Why Your Child Needs to Learn to Swim Today

At Seal Swimming we believe that swimming is essential for children; to build strong bodies, healthy minds, self-esteem, social skills and community values, as well as water safety awareness.

But what do you think? Why should every child learn to swim and become skilled in the water from an early age? Why should you prioritize swimming lessons over soccer, music, dance or other extracurricular activities?

We've highlighted six reasons why we feel swimming is the best skill you'll ever teach your child and why your child needs to learn to swim today.

Swimming is a Life Skill

We all know it. We’ve all been told it before. But this really is the case. There are nearly 500 deaths in Canada each year due to drowning and nearly 200 of those are in Ontario. 

Knowing how to swim and knowing how to be safe around water will drastically reduce your chances of taking risks and getting into trouble around water. Children who learn how to swim become stronger and more capable around water and are far less likely to drown.

Swimming Engages the Mind

Yes, that’s right. The mental benefits of swimming cannot be underestimated. Many great thinkers and artists attribute their best ideas to inspiration derived from swimming or taking exercise. 

At Seal Swimming we believe that learning to swim should be a mandatory part of the school curriculum for children. The old saying tells us that “it’s as easy as abc”. Well, we’d like to update that to “it's as easy as sink, push, glide”. Children who pursue swimming are far more likely to remain focused in class and end up with better grades as a result.

The Best Type of Exercise 

Swimming is what we would call total body fitness. Sure, it’s a great cardiovascular workout but of all sports and recreational activities, swimming exercises the most bodily systems, from musculoskeletal to respiratory and from cardiovascular to the nervous and even digestive systems (although you should still wait the prescribed one hour before you come to class after eating). 

Swimming is also a low-impact form of exercise. Because buoyancy aids us in the water, our knees, hips and ankles don’t have to bear the brunt of constantly beating on the ground or track as in other sports. For children and adults who are also dealing with weight issues, swimming is a great way to reduce impact, making exercise easier on the joints while still burning calories. 

Swimming is a Lifelong Activity

Just like riding a bike! Anyone can participate in swimming, no matter their age and ability. When you register your child for swimming lessons, you are giving them a gift of a rewarding, healthy activity that they can participate in for the rest of their lives. 

As people age, lots of activities become more difficult. Not swimming! People who swim in their later years tend to be more flexible and enjoy a better quality of life. Too soon to retire? You can still meet your friends for daily swims and make friends on each visit to the pool. 

Children Learn Teamwork!

Children love to be part of the squad! Seal Swim Squads teach personal accountability and teamwork at the same time. Swimming individually means that you are always chasing the clock and working towards beating your personal best times. As part of the Squad though, swimmers learn the value of emotional support and working towards achieving team goals. 

But Most of All, It’s Fun!

There are misconceptions that swimming is a grinding slog to the pool at 5:00am just to jump into cold water and stare at a black line for an hour or two each day. Well okay, that can be true, but it’s also loads of fun and super rewarding.

Getting into swimming from a young age will mean that your child is more confident, more social and more capable when it comes to all sorts of interactions in life. They will be more likely to self-rescue if they come close to danger and the chances are, they will go on to give the gift of swimming to others by becoming a Swim Teacher themselves. 

To learn more about getting signed up for swimming or if you have any questions about the sport, our team is here to help. Please contact our office at [email protected].