When it comes to swimming, most babies are naturals; they have a great kick reflex and, with a confident adult supporting them, they aren’t afraid of the water. Babies can start swimming from birth, and the experience helps their development in lots of ways.
Here are some of the benefits of your baby learning to swim:
Swimming is great for baby’s growing body.
Swimming is a gentle exercise that works the whole body, helping your baby strengthen her muscles, and improve her balance and co-ordination. Babies who can swim regularly typically have better reaching and grasping skills, all of which will continue to benefit her out of the pool. And it’s not just the physical benefits that you can see: swimming also helps strengthen your baby on the inside, by promoting stronger heart, lung and brain heart development.
Swimming is good for baby’s developing brain.
Being in the water is a full sensory experience for your little one; her brain will be busy creating million of new neural pathways and connections as she moves her body in the water and processes all the different sights, sounds and feelings. Some studies suggest this can have long-term mental and intellectual benefits, such as improved reading skills, language development, leaning ability and spatial awareness.
Swimming can improve baby’s appetite and sleep.
The exercise will tire your baby and make them hungry; after a good feed, a tired baby is naturally going to be sleepy. While it’s not a magic wand, it’s a healthy way to promote a decent sleeping pattern.
Swimming with your baby is a great opportunity for some quality bonding time.
New parents are always busy, so your time together in the pool means you can focus entirely on your little one with no distractions. Alternatively, why not get your partner and /or other children involved and make swimming a fun family activity?
Swimming helps build water confidence.
Children who don’t learn to swim until later tend to be more frightened of the water than children who can swim from an early age, particularly if one or both of their parents can’t swim. Learning to swim will give your baby’s confidence in and around the water, before they’ve had a chance for become afraid. And if you’re not a confident swimmer yourself, this is the ideal opportunity to enjoy the water and maybe pick up some new skills!
Swimming saves lives.
While babies and young children are still very vulnerable in the water, swimming lessons can significantly reduce your child’s risk of drowning. Teaching your child key life-saving skills – such as being able to float on their back – and a healthy respect for the water, will give them the best chance of staying safe and having fun.
Here at Swimkidz, we have taught thousands of little ones to swim and become safer around water. Our innovative and unique swimming lessons are taught by experienced instructors who have undergone a comprehensive and internationally-recognised training programme, and take place in heated indoor pools.
For more information on our dedicated baby and child swimming lesson, including classes near you, contact us.
Reference sources:
http://www.swimming.org/learntoswim/the-benefits-of-baby-swimming/
