The Magic of Year-Round Swim Lessons: It Works!
Oct 12, 2020
There's a common misconception that kids can learn to swim if you take them to a lesson here or there. That's not the case at all! Kids don’t become little fishies just by being in the water…they need guidance, repetition, and safe instruction. The magic of regular, year-round swimming lessons is that it works.
Like most sports, you can’t learn everything you need to know about swimming in one or two lessons. It’s the repetition and consistency that makes young swimmers proficient at both swimming and water safety. Unlike other sports, parents should teach kids to swim for their safety. One day their life may depend on their water skills. The repetition of kicking a soccer ball into the net may make you a better soccer player, but the repetition of swimming lessons may keep your child alive in a body of water.
“Magic doesn’t happen overnight,” said Vilma Dayoub, Emler’s head of curriculum and training. “It’s important for children to have repetitive lessons so it really resonates with them. Having continued safety with a splash of love helps build that mind-body connection of how a child’s body works in the water.” These regular lessons help kiddos learn to swim and provide one more important layer to drowning prevention.
If you still aren’t convinced of the importance of frequent lessons, check out what the American Academy of Pediatrics has said: “Achieving basic water-competency swim skills requires multiple lessons, and acquisition of water competency is a protracted process that involves learning in conjunction with developmental maturation.”
The AAP recommends beginning swim lessons around the age of one. Research has shown that kids can learn many safe water behaviors starting at an early age. Science proves learning to swim at a young age can indeed help prevent drowning. There are even studies that show an 88% reduction in drowning with formal swimming lessons. This is why regular swim lessons are so important.
Basic swim skills, according to the AAP, include the “ability to enter the water, surface, turn around, propel oneself for at least 25 yards, float on or tread water, and exit the water.” These kinds of skills don’t come naturally after only one or two lessons. Kids (and adults!) need multiple swim lessons to develop these skills and become proficient enough to be water-safe at any age. This repetition is critical in a child’s development, and studies show that swimming is no exception. Repetition is how children learn best. It’s why they love watching the same TV show or movie over and over, and why they insist on reading the same book repeatedly. While you as a parent may tire of these behaviors, it is how young children learn and develop.
Looking for more information? We offer a free trial lesson - this would be a great option for you and your kiddo to learn more about swim lessons here at Emler Swim School. Let's get splashing!