Is Swimming Good For Kids?

As a parent, if you’re thinking about putting your child in swimming lessons or letting them let loose in the pool, you may be hesitant.

The thought of putting those little tiny bodies in a large body of water can be frightening. However, there are so many benefits and great things for kids that can come from swimming that you should consider before you make any decisions.

Allowing your child to swim doesn’t mean that they have to be the next Michael Phelps. But it does mean that they are going to be able to take advantage of some useful physical and mental skills that could really help their future.

Good For The Body and the Mind

There are actually a large number of benefits that kids can enjoy when they swim, both physically and mentally. When a child learns to swim, it can help support their mind and body connection, which stimulates overall body function and physical development. Swimming also requires bilateral cross-patterning movements (also known as using two sides of your body at once) which can actually help your child’s cognitive function and brain development, especially if you start teaching them to swim at an early age. This, in turn, can help them in a variety of ways such as reading, learning languages, education, social skills, and more.

Swimming is also a great way for kids to simply just fit more exercise into their lives because it’s a low-impact sport. Of course, injuries can happen anywhere doing just about anything. But in the water, your body is significantly more buoyant than it is on land, reducing the risk of cuts, scrapes, bruises, and all of those other common issues.

Also, It’s Just Fun!

On top of all of those great benefits kids can get, a lot of little ones simply love being in the water. Splashing around in the pool on a hot summer day is refreshing to just about anyone, no matter how old you are. It’s also a great way to improve those social skills and spend time with friends, especially if they are at the beach or a pool party and want to play with others.

As an added bonus, it is a great way to let off steam and use up some of that energy kids seem to have in abundance. What parent doesn’t love another way to tire out the kids and make it easier to put them to bed at night? Swimming will definitely do that for you.

Swimming Lessons Are Always Helpful

The truth is, kids should be taking swimming lessons as early as possible. According to LiveStrong, drowning is actually one of the leading causes of death for children over the age of five. You can cut your child’s own risk of drowning in an emergency situation, such as an accidental tumble into a pool, if they already know how to swim and are comfortable in the water. An added bonus is that they could also potentially help friends who are in trouble and don’t know how to swim.

Think about it – water is everywhere. It’s in the bathtub, in the pool, at the cottage, at the beach, and so on. The less scared of water and more comfortable your child is with it, the more everyone can relax and just enjoy themselves. If you have a young child and are looking for a way for them to develop some skills while getting to unleash some of that pent up energy, consider looking into the swimming programs offered at your local pool or recreation center.

Do you let your kids swim in the summer? Share your favorite water games below!