Did you know that babies can start in swim classes as early as eight weeks old? It might be hard to believe, but the benefits of swimming and survival skills taught, even at such a young age, are numerous and incredibly important. Even if your baby (or child) isn’t quite so young, it’s still better to start them in swimming classes for kids as early as possible. Here are a few reasons why, and how, swimming benefits multiply when started young.
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Improve motor skills.
Feeling the natural resistance that comes when moving through water helps to build strength and coordination in little ones. It also works to improve their balance and posture. All of these components work together to give infants and toddlers the building blocks needed to eventually master gross motor skills (e.g. crawling and walking) and fine motor skills (e.g. drawing with a crayon and cutting with scissors) alike.
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Assist in teaching number and language skills.
There is a strong connection between young children learning to swim and development linguistically and mathematically. When a child is in class and needs to watch the swim instructor, and then interpret and act upon what they’ve said, language skills are strengthened. And when kids are asked to count swim strokes and connect their actions to counting, the foundation for math is beginning to be laid.
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Early acclimation means stronger, safer swimmers.
Comfort in the water is one of the most important ingredients that make a child safe in the water because it means they understand how their bodies move in the water and are less likely to become panicked in the water. So, what’s the best way for a kid to get comfortable in the water and gain important survival skills? The answer is early and repeated exposure. The younger a baby is when they start swim class, the sooner they’ll feel at ease and begin gaining valuable skills.
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Strengthen peer-to-peer connections.
Even when children are incredibly young and not yet able to interact socially, you can set the stage for positive interpersonal relationships later in life. Being in class with their peers is one of the other benefits of swimming class since it will ultimately help kids learn to take turns, encourage others, and be respectful. Even if they’re too young to fully understand what’s going on, the effects of this environment will still be felt.
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Prepare kids for school.
Finally, swimming classes for kids get them ready to participate successfully in a more formal classroom setting when the time comes. In swim lessons, they’ll learn to listen to an instructor, follow directions, get along with their peers, work through challenges, experience setbacks and successes - and much more. When they enter preschool or kindergarten, they’ll already have a leg up because of this preparation.
With only one lesson per week, your child can enjoy all these long-lasting benefits - and, of course, have fun along the way. And at Hubbard, our flexible schedule and easy class makeups make it easy for them to do so. Contact us to learn more about our learn to swim programs.
