8 Benefits of Year-Round Swimming Lessons
Consistency is key! Keeping up with your child’s swimming instruction is not only fantastic exercise that can be done even when they can’t play outside during the cold months, but it also offers countless physical and mental benefits.
From contributing toward brain development, to building confidence and techniques for self-control and self-regulation, here are eight reasons to continue swimming lessons year-round.
1. Improved Mental Development
Swimming is known to be a creative and stimulating experience, especially for young children. According to Swimming World Magazine, the increased brain activity from swimming promotes mental development and the growth of new brain cells. Swimming is a whole-body exercise that also engages the mind. It requires coordination, concentration, and decision-making, which can stimulate brain development in children, leading to improved cognitive function.
2. Better Focus
Closely connected to mental development is the increased ability for focus. Swimming increases blood flow to the brain; research even indicates it might stimulate neuron growth in certain sections of the brain. This leads to greater focus in and out of the water and can even result in improved academic performance.
In addition to the neurological benefits, the act of learning is beneficial in and of itself. Children learn in all sorts of ways, so the physicality of swimming lessons may be especially helpful for those who don’t excel with less tactile teaching. In other words, success in the pool can contribute to success in the classroom.
3. Enhanced Social Development
Swimming lessons at Big Blue Swim School begin as young as three months, offering a unique opportunity for social interaction at an early age. Children can start building relationships before they get to more formal environments like preschool and kindergarten, and year-round swim lessons mean you don’t need to pause their development.
Camaraderie develops through shared experiences at any age. For this reason, team sports provide great value, allowing athletes to support and challenge each other while working toward the same goal. Group swim lessons offer the same opportunities. Your children can develop their social skills while building friendships that could last a lifetime.
4. Bolstered Immune System
Staying active through swimming can even improve your child’s immune system and help fight off illness. Swimming consistently activates the cardiovascular system while improving lung capacity, respiratory function, and blood circulation. This combination contributes significantly to an active swimmer's well-being.
5. Reduced Stress & Anxiety
Children typically become restless in colder months when they can’t be as active outside—something many parents learn the hard way. Swimming is one of the best exercises when it comes to releasing healthy endorphins and reducing cortisol (the main stress hormone) levels in the body. Not to mention, regular physical activity, such as swimming, can help promote better sleep patterns in children. Swimming provides a good workout and helps safely tire the body, leading to more restful sleep.
6. Consistent Physical Activity
While many children are enrolled in sports, most of these sports are played in the warmer months. It’s very important that kids have options throughout all seasons to promote muscle development and coordination. Practicing various stroke techniques activates different muscles, exercising the entire body. Not to mention, the injury risk is extremely low, considering the low-impact nature of the sport.
7. Improved Swimming Skills
The most obvious benefit of year-round swimming is that your child will continue to build their skill set in the water. The saying “if you don’t use it, you lose it” is very applicable to water skills and stresses the importance of consistent training. Not every child is destined for swimming competitions, but these skills can be valuable in all kinds of experiences throughout their lives. The stronger their swimming skills, the safer they are, and the more they can focus on having fun and enjoying the water.
8. Reinforced Water Safety
Preparing your little ones for a lifetime of water safety starts with attending swimming lessons all year long. We love the fun side of swimming—and it is a lot of fun—but the truth is that unsupervised water play can be dangerous. It can be tragic when a less experienced swimmer accidentally falls into deep water. Year-round swimming lessons are an extremely helpful solution and can give you peace of mind as your children reinforce skills that will protect them throughout their lives.
Enjoy Swimming Lessons Year-Round with Big Blue
Swimming year-round has both mental and physical advantages—and Big Blue Swim School is open throughout the year to make sure your child can benefit from each one. Our warm water pools are comfortable in any season, and our state-of-the-art proprietary filtration system helps keep your kids healthy. Flexible scheduling and a dedicated, compassionate staff of full-time workers complete the experience.
Join these satisfied swim parents:
“It has been an amazing experience sending our daughter to swim lessons at Big Blue. She went from not wanting to put her head underwater to being able to swim well enough to not need flotation devices in just two short months. All the teachers have been amazing!” - Mary L.
“All the coaches are phenomenal; they are patient, engaging, and encouraging. Good vibes all around. My son's progress is absolutely remarkable! Many thanks to the coaches for putting in the work and celebrating his success.” - Rich M.
Here at Big Blue, we’ve seen first-hand how routine swim instruction has a huge impact on the learning abilities and physical growth of all our students. Ready to give year-round swim lessons a try? Sign your child up for a free trial lesson at your local Big Blue in any season!
