The Benefits of Swim Clinics

Now that the academic year is winding down, it’s time to jump out of school and into the pool! Parents may be thinking about signing their kiddos up for swim clinics, and why not? There are a multitude of advantages and benefits to attending weekly swim clinics. Plus, it’s giving your child the gift of a life-saving skill. 

Swim clinics are what most swim programs offer. This means that weekly swim clinics are offered for one week sessions, held every single weekday, which gives your child a short intensive experience to learn the basics of swimming. 

When trying to determine if weekly swim clinics are a good fit for you and your child, ask yourself:

• Do you want your child to hit a specific goal?
• Do you want your child to progress quickly?
• Do you need a shorter commitment so you don’t spend all summer in lessons?
• Do you need more flexibility in your schedule?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, then weekly swim clinics are likely perfect for you.

Whether you are wanting your child to just brush up on lessons or learn new skills before going on vacation, weekly swim clinics are the perfect short-term activity for families on the go. Swim clinics can fit around other summer activities and camps and are a great way to get in the necessary swim lessons before any vacation so that your child has water safety at the top of their mind. You can also take more than one set weekly swim clinics if it fits your schedule.

What are the additional benefits of weekly swim clinics? There are many advantages. Most importantly, swim clinics can increase your child’s water safety skills, which is vital since drownings are the leading cause of accidental death in children ages 1 to 4. The American Academy of Pediatrics has stated that the best time to begin swim lessons is around age 1, but any time is the right time to begin developing this fun but necessary skill.

Another huge benefit is that young children actually thrive on repetition and structure, so a daily schedule of lessons is perfect for them. They know what to expect each day, which gives your kiddos something to look forward to, which gets them excited and pumped up about going to the pool. Plus, it’s a lot easier to get kids to leave the pool each day if they know they get to come back tomorrow!

If your child is nervous or hesitant about the water, weekly swim clinics are a great way for them to acclimate to the water and swimming. This routine of weekly swim clinics will pave the way for once-a-week lessons when they get older and more confident in their skills. You also don’t need to worry about inclement weather or the sun’s rays affecting your child because Emler’s lessons are provided indoors. This means that your child can attend lessons in both rain and shine, so that they don’t miss out on any essential skill-building.

As you see, there are hardly any disadvantages to weekly swim clinics. Often parents may ask if there’s such a thing as “too much swimming,” but there really is no such thing. As long as your child is healthy and happy, swimming every day is great and even encouraged. Emler strives to make the lessons fun as well as educational, so your little fishies won’t want to leave! The only thing to watch for is swimmer’s ear, a common ear infection of the outer ear canal caused by water that remains in the ear after swimming. (Swimmer’s ear can be prevented by using over-the-counter ear drops specifically for swimmer’s ear that contain isopropyl alcohol and glycerin, which work to dry the ear out faster.)

Another huge benefit to weekly swim clinics is that kids are almost guaranteed to sleep well after all of the physical activity! Swimming coupled with being in the water makes for tired little bodies and minds so you might enjoy an early bedtime or long naps on days they have their swim lessons. Swimming also helps with brain cognition and development, so they get the benefits of the physical exercise, the life-saving skills, and the added bonus of improving their cognitive skills in problem-solving, mathematics, counting, language, and following instructions.

Sign up your child today for weekly swim clinics! Emler begins their weekly swim clinics in Spring and they continue throughout the Summertime - so call your local Emler Swim School or find more information at www.emlerswimschool.com.