joy of swimming. Along with basic swimming skills, they will learn different swimming strokes. As they progress in their classes, they will learn to swim greater distances and to swim more smoothly and efficiently.
Basic water survival skills should include getting back to the surface from under water, moving at least 25 yards in the water and how to get out of the water. Many schools take a fun approach and use games to teach kids the basics of swimming and water safety.
Swimming is one of the most fun ways to get exercise and cool off in the summer. Teaching your kids to swim will give them a key to a lifetime of health and fun.