Why you should teach your infant child to swim

Victoria Harrison is a mother of three and ‘home zoo’ manager; when she isn’t surrounded by kids and animals she writes for online audiences on a range of topics. Passionate about her home and family, she aims to share her knowledge and experiences and make a few friends along the way.

The life of a mother and father can be particularly hectic, as children grow and develop a unique set of mental and physical requirements. Meeting all of these needs is a significant challenge, especially for those who are looking to balance a career alongside raising and nurturing their children. This means that some relatively important aspects of raising a child can be easily overlooked, such as the development of a healthy diet and teaching them how to swim.
The latter is particularly important, however, and it has a direct impact on your child’s health and future safety. Consider the following benefits of teaching your son or daughter to swim at an early age: –

1.       Keep your Child Safe from Harm

According the parental resource KidsHealth.org, drowning is listed as the second leading cause of death in humans’ between the age of 5 and 24. This is partially because of the UK’s standing as an island nation, and the number of coastal towns, lakes and even indoor ponds that can be found nationwide. Teaching your child to swim and therefore help to protect them should they ever find themselves immersed in the water, while also giving them experience of how to handle emergency situations. Given the unpredictable nature of alternative waterways and the movement of currents, it is crucial that your children grow into strong and confident swimmers.

2.       Physical Health and Activity

Swimming is also regarded as one of the most effective methods of exercise imaginable, and also an activity that is easily accessible to families and youngsters nationwide. Although technically a cardiovascular exercise that promotes a healthier heart, improved lung capacity and stamina, it also helps to tone core muscle groups and improve the beneficiaries balance. With child obesity now established as a major healthcare issue in the UK, swimming is once again been promoted as an activity that can help to partially resolve this issues.

3.       Social and Mental Benefits

While it may not seem like it on the surface, swimming is actually a relatively sociable activity that enables individuals to meet and partake in a shared physical past-time. This therefore enables children to strengthen their bonds of friendship, while also satisfying a number of physical and mental needs. Swimming has also been proven to help build confidence in children, as they continue to learn a new skill that has relevant, everyday applications. Their confidence will also grow as they become stronger and more experienced in the water and develop a closer affinity with it.

Swimming is undoubtedly a positive and beneficial activity for your child to learn, regardless of its cost implications. To find out more about infant swimming and the accessories you are likely to need, visit the Konfidence website at your earliest convenience.