Kids who swim can reap amazing benefits!
03/15/2023 | Written by Nikos Vasilellis in Kids
Australia truly is the Lucky Country for so many reasons. Just one of them is our stunning landscapes and scenery. That includes a coastline that is approximately 60,000 kilometres long, which also offers almost 12,000 beautiful beaches! That is enough for a lifetime of exploring and swimming, not to mention the countless rivers, lakes and pools throughout Australia. It is therefore something of a given that children in Australia are often taught to swim at a young age. With so many opportunities to enjoy the water, there are many benefits to learning to swim. Here are seven fantastic benefits for kids who learn to swim.
1. Safety
The first and most important reason to learn to swim is for safety on the water.
Whether it is a pool party, a day at the beach, or a kayak along a river, knowing how to swim is vital. It can help to ensure that your child knows how to keep themselves afloat or to swim to safety if need be.
With hundreds of drownings in Australia every year, it is impossible to understate the importance of knowing how to swim.
2. Confidence in water-based situations
Children who do not know how to swim or who are not strong swimmers can feel more anxious around water.
Should you go to the beach or take a ride on a boat, that child may struggle to enjoy the experience due to concerns about falling in or being pushed to get in. It can hurt their confidence and make them not want to go at all.
By teaching children to swim, you can help to boost their confidence around the water. This can ensure they do not feel anxious just by being near it.
3. Physical health
Swimming is not just a fun pastime, but a hugely beneficial activity for physical health.
Amongst the many benefits are increased fitness levels and increased muscle strength. It can also burn a lot of calories and improve stamina.
Additionally, swimming can be an excellent option because it is low impact. Unlike running or other impactful sports, swimming does not put strain on the joints. It is therefore a great high-intensity activity that builds muscle and fitness without risking injury.
Being able to swim gives kids an excellent option for maintaining and improving their health and fitness for life.
4. Mental wellbeing
Hand in hand with physical wellness is mental wellness.
Any exercise causes the body to release endorphins. These chemicals help to relieve stress and boost your mood, which is why swimming can help to improve mental wellbeing.
The best part is that it does not take a long time for someone to reap the benefits of swimming. Even just a quick dip of 10 or 20 minutes may be enough to offer a mood boost. That can make it a wonderful way to start the day before school, or to de-stress after a tough day.
As swimming is also a social activity, it may also offer mental health benefits from being around friends.
5. Social opportunities
Throughout summer, swimming is one of the most popular leisure activities for all Australians. Even in winter, Aussies simply head indoors to pools to enjoy their favourite hobby.
As well as swimming itself, there are numerous water-based activities that bring people together. From boating and fishing to kayaking and surfing, Australia as a country loves to get together to spend time on the water.
All of these activities, and therefore social opportunities, are much safer and more enjoyable when you know how to swim. If a child does not know how to swim or is not confident in the water, they may not be able to accept all of the invites that will inevitably ask them to join in on water-based activities over the summer.
6. Learn good swimming habits early
Another fantastic benefit of learning to swim as a child is the ability to learn good habits early.
When you employ a professional swim instructor to provide kids’ swim lessons, the children will learn from the best. The instructor will ensure the kids learn proper form in the water, excellent breathing techniques, the most efficient kicking methods and more.
Without professional instruction, children can learn to swim with bad habits. As they grow up, they will only continue to swim with those habits. It may mean they are less efficient in the water than they could be. Or it could mean that they struggle to keep up with friends in the pool.
With the right instruction early on, kids can begin with proper swimming technique. Whether they continue on to swim competitively or for leisure, it is a great way to get started.
7. Sheer enjoyment and fun!
Finally, kids who learn to swim reap the simple benefit of the sheer enjoyment and fun of the activity.
They can go body surfing at the beach, play games in the pool at home, and dive into swimming holes at the river. There are endless activities to enjoy in the water, and countless hours of fun to be had.
Swimming is such an integral part of a classic Australian childhood, and those memories of fun times at the beach or the pool will last a lifetime.
Professional mobile swimming classes
Nereids offers mobile professional swimming classes for children and adults. Our instructors come to you, so your little ones can learn in the comfort of their own pool.
Our flexible scheduling makes it easy to organise lessons for when it suits you and your kids, and our personal style of coaching ensures your children get training that’s specific to their needs. We are a culturally qualified centre and offer lessons in a number of languages besides English as well.
To help your children reap the many benefits of learning to swim, contact us today to find out more about our classes.
