As expert pool safety professionals for Northern California, we are big proponents of swimming lessons for kids. Pool safety goes beyond barriers, and an important part of drowning prevention is making sure every family member has age-appropriate training for your backyard oasis. These valuable skills aren’t just for use at home, however, as you’re laying the foundation for good decisions, healthy bodies, and water safety that will carry them into adulthood and help them introduce the same concepts, in time, to your grandkids. Having the right training at the right time may even help them become a hero, saving the life of a friend or loved one in distress.
Lessons For Life
Accidental drowning injuries are responsible for nearly 3500 fatalities every year, with many more victims seeking medical care at emergency rooms, urgent care centers, or clinics. While swimming pool safety barriers are cited by the National Drowning Prevention Alliance as a contributing factor in the majority of these fatalities, poor decision-making and a lack of proper water safety training play a part as well. Swim lessons for kids are designed to introduce age-appropriate skills that help children use a pool safely, whether at home or out with their friends.
Rather than a one-size-fits-all approach to water safety education, lessons for different age brackets will offer different training to support the further development of their skills and the evolving pool safety hazards they’ll face as they get older.
- 1-4 Years Old – The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends starting swimming lessons at just a year old to begin to introduce children to both the water and the foundational concepts of water safety. These swimming lessons for the youngest kids may not be technique heavy, instead focusing on drowning prevention for the most vulnerable age group.
- 4-6 Years Old – Starting at around four years of age, although those with an aptitude may begin earlier, lessons begin to include more swimming and less water-familiarity training. This can include basic strokes, floating, and navigating under and on the water.
- 6 Years and Older – At this point, swimming lessons for kids begin to be based more on abilities or pool pursuits than just age because your growing child is developing their own interests in and around the water. Safety will always be a primary focus in swimming lessons, but they may learn more advanced techniques, begin competitive training, or want to learn specialized pool skills, like diving or water polo. It’s all up to their development and the assessment of their skills by their parents and instructors.
Benefits of Kids Swimming Lessons
Whatever the age group, swimming lessons for kids come with several key benefits that can stay with your child as their skills grow. These make swimming lessons one of the best investments you can make not only in drowning prevention but in their development toward adulthood.
Swim Lessons Save Lives
Studies have proven that formal swimming lessons for kids reduce the risk of drowning, with one study finding an 88% reduction in drowning rate among 1 to 4-year-old children. A focus of formal education is reducing the confusion and panic of accidental immersion or the realization that the swimmer is in danger. As swimming students age, they’re taught better skills that can save their own lives and eventually others through water safety or lifeguard training. Along with these practical in-water skills, they learn the basics of water safety so they can make better decisions around the water, helping them avoid dangerous situations before they can develop into a potential drowning event.
Improve and Maintain Physical Health
The Centers for Disease Control recognize swimming as a valuable aerobic exercise for lifelong health. Swimming is a full-body activity that lets you work on the whole body or target certain muscle groups to “feel the burn.” It can help stave off or improve both heart disease and diabetes, and while your child may not be too worried about them yet, their adult self will be thankful for a fit body that’s better resistant to these and other diseases that are exacerbated by aging idly. Swimming lessons for kids help them get the most out of their pool time, with more efficient strokes and a variety of exercises to improve their strength, coordination, and endurance.
Boost Confidence and Self-Esteem
While we’ve already talked about the goal of improving the confidence of your kids in the water, it doesn’t stop at the ladder as they get out of the pool. Your children will be challenged to develop and perfect new skills as their lessons progress. There will be fun games, physical drills, and plenty of time to interact with both trusted adults and their peers. The result is a child that has more confidence and higher self-esteem. As they age, they’ll begin to set their own goals, both in conjunction with their swimming lessons for kids and separately, and pursue them with passion and perseverance that will help them stand out at school, in the workforce, and throughout their lives.
Creating a Safe Space for Practice Between Lessons
While lessons are an effective part of drowning prevention, creating a safe pool area is still vital. Pool safety barriers help keep kids from sneaking off for solo practice without adult supervision. They can also help keep younger children, those who have not had swimming lessons yet, or pets from following an older child or teen into the pool area without their knowledge.
- Removable Mesh Pool Fencing – with a see-through, rip-resistant mesh, strong poles, and a self-closing and latching gate, this fencing creates a secure perimeter to prevent unsupervised pool access. If more space is needed, the entire fence can be taken down and moved aside temporarily while adults are present to keep an eye on the action.
- Pool Safety Nets – Featuring strong, knotted twine and cord stretched over the pool’s surface and tensioned by metal springs, this barrier prevents entry to the water itself. Pets and over-ambitious children find it difficult to stray far from the edge, where they are held up and out of the water until pulled back to safety.
Your local Lifeguard on Duty professional is right down the road and ready to help you create a safer pool your kids can practice their swimming lessons in. Schedule your free quote, and they’ll talk to you about your pool needs, take measurements, and give you a written estimate that lays out your most cost-effective pool safety options. Find out how affordable peace of mind can be. Request your free quote from Lifeguard on Duty today.
