It is no secret that exercise and physical activity are beneficial to the health of babies and toddlers. When this comes in the form of swimming, the benefits are instantly amplified. If you’re a parent still searching for reasons to teach your baby to swim, look no further. We’ve put together a list of 10 great reasons (amongst many others, of course).
You may also be interested to note that Little Swim School specialises in baby swimming lessons and toddler swimming lessons, from as little as six-months-young!
1. Encourages Movement
Babies can exercise more muscles in the water. This is beneficial because they are less restricted by gravity and their inability to sit or stand. This increased strength often manifests itself in early acquisition of physical skills such as walking and jumping.
2. Heart Health
Swimming improves cardiovascular fitness of babies. Although babies are limited in how much they can improve their endurance, swimming does have a beneficial effect. Swimming regularly also combats the onset of diabetes, heart disease, obesity and other medical issues.
3. Cognitive Development
Early exposure of water movement gives children a head start in learning basic swimming skills and promotes cognitive development. Just watch our three-year-olds who are Baby and Me grads!
4. Motor Development
Water helps improve coordination and balance by forcing babies to move bilaterally to maintain their equilibrium (vestibular stimulation). This make it easier for movements that involve balance outside of the water.
5. Better Sleep
Warm water, combined with gentle exercise, relaxes and stimulates babies’ appetites. They usually eat and sleep better on swimming days. And when they sleep better, so do we!
6. Great for Asthma
Doctors often recommend swimming as the exercise of choice for asthmatics. Swimming stimulates less wheezing than various other forms of exercise, making it ideal to introduce from a young age.
7. Quality Time
Babies flourish in the focused attention their parents lavish on them during swimming. Parents often confess that the lessons provide the only time they can spend 30 pleasurable, uninterrupted minutes with their babies.
8. Independence & Confidence
As babies learn to maneuvre in the water, their independence and self-confidence blossom, as evidenced by the ear-to-ear grins stretching across their faces!
9. Parent-Child Bonding
Swimming provides babies with lots of skin-to-skin contact with their parents. That, psychologists say, may deepen the bond between parent and child. Studies have even shown that this helps boost mental development and promotes healthy weight.
10. It’s a Life Skill
Learning to swim is not only a fun, healthy activity. It is necessary life skill in the prevention of drowning. Swimming also opens doors to discovery and adventures later on in life!
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