Swimming Lessons: How Does It Help Toddlers Develop Motor Skills?
Just how much of a threat is drowning to kids?
Data from the CDC tells us that children between ages 1-4 die of drowning more than any other cause of death (excluding birth defects) in the US.
Learning about water safety, and the basics of swimming can go a long way in preventing any drowning-related accidents or fatalities. By enrolling your kids in swimming lessons, you can keep them safe in the water. On top of that, learning how to swim can accelerate motor skills development and improve your little one’s balance and coordination.
In this blog, we’ll take a closer look at how infant swimming lessons can help develop motor skills — or their ability to sit, crawl, run, and jump.
1. Encourages greater movement
At six months old, your child will start to crawl and try to balance if they trip or fall over. These activities require muscular support and frequent swimming lessons can give these muscles a proper workout.
What’s great about swimming is that it’s a low-impact workout that offers buoyancy. That means your little one can swim or wade in the water without putting too much pressure on their body.
2. Develops balance & coordination
Toddler swimming lessons are great at developing your kid’s balance and coordination. After all, swimming teaches them how to maintain proper form and keep their heads above water.
Taking lessons can help discipline your child to move their arms and legs properly. In turn, these movements will develop and strengthen their musculoskeletal muscles and joints. Going through that process can help hone your child’s visual-to-motor skills, so they’ll be more alert and know how to swim safely.
3. Boosts confidence
Developing a child’s motor skills involves more than whole-body movement. Your kid will also need to build their confidence so they can feel more comfortable as they move around. After all, exercise is a surefire way to look and feel great. That’s where infant swimming lessons can help!
Every child needs confidence if they want to slowly get from one end to another in a pool. And this teaches your child a crucial skill: how to face their fears.
Going through a lesson each day will help them progress faster. Making small achievements can warrant praises from their swimming coaches. In turn, this could boost their confidence level even further. So it’s definitely a win-win.
4. Encourages cognitive skill development
Proper motor skills and cognitive development go hand in hand. After all, activities such as crawling or jumping require brain function. In fact, Swiss psychologist Jean Piaget shares that some areas in the brain are activated simultaneously when using motor and cognitive skills.
This is especially true when for new and difficult activities, or anything that requires concentration or a quick response time. But how does that relate to swimming.
Swimming lessons also call for the right planning if your child wants to move around or stay afloat. Frequent swimming can help establish that motor-cognitive link to give your little one an edge.
5. Improves endurance
When it comes to developing motor skills, practice makes perfect. So if your child gets constant swimming practice and exercise, it can speed up motor skill development.
It doesn’t stop there: frequent swimming can help improve their endurance. Better endurance will give your child more strength so they can repeat the same exercises for longer. This momentum will keep building up, and it’ll show even when your child is out of the water!
6. Builds social skills
Better social skills relate to confidence building. Participating in swimming lessons encourages your kids to bond and learn alongside other kids.
If you’re enrolled in a group or family lesson, even better! It can teach your child the value of coordination and teamwork. And more importantly, your kids will also learn from their peers. Seeing their classmates in the water can help your child be more mindful of mistakes and how to properly execute the right swimming form.
Foster Motor Development with Toddler Swimming Lessons
As you can see, the benefits of swimming at a young age aren’t just confined to movement and coordination alone. It also encompasses social and cognitive skill development.
But reaping the full benefits of an infant swimming program requires discipline. More importantly, make sure you keep a close eye on your child every time they’re in the water to ensure their safety. After all, even professional swimmers aren’t exempt from any accidents in the water.
At Bear Paddle, we make learning swimming fun for you and your child! Your little ones are welcome here, and we accept infants as young as six months old. We categorize our students into the right swimming program depending on their age and swim level.
As they progress through our lessons, your little ones will earn badges for their achievements. Once your kid has collected all of the badges, they’ll be ready to graduate from our program!
If you’re interested in enrolling at Bear Paddle, contact us today. Get them started on their swimming journey today.
