 Summer Swimming Lessons
Keep Children Safe and Fit
With summer just around the corner, most families are getting packed and ready for outings to the beach, lake or a backyard swimming pool. Swimming is one of the most popular activities in the summer months and a great way to be outside, get some exercise and stay cool! Learning to swim is a very beneficial lesson in life. Giving your child the wonderful gift of teaching them how to swim will not only allow them to enjoy water activities for the rest of their life, but it may also someday save their life or help them save the life of someone else.
There are many benefits to swimming. According to the National Safety Council, an estimated 5,000 children ages 14 and under are hospitalized due to unintentional drowning-related incidents each year; 15 percent die in the hospital and as many as 20 percent suffer severe, permanent neurological disabilities.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that you not begin formal swim lessons until kids are at least 4 years old. That is the age that children are thought to be 'developmentally ready' for lessons. That doesn't mean that your younger children can't be taught to enjoy the water though. Infant and toddler aquatic programs are very popular among parents and kids and are a good way to teach your kids to enjoy being in the water. They can also help teach parents about how to be safe around the water.
Another benefit to swimming is exercise, and swimming is an easy form of exercise to get kids involved in. Experts say that swimming one mile is equivalent to running four. Psychologists affirm that swimming is usually associated with fun for children, especially when they are in a class with their peers. When associating fun with exercise, children will be able to get into the habit of swimming, as well as other activities, which will keep them healthy and fit. Swimming is good exercise for both boys and girls, and doing so will enhance their ability to have fun with other kids in certain social situations.
Bay Valley Medical Group encourages parents to teach their child how to from a professional. Here are some links to various aquatic programs offered in our communities:
Red Cross – Bay Area Chapter
East Bay Parks
City of Hayward
City of Pleasanton
City of Danville
City of Dublin
City of Newark |
