Benefits of taking swim lessons year-round!

When someone mentions swimming, what's the first thing that comes to mind?

For me, it's SUMMER! I think of beautifully warm weather with the sun shining high in the sky, building sandcastles on the beach with my little one, and running in and out of the water to cool off.  
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Although summer first comes to mind, summer is not the only time of year our little ones are exposed to water. We live on a planet where 71% of our earth is made up of water. Our children experience water every day in and around our homes. 

As parents, if we are always teaching our little ones about the things they encounter daily, why are most children only learning about the water during the spring/summertime? Why not continue learning about the water all year long through year-round learn-to-swim programs?

There are so many benefits to children taking swim lessons year-round! Check out our top three reasons we believe it's essential for children to participate in swimming and water safety activities all year long!

1. Use it or lose it!

Regression Is Real! When a skill isn't used frequently or has not yet become a habit, we naturally tend to forget some aspects or all of that skills. With children who tend to take swim lessons one season a year, instructors often notice that they forget some of the previous skills they have previously mastered. 

The benefit of swimming lessons year-round is that swimmers consistently build their skills without experiencing the frustration of regression. Swimmers work with instructors to continuously refine their skills to ensure that they enjoy the water safely!

2. Practice Makes Permanent!

Has someone ever told you "practice makes perfect"? Our philosophy is a little different - We believe that practice makes permanent! At Teach America To Swim, we think it's important to build safe water habits that will last a lifetime! The best way to build these habits is through consistent practice with a trained instructor providing feedback. Although we strongly encourage all swimmers to practice their strokes outside of lessons, we know that frequent training without a certified instructor could lead to poor technique and unsafe water habits.

The benefit of swimming lessons year-round is that swimmers consistently get specific, intentional instruction and feedback to help build and refine their swimming skills while establishing safe water habits.

3. Building Good Habits & Lifeskills

There are so many life skills that children learn during swim lessons and water safety skills. Children who tend to participate in swim lessons have opportunities to:

• practice social skills as they work with an instructor and other swimmers
  
• develop language as we embed in music, counting, and more in our programming
  
• exercise and build coordination as we are moving all parts of our body in different ways

​The benefit of swimming lessons year-round is that swimmers have more opportunities to build relationships, use everyday life skills in a supported environment, and exercise! Who knows, maybe your little one could be the next Olympic swimmer!

There are so many benefits to participating in swim lessons year-round. Spring is almost upon us, and then it's soon to be summer! Let's start building safe water habits with your little one!

Interested in registering for swim lessons? Find lessons in your area!

American Red Cross Swim Lessons