Summer is a very popular time for swim lessons. With school on break, many parents see swimming as a great way to keep their child active and alert as opposed to wasting months away on the couch. However, once the weather starts cooling down and school comes back around, parents opt to avoid swimming. Some feel that it may get in the way of academics, while others think that swimming in cooler weather can make kids sick.
Beliefs such as these, however, are not necessarily true. Extra curricular activities, such as swimming, can help children develop into well-rounded individuals. As for the belief that swimming in the cold will cause sickness, there are no direct causes between swimming and getting a cold. In fact, swimming can support your immune system given you properly dry off afterwards. Swimming year-round has many benefits for children, especially new swimmers!
1. Consistent Practice Helps Retain and Improve Skills
Swimmers who consistently practice are likely to advance much quicker than those who don’t. They’re able to turn good habits and skills into muscle memory, as well as prevent the development of bad habits and a fear of water. This isn’t just important for competitive swimmers— it’s also crucial for proper water safety.
If children take lessons over the summer and stop abruptly, they lose a lot of their progress by the time they resume the next year. Similarly to learning the piano, practicing 6 weeks out of the year doesn’t provide much time to gain proper skills and confidence.
2. Means of Managing Health and Stress
Consistent, year-round swimming allows children to weave exercise into their normal way of life. This is also likely to have an impact on their future habits, as children who grow up regularly exercising are more likely to do the same in adulthood. With this comes an improvement in strength, stamina, and overall health. All the physical exertion also provides a regular outlet to relieve any stress they may be experiencing from school.
3. Promotes Discipline and Time Management
Discipline is much like a habit. It needs to be formed over time, with consistency. As discipline is required to excel in swimming, children learn how to discipline themselves in order to achieve their goals. Put together with schooling, it gives them the opportunity to efficiently manage their time as well. While it may seem stressful to swim during the school year, children will be gaining more life skills than you had initially thought!
Whether your child plans to swim competitively or not, consider enrolling them in year-round lessons— they’ll be a lot of help!
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