Kids are amazing. There’s no way around it. They often tackle new tasks with a fearlessness that adults envy. Children are sponges for information, constantly learning and growing. However, we also know that participating in certain activities helps develop the skills associated with learning.
Studying The Developmental Benefits
In a recent study by the Griffith Institute for Educational Research in Australia, researchers discovered that early childhood swim lessons might be more valuable than initially recognized. Following a four-year study, the researchers concluded that children who participated in swim lessons demonstrated more advanced cognitive and physical abilities than other children.
Simply put, the findings were staggering. On average, children who participated in regular swim lessons were developmentally ahead of schedule in the following areas:
- Understanding Directions – 20 months ahead
- Story Recall – 17 months ahead
- Oral Expression – 11 months ahead
- Mathematics Reasoning – 6 months ahead
- Brief Reading – 2 months ahead
While many of us understood that swim lessons contributed to making our children more confident and social, it is an exciting development to discover that the lessons may also be making them smarter.
How Do Swim Lessons Help My Child?
Swim lessons with qualified instructors can help your child in so many ways. Aside from the commonly discussed physical benefits, swim lessons expose children to a myriad of learning opportunities in a non-threatening environment because the children do not feel pressured to learn. After all, they are having fun.
Think of how often you hear counting around the pool. Consider the intellectual impact of a small child receiving conceptual instructions, such as how to kick or float, and putting those instructions into motion. Watch as your child’s communication patterns begin to shift depending on whether they are speaking with their peers or instructors. Most of all, enjoy the confidence your child exudes as he or she learns new skills and feels a sense of accomplishment.
Talk With The Experts
Premier Aquatic Services swim instructors use an exciting approach to help swimmers of all ages develop a love of the water. Our instructors are experienced with teaching all levels, whether it be helping beginners to be more comfortable in the water or training more experienced competitors on how to improve their stroke technique. To learn more about our swim lesson programs and register your child for summer and fall classes, visit our aquatic services page.
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