It's common to wind down swimming lessons when school begins in the fall. Although splashing around in an outdoor pool is perfect for the summer months, swimming is far from just a summer sport. Indoor and heated pools provide all-year access to water. Plus, year-round swimming can be an excellent source of socialization, activity, and safety lessons for kids.
5 Benefits of Year-Round Swimming for Kids
1. Swimming Is Healthy (and Fun!) Exercise
During the summer months, kids often go outside to play and swim. However, the cooler fall and winter months might make it more tempting for them to stay inside, especially after a long school day. But exercise is important for every child's physical fitness and health. Swimming lessons provide an ideal opportunity for kids to have fun and stay active without thinking of it as exercise.
2. Swimming Supports Socialization with Peers
Building early social skills is incredibly important for kids. According to the Harvard Graduate School of Education, children learn skills like listening, understanding another perspective, and reading social cues, when they get to socialize with others.
Kids get socialization in school, but it's often in a structured environment that doesn't allow them much free time. Participating in activities like year-round swimming lessons can help your child meet new people and interact with their peers. They might even make a new friend outside of school that leads to a lasting bond.
3. Swimming Supports Brain Development
What better way to continue your child's learning outside of the classroom than with a fun, healthy activity that also supports brain development? Swimming does just that. The full-body exercise increases blood flow through the body, which can have positive effects on the brain. More blood flow can increase the size of the hippocampus, the area of the brain that affects memory. Get your kiddo into year-round swimming, and they just might be able to retain more information in school.
4. Swimming Relieves Stress
It's tough to feel stressed out when you're in the water, especially if you're someone who loves to swim. Swimming lessons can be an excellent outlet for kids to unwind after a long school day and enjoy what they love to do. Research shows that a physical activity like swimming can be highly effective in reducing stress. Set up swimming lessons a few times each week after school, and you might just notice a difference in your child's ability to relax.
5. Swimming Is a Safe Exercise
Swimming is a low-impact exercise, meaning that it's gentle on the joints. Water helps support a growing child's body, so they'll have less wear and tear on their developing joints and a reduced risk of injury. As a bonus, swimming lessons teach water safety too! Participating in year-round swimming will get your child learning basic and advanced techniques to keep them safely swimming in the water. It's all-around safety for kids and peace of mind for parents and caregivers.
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