Learning to Swim – Increasing Comfort in the Water

We are in the thick of summertime, which for many kids means increased time spent in the water. The fact is, the majority of kids love water. They play, they splash, they swim, and they participate in active water sports such as paddle boarding, body boarding, and water skiing or tubing. Whether this is in a backyard or neighborhood pool, a lake, or another deep water source, the risks of water exposure remain the same.

Learning to swim is a vital way to help your child feel comfortable in the water.  Swimming is both invigorating and relaxing. It stimulates both physical and mental health and is great exercise for growing children. 

More than that, it can save his or her life. 

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), drowning is the number one cause of death in children 1 to 4 years of age. It can happen in less than a minute and it is often silent. It is tragic and it is preventable.  I discuss drowning risk further in a previous post.

Teaching children to swim will not be able to completely prevent drowning deaths, but it is one of the layers of protection that can be implemented to decrease the risk. 

When to start lessons?

Swim lessons for children can start as early as 12 months, but not every child will feel comfortable or ready for this. The AAP does NOT recommend swim lessons for infants less than a year old, but exposure to water through well-supervised play and parent-child will help to foster comfort for the infants and allow for easier swimming lessons later on. 

The AAP recommends swim lessons starting at or before age 4 years, if possible. For older children, teens, or adults, it is never too late to learn how to swim!

What do lessons teach?

At first, swim lessons primarily involve learning to enter/exit the pool safely, float and tread water, and “doggie paddle” around in the water. Lessons will teach children how to reach exit points in a pool and what to do if they accidentally fall into the water. As children become older and more experienced in the water, they will learn basic swim strokes as well. 

Look for programs that have qualified instructors, certified through nationally recognized swim programs. They should be sure to teach children safety techniques both in and out of the water. Appropriate swim lessons should progress over time and require multiple sessions, not a one-time class. 

What about cost?

It is true that some private swim lessons can be expensive. But these are not the only options! Check with your local YMCA, university, and public pools. These usually offer group lessons at reasonable rates. Some even have sliding-scale discounts based on income. 

Final thoughts

Learning to swim should be an essential part of childhood. It can help children to feel more comfortable in the water and decrease the risk of drowning. However, it is important to remember that it does not make children “drown proof.” Children should always be adequately supervised while in the water, whether they have completed swim classes or not.