Swimming is a very fun activity, especially during the summer holidays. Any child would be excited to swim in a pool, or even at the beach. We don’t know why, but the pool and the sea never fail to put a smile on our children’s faces, which is why we all have the reason to teach our kids to swim.
But aside from being able to make children happy, the benefits of learning how to swim are more than that. Here are some of the reasons why you should teach your children how to swim.
Swimming helps to save your children’s lives and others too!
You’ll never know when an adventure at the boat would make it risky for your kid, or when your child has an accidental fall inside the pool. While swimming in the waters is full of splashing fun, drowning and near-drowning are the major causes of childhood morbidity and mortality from injury.
If your child knows how to swim, he would be able to escape death, until a rescuer is able to save him. Hence, learning how to swim is essential for your child’s safety.
Swimming reduces the risk of child obesity.
Swimming is not only a summer activity, but it is also a bonafide sport that involves the use of the body’s most muscle groups, which makes it a perfect sport for managing one’s weight. Today, more and more children are in high risk of developing obesity due to a more sedentary lifestyle built by automation and technology.
Before, children are more exercised because they spend their time running and playing outside. But today, children are locked inside their homes playing games on their smartphones, tablets, or PCs, making them more prone to gaining weight.
Swimming helps your child to be competitive.
If your child develops an extreme liking to swimming, he may join swimming competitions and earn lots of achievements. When your child excels at something, this will enable him to boost his confidence, make more friends, and have more fun.
So, if your child expresses desire on competitive swimming, provide your child with lots of support and love. It is better for your child to be addicted to swimming or other sports, instead of being involved in drugs or crimes when he grows up.
Swimming helps your child learn different values.
When your child gets into a sport like swimming, he will learn different values such as time management, discipline and teamwork.
Time management and discipline, because your child will learn how to squeeze in swimming to his busy school schedule, and does not do any unnecessary activities that will hinder his school and swimming practice. Teamwork, because your child’s swimming coach is also teaching other children as well, and would promote team swimming games to enhance your child’s socialization skills.
Aside from the above mentioned benefits, swimming could also improve your child’s mobility and coordination skills, build stronger family bonds, and promote confidence. Indeed, if your child learns how to swim, it will help him to open more doors of opportunities into the different aspects of his life.