If your kids seem to love exploring the water during bath time, you may want to consider signing them up for swimming classes. But as a parent, as much as you want them to learn about their surroundings and help with their development, you also want to know when to start swim lessons to keep them safe in the water. We discuss which age is best to start swimming classes and the benefits of starting them early.
Swimming lessons aren’t a requirement or a must-do for babies. It’s important to understand that swim classes for babies aren’t meant to teach them to swim on their own. Instead, baby swimming lessons are designed for children and parents to build a bond while having fun exploring the water together in a safe manner. With that said, a parent-baby water class is a great way to introduce your baby to the water and get them used to being in the pool. Babies ages six to 12 months can start swimming classes to help them with their cognitive and motor skills and improve their confidence in the water. If you want extra assurance, you can talk to your paediatrician to discuss a suitable and age-appropriate swimming program for your little one.
Sometimes, age isn’t an accurate predictor of whether or not your child is ready for swim classes. Each child will learn on different timelines, but you can look for signs of pool and water readiness to see if your little one is ready to take on more water time. Water readiness includes:
Swimming is a crucial skill in keeping children safe around water. But there are numerous other benefits of a child starting swimming classes at a young age. Here are some of them:
1. Improves comfort in the water – Did you know that most children don’t have a natural fear of the water until two years old? By signing up for infant swimming lessons, they’ll be able to get more comfortable in the water since they’ll be accustomed to this environment without the presence of fear. It’s more difficult to start them when your child is already aware and afraid of the water.
2. Improves social interaction – Whether you’re working one-on-one with a teacher or joining a group lesson, your child will learn to be around people and other children, enabling them to experience positive interactions.
3. Boosts motor skills – With regular exercise such as swimming, your baby or toddler can develop their motor skills early on. This is important because honing their motor skills will enable them to do tasks such as running, jumping, and building blocks with greater ease.
4. Improves cognitive skills – Your child can benefit cognitively from swimming lessons. Because swimming requires using both sides of the body, the movement encourages brain development by building up neurons. This can aid with academic skills such as spatial awareness, language development, and more.
5. Encourages self-esteem – Swimming is a great way for your children to boost their self-esteem and emotional health. Swimming can be a tool for them to expend energy and allow them to become more comfortable in the water with their newfound skills.
If your baby or toddler shows that they’re emotionally ready and physically coordinated whenever exposed to water, it may be a good time to start. But remember, we highly encourage that when your baby, toddler, or older child is in the water, you and another seasoned swimmer should be within touching distance of the child.
At Aqua Artist, we offer swimming lessons for babies as young as six months old to toddlers of five years. Our babies & tots swimming program is designed to build their water confidence through songs, games, exercise, and encouragement. We also offer pre-school swimming lessons for toddlers ages 3-5 years old, wherein they'll learn to develop water confidence, safety, and coordination through various age-appropriate water activities.
Your baby’s safety remains our top priority at Aqua Artist
At Aqua Artist, we make sure your kids always have fun while learning! We partner your kids with the best and most seasoned swimming instructors who will help your child thrive in the water according to their pace and ability. Because your child’s safety is our priority, we require a swim assessment to start your kids off at the correct level, in which they will be most comfortable.
Make swimming a fun bonding and learning activity with your child. Book an assessment with us today!