Dive into early swimming – The Benefits

Learning to swim can be one of the most rewarding experiences of childhood. Learning is a process, not a product and should occur at the child’s pace.

Swimming with kids is not just splashing around and having fun, it offers surprising benefits that can significantly impact the emotional, physical, and cognitive development. Swimming offers the child boundless joy, increased self-esteem, and confidence. It is an activity that benefits every area of your child’s life, from physical and emotional development to motor skills as well as improving muscle coordination and concentration.

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Physical Development

Swimming involves a variety of movements that promote the development of gross and fine motor skills like kicking, paddling and floating. It requires coordination and muscle strength, contributing to the child’s overall physical development. Children can exercise more muscles in the water. Swimming also allows children to improve on their land-based skills quicker, since they use both labs of the brain, improving the coordination, motor development and balance by allowing them to move bilaterally to maintain their equilibrium.

Swimming engages all muscle groups, helping to tone and strengthen the child’s body. It promotes flexibility as they stretch and move their limbs in the water.

German researchers have shown that early swimmers perform better in tests measuring social, academic, motor and personality developments. Doctors often recommend swimming as the exercise of choice for asthmatics.

Sensory Development

Water offers an especially wide range of stimuli and offers children a heightened, multi-sensory stimulation involving all the senses. All levels of perception are stimulated. Babies experience the sensation of water over their entire bodies and is activated by the temperature and movement of the water. At a very early stage children experience the function of the sense of balance and orientation through diving, turning in the water and the feeling of being caught and moving around in the water.

Emotional Development

Swimming allows children to move independently much sooner that they can on dry land. Imagine the boost of confidence and self-esteem that movement through water brings to children as they explore the new water environment. Every time you catch your child after a jump or a short swim, they learn trust. When praising children for each small achievement on the way to mastering a skill, you build self-esteem. According to a study, baby’s faces glow after they successfully accomplish a task; they look for approval and validation, and parental acknowledgement of their efforts fosters their personal self-acceptance and pride. Swimming can be very empowering since it offers them a new sense of freedom.

Social Development

Social development includes the growth of the child’s relationships with other people. Early swimming helps to develop the child’s personality harmoniously; cautious children learn to accept risks while daring children learn to be more prudent. As they discover that they can propel themselves in the water, their independence and self-confidence increases. In a typical swimming class scenario, children learn to share, take turns, and try new skills. Children also learn from their peers by observing and mimicking them. It also promotes the children to express their desires and helps with their communication skills. It also helps with confidence building, achieving swimming milestones by floating without support or swimming a short distance boosts a child’s confidence and self-esteem.

Cognitive Development

Swimming helps to improve concentration and demands focus and attention. It also encourages decision-making and problem solving. The children must adjust their movements to stay afloat or change direction, fostering adaptability and critical thinking. Navigating through water develops special awareness as children learn to judge distance and direction.

Water Safety Learning to swim from an early age equips children with essential water safety skills. They will be more comfortable and capable in aquatic environments, reducing the risks of accidents and drowning. Starting lessons early can also prevent the development of aquaphobia (fear of water). When children are introduced to water in a controlled environment, they are less likely to develop anxieties or fear, later in life.

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Jeanne-Amé Laubscher

Jeanne-Ame Laubscher, BA (HMS), BA (HMS)(Hons), is a qualified Sport Scientist. She has also completed courses in child psychology and development, cognitive behaviour therapy and neurology. She is passionate about teaching babies and kids to swim. Waterbabies/Garsfontein Aquatic Centre is a modern, specific designed education centre and private practise in Garsfontein, Pretoria. Locally owned and directed by Jeanne-Amé Laubscher. She believes that we can be exposed to water and learn to swim from the day that we are born. Teaching your baby/kid to swim is one of life’s true pleasures and with a loving, gentle approach babies and kids can be introduced to water, helping them to develop a fondness for water that will last a lifetime. She has a passion for teaching kids and has written the book, Waterbabies, which is a more in depth look at certain aspects of muscle memory, reflexes and cognitive development.

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