Swimming is a brilliant activity for children to get involved in. Not only is it an invaluable life skill, but it helps to keep kids healthy and active while providing a number of positive physical and mental health benefits.
Here are 10 reasons why it’s a great idea for your child to learn how to swim:
1. It builds strength
Swimming is a great cardiovascular exercise and can help keep your healthy and active. Not only does it improve fitness, but it builds strength and flexibility, improving balance and posture. It is also a low-impact sport meaning it’s much gentler than many other forms of exercise, preventing any joint injury from occurring.
2. It helps build positive mental health
Swimming is a very relaxing form of exercise and it has been proven that time in the pool can help improve overall mood and emotional health. Numerous studies show that the effect of floating in water has a positive impact on anxiety levels, helping children to relax and increase their happiness levels.
3. It helps develop cognition skills
It has been proven that swimming stimulates the growth of brain cells and the birth of new neurons, allowing kids to focus more and perform better at mental tasks. It also helps improve their cognitive flexibility allowing them to switch between tasks quickly and efficiently.
4. It can be done all year long
The availability of outdoor pools in the summer and heated indoor pools in the winter mean that kids can go swimming all year round, without any disruption to their routine.
5. It is suitable for every personality
Swimming can either be done individually or as a part of a team, making it the perfect option for both introverted and extroverted kids. It can teach good team-work skills when done in a team, and help with personal goal-setting and self-motivation when done individually.
6. It has longevity
Swimming teaches kids health for life as it is a skill that never leaves you, and is an exercise that can be done much later in life that places less strain on the body. Water exercise helps decrease chances of injury and helps improve quality of life at an older age, so it is good to pick-up at a young age when it is more readily learnt.
7. It helps develop coordination skills
Swimming helps children develop their coordination skills as they learn to synchronize what their arms and legs are doing, alongside coordinating their breathing and other body movements. These are skills that are vital in numerous parts of everyday life, so strengthening them at an early age is beneficial.
8. It builds confidence
Swimming helps build a child’s confidence as they learn the basics and then move from strength to strength. This experience builds motivation and inspires a sense of achievement vital in building confidence in young people.
9. It opens up doors to numerous other sports
There are a number of fun and exciting sports that only take place on or in water and require participants to be able to swim – canoeing, kayaking, snorkelling, yachting, sailing, water-skiing, surfing and triathlon are just a few. Learning to swim will give your child the opportunity to try out a whole host of new experiences.
10. It’s a life skill
It is inevitable that kids will be exposed to water at various points in their lives and knowing the basics of swimming is a great skill.
David Lloyd Clubs offers a Swim Stars programme for kids that provides a great space for children of all abilities and levels to learn how to swim. Your children will be taught by professional coaches who will teach them all the vital skills, in a fun environment. Find out more about swimming at David Lloyd Clubs here.
