As a loving parent, your biggest desire is to give your children the best life possible. Your role as a care giver means you are responsible for shaping them and equipping them for the future. As preschoolers, your children are just beginning their exciting scholastic journey. They are developing in body and mind and it is your duty to make sure they get the basic life skills needed to flourish. One of the most important life skills kids need today is swimming lessons. Whether you have a pool or not, at some point your child will be around water and it is crucial that parents consider when the best time is to teach their children how to swim. Let’s look at what some of the benefits preschool age swimming lessons can offer your child:
A Healthy Aquatic Relationship
Every parent wants their child to be safe – always. But this is especially important when there is water around. Be it your bathtub upstairs, your pool in your backyard, a river or lake in your area or an ocean lapping at your front door. Whatever the body of water, the threat of losing your loved one to drowning looms near. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one of the leading causes of unintentional injury and death in the United States is drowning. Research also found swimming lessons and skills among preschoolers were mentioned as part of future prevention.
So, what can we as parents do to not become a statistic? Begin by helping your kids form a healthy and respectful relationship with water. Basic beginner swimming lessons are crucial to forming healthy levels of aquatic readiness in children at a young age. Making your preschooler aware of, and accustomed to being near water and in water, will help them grow in confidence. As opposed to having a child or parent grow up with an unhealthy relationship to water and swimming and then opening themselves up to other fears and phobias.
Survival Swimming Skills
Swimming lessons for preschoolers can vary, it is your job as the parent to research well and find a certified trainer and program that works best for you and your child. And while preschoolers are still at the beginning stages of their development, they can learn valuable survival swimming skills which can prove vital in saving a child’s own life.
This doesn’t, however, allow parents the luxury of sitting back and relaxing. As care givers you should be involved in the swimming lessons, learning all you can about water safety and your child’s water progress. You should have your own training in being “water wise” and you should be equipped with first aid skills too. Whilst survival swimming skills are great for kids, parents should always be within arm’s reach of their children. You are your preschooler’s first and most important line of protection – everything else are added precautionary measures.
Parent Child Bonding
As parents engage in building your child’s swimming confidence along with the swimming teachers, you may be involved in the pool activities as well. This is a great opportunity to spend some special time with your bundle of joy. The lessons will strengthen them, engage their senses and develop their motor skills, but will also help create a deeper bond with you as you participate in the lesson alongside them.
The most important thing to remember is, as a parent you have a responsibility to teach your child all the necessary basic life skills that you can. Swimming is one of them. Whenever you start your child’s swimming journey is up to you. In the future it may become nothing more than a casual summer’s day delight, or it may be a part of his/her enjoyable fitness routine, or your child may grow up to be the next Michael Phelps. Whatever your child chooses to do with the skills learnt, is up to the child. Your job is just to make sure you have equipped them with it!
For a well rounded preschool education come and visit Parkland children’s Academy and learn more about the various activities we offer your child.