Why You Should Keep Your Kids Swimming This Fall and Winter

The days are getting shorter and there is less time to enjoy the great outdoors when fall descends and winter approaches. The outdoor sports leagues that your child plays in are wrapping up their season, and it gets darker earlier once the time changes. What’s a parent to do when their child or children still need some physical activity to get rid of all that energy? They should keep their kids swimming long after the soccer or baseball field closes for the season.

Swimming during the fall and winter is easy to do because swimming is weather-proof, as long as you have an indoor pool. Depending on where you live it may be cold and rainy during the fall and winter, but indoor pools such as those at the Emler Swim Schools are always a comfortable 90 degrees regardless of the weather. The air temperature within the facilities is also at a comfortable setting, so no one ever gets out of the water shivering.

Along those lines, let’s clear up a common myth. It’s not true that cold weather alone causes illnesses like the common cold or flu. Germs are what make you sick, not going outside in cold, rainy, or frosty weather. Plus, if you bring warm and snuggly clothes for your kids to change into, they will be toasty and ready for naptime or bedtime after a fun dip in the pool. And that’s really what it’s all about, right? Fun!

Every kid wants a fun activity in their schedule, plus it’s a great opportunity for socialization during swim classes. Because families tend to stay at home more during the winter months, having a weekly swim lesson lets your child play with other kiddos and continue to learn socialization skills as well as improve their water safety skills.

The main benefit of continuing swim lessons throughout the fall and winter is that it’s a great way to stay active and healthy when there is less daylight. Swimming uses the entire body – heart, lungs, and all your muscles. It’s one way to get the heart pumping and make sure the kids have a great outlet for getting all their wiggles out!

You can rest assured that safety is and always will be our No. 1 priority year-round and isn’t limited to our curriculum. Emler’s filtration system brings in fresh air 8 times an hour, which means that the spread of airborne germs is kept to a minimum. We work very hard to keep the environment safe with CDC-approved cleaning products and procedures every single day. We also have dehumidifiers with features like antimicrobial filters and controls that enable us to maintain a healthy humidity level that reduces the survival of bacteria and viruses.

In our pools we have state-of-the-art, high-quality UV water purification systems to keep the water crystal clear and meet or exceed standard safety regulations. The ultraviolet light rays also kill dangerous germs and inactive viruses.

Continuing to swim through the fall and winter months also helps keep water safety lessons top of mind for your child. The repetition will help your little fishy retain information and will give you confidence that they know what to do if they accidentally fall into a pool or body of water. How much do you think your child will retain from a few months of swimming lessons the next time summer rolls around? They will remember more if they continue their lessons and build on their current skill set.

Don’t forget that drowning can happen year-round! Just because an outdoor pool is closed for the fall or winter and has a pool cover on it doesn’t mean the danger is gone. This is why it’s important to keep those water safety skills sharp. Pools and other bodies of water are not the only places where drowning can occur. There are seven common household items that can be drowning risks as well. Any amount of water – even 1 inch – could be a drowning hazard, so be sure to keep an eye out for water collecting anywhere around your home or yard.

Lastly, going to swimming lessons throughout the fall and winter can only improve your child’s swimming skills, which is always a good thing. Swimming helps their little minds and bodies get stronger. It develops good habits, discipline, and encourages regular physical fitness. It can also become their passion, a fun extracurricular activity, or the basis of a future job or career. Your kid could be the next Michael Phelps or even the nextEmler swim instructor!