Why should you keep your kids swimming during winter? We asked Brisbane swim school, Kingswim to give us their top 10 reasons …
Swimming during winter
It’s winter and it’s cold, dark and wet! We get it, it’s hard to get out and into a pair of bathers for a swimming lesson. But did you know there are a lot of benefits to keeping up swimming lessons during the cooler months?
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Swimming is a great way to keep fit during winter
During winter, kids can get restless not being able to run around and stay active outside. Swimming during winter is a great way to remain fit while being in an indoor environment, it’s a sure way to keep those energy levels maintained without having to worry about being in the cold and wet weather.
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Keep those winter bugs at bay
Higher fitness levels gained through year-round swimming, build stronger immune systems that make a child more resilient to stress and illness. Some parents withdraw their children from swimming classes when the temperature drops believing it will help avoid illness. However, the belief that children who have wet hair will get sick is nothing more than an old wives’ tale. From experience, children who keep swimming during winter are far less likely to catch colds and flu.
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Escape the winter chill
To keep kids and babies comfortable, Kingswim has a constant water temperature of between 32-33 degrees. Which means even on gloomy winter days, it’s always a nice day for a swim!
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Help maintain and build confidence and independence in the water
A discontinuation of lessons through winter, even for a few weeks, typically results in a decline in a child’s confidence and independence in the water, as well as a drop in technique and stamina. Here’s the thing; when you enrol your child in swim lessons only during the warmer months, they may not have the skills already set up for that current year’s water activities.
Sure, lessons in the summer are fun but let’s face it – staggering your child’s swimming progress to several months every year isn’t going to get them very far. They may forget many things they had practiced, meaning you’ll need even more summers of lessons before you’re comfortable just watching them from the side.
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Repetition is key for long-term skill retention
Children need to maintain and reinforce existing skills to advance and develop their ability in the water. Months of summer lessons can ‘go to waste’ if stopped throughout the year, as swimmers lose their feel for the water both physically and psychologically. Such maintenance and reinforcement by swimming during winter is particularly important for infant, toddler and pre-school aged children when long-term skill retention and muscle memory are starting to develop.
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Ensuring your child is confident in the water could save their life
Accidents can happen at any time of year in the water, so it’s important that children understand how to handle emergencies and stay confident in the water year-round. Maintaining swimming lessons throughout winter helps to reinforce their swimming and safety skills so they’re prepared if something goes wrong. Kingswim has a safety program as part of its lesson plan, to ensure that swimmers are armed with the skills needed if they’re faced with an emergency in the water.
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Swimming makes you smarter and gives your child advantages across other life skills
Swimming has been proven to assist in brain development and for school-aged children, is regarded as vital for the development of academic performance, as well as coordination, motor skills, balance and concentration. Six months out of the water during the winter’s break can lead to problems such as fear of the water and a decline in performance.
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Continuation helps to combat fear and anxiety in the water
Continued participation in swimming lessons throughout winter is the best way to prevent otherwise unwanted outcomes like developing a fear of the water, worrying about the depth of the water, or just feeling uncomfortable in and around water. By not continually attending swimming lessons, children invariably end up unable to perform at the level they were previously at and, in turn, can experience a decline in confidence and performance.
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Cure cabin fever
Get the kids out of the house and away from screens. Swimming is a great way to cure your little one’s cabin fever, while still having fun.
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Enjoy a free introductory lesson and no lock in contract
Over the last 30 years Kingswim has delivered more than 14 million swimming lessons to Aussie kids. The Kingswim team are specialists in building children’s ability and confidence in the water and understand it’s the little things that make learning to swim enjoyable and meaningful for parents and kids alike. Kingswim offers pay by the month pricing with no lock in contract and a free introductory lesson for all new families.
Contact Kingswim Carindale, Robina or Lutwyche today for a free* introductory lesson. Click here for Kingswim locations near you.
* terms and conditions apply
