Why Is Your Child Taking Swimming Lessons? More Than Just Physical Fitness

Portrait of happy little boy swimming in pool

Parents have a huge responsibility to raise and teach their children the important lessons that they’ll take with them all their lives. One of the lessons kids need to learn is the importance of being active. Learning to be active when they’re young will give kids the tools to establish healthy, active habits later on in their adult lives.

Beyond the associated health benefits, being active and participating in activities such as team or individual sports can teach children additional life lessons and skills. Such advantages can include developing teamwork, behavioral, and problem-solving skills.

Age-Appropriate Activities

There are all sorts of sports and activities children can enjoy playing at certain ages. The Mayo Clinic published an article listing out some of the types of recreational activities that are good sports for 12-year-olds and younger.

Sports for 2-Year-Olds to 5-Year-Olds

Kids between the ages of 2 and 5 are usually active in ways that develop basic motor skills, such as the following:

  • Catching
  • Tumbling
  • Throwing
  • Swimming
  • Running

Sports for 6-Year-Olds to 9-Year-Olds

Sports for 6-year-olds to 9-year-olds get a little more complex. You’ll see some of the activities mentioned below involve balls or other equipment.

  • Gymnastics
  • Soccer
  • Running
  • Swimming
  • Softball or Baseball
  • Martial Arts
  • Tennis

Sports for 10-Year-Olds to 12-Year-Olds

Good sports for kids approaching 12 years old get even more complex and usually involve bigger teams working together, including:

  • Football
  • Tennis
  • Swimming
  • Basketball
  • Volleyball
  • Hockey

Notice that there’s one sport/activity on each of these three lists: swimming. Swimming is a great group and individual sport that teaches kids of all ages useful skills.

Why Should Kids Take Swimming Lessons?

There are many reasons to have your kids take swimming lessons. To begin with, when someone knows how to swim, they’re less likely to drown. Water is an integral part of our lives: it’s everywhere, from the bathtub where we wash to the sprinkler system that waters the lawn. It’s vitally important for children to feel comfortable in and around water.

Swimming is also a great, low-impact workout, which is healthier for any body in the long run. So learning to swim can not only save your life, but it can actually make your life healthier.

The physical benefits aside, there are several other key benefits to take into account when considering whether or not to sign your kids up for swimming lessons. And they deal more with developing your child’s character.

Swimming Skills: More Than Just Treading Water

Learning how to swim, whether it’s for the first time as a young child or competitively as a teenager or adult, can teach anyone important lessons.

Behavioral Skills

Learning how to handle tough situations with maturity comes through trial and error as we experience hard things. Trying to figure out how to swim is difficult initially. It can also be frustrating. Signing your children up for swimming lessons when they’re young will benefit them as they learn how to deal with hard things and overcome them.

Problem Solving Skills

Swimming can be a scary process for kids. But it can help them develop amazing problem-solving skills as they navigate the new waters of learning how to tread water, how to swim using different types of strokes, and how to tackle their fears in constructive ways.

Teamwork Skills

Teamwork skills are useful skills for everyone to have. When it comes to swimming lessons, children have the opportunity to learn how to work with their fellow classmates. They’ll learn to wait their turn, to communicate with others, and to respect others time and space.

SwimJim Swimming Lessons

It’s never too early to start learning life lessons/skills or to start learning how to swim. Kids can start taking swimming lessons when they’re as young as 16 months. At SwimJim, we offer many different swimming classes for all different age groups. Sign up for classes with us today in New York City or the Houston area.