Tagged with ' Kids Swimming'

Starting swimming lessons can be a daunting task, even for the grown adult. But it is important for every child to know water survival skills as well as how to swim and keep them safe around water. Here is an age-by-age guide on swimming lessons for kids so you know what to expect and when it is best for you to get your children into swimming.

With the warm weather now in full swing, everyone is excited to have some fun in the sun at the swimming pool with their little ones. But before you jump in the water, it is crucial to prioritise pool safety for your children to let you have a more joyful and accident-free swimming experience.

By this point, your little one has developed familiarity with the water and has started to learn the basics of swimming. In this stage, our focus will be on building confidence and further enhancing their swimming skills.

Let's dive into the second stage of your baby's swim dvelopment: learning to swim. At this point, your baby has become familiar with the water and is ready to take the next steps toward independent swimming.

Swimming is an important skill to learn and can be tons of fun, but did you know that swimming is good for a child’s development? Let us explain!

The weather is getting warmer and those competitions are getting closer. The idea of your child swimming can sound more appealing during the nice weather as a way to keep them healthy. But, is your child looking to become a competitive swimmer? Here are a few things you should know before your child competes.

Don’t skip the basics! Your child should feel comfortable in the water and have a good level of confidence. Practise those four techniques used in competitive swimming: freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly. Swim programs are perfect to help a child prepare for swimming at a next level, helping your child to perfect their technique.

The team you decide to go with should fit what you and your child want out of swimming. Having a good team with similar goals in mind will help build confidence in your child and allow them to have friends who are also going through the same struggles to support each other and push each other on to achieve their goals. 

Having the right gear is important for any competitive race. Check with the coach or instructor to see what is required for your team members. Some essentials you will need are goggles and caps! Also make sure to have spares of everything, including their swimsuit in case any issues arise, such as a strap breaking. 

Unlike other sports, swimming is a low-impact sport that helps prevent strain. Swimming is a sport that can be a lifelong activity for your child, even one that can be a launching point if they are interested in pursuing competitions and triathlons at younger ages. Although swimming is a team activity, your child will often be competing in individual events. Keep in mind that your child will put in a lot of practice before the competition!

Most importantly, your child’s safety should come first. Your child should be monitored in the water, even after a child learns to swim and improves their skill. It’s crucial to prevent drowning and other accidents happening by going to practices where you and the instructor can keep an eye on your child.

Is your child heading to their first swim meet and you’re not sure what to expect? Check out more information here: https://www.proswimwear.co.uk/blog/what-to-really-expect-at-your-childs-first-swim-meet-/ 

Water safety is very important for children to learn from a young age due to the risk of accidents and even drowning. It is one of the only sports you can teach your child that can save their life. 

Drowning is one of the top causes of accidental deaths in children, so being able to swim is an essential skill, not only for your child to exercise and socialise with friends but also so they can survive if they accidentally fall in the water. 

Swimming is fun! It’s a great form of exercise that is fun for all ages, so it is much easier to get a child to learn. Swimming is also an accessible sport for children, regardless of age and ability, and can be a key form of exercise for children with additional needs. It can have the advantage of making your child more self-confident, and to make friends. 

Swimming keeps your child’s heart and lungs healthy. Swimming works out the whole body, helping to improve their strength and flexibility, as well as their posture and stamina. Swimming has many health benefits that work for all different muscle groups and help to promote a healthy life if your child is introduced to swimming at a younger age. This can also help to increase their confidence in the water and be able to keep themselves safe with more knowledge and experience.

Swimming is also a great sport to meet new friends and work on team building, allowing your child to learn new social skills and helping them build a team atmosphere. Swimmers learn to support and help each other from their shared experiences in the pool, often making great friendships for life. A positive atmosphere and team skills are skills that can be carried through life. 

Swimming also helps your child to learn self-motivation and goal setting, to push themselves to learn more skills, and to be more confident in the water. Swimming ties teamwork and individuality into one sport.

Swimming is also a sport you can have for life if you teach your child how to swim from a young age. The skill is forever with them and is something they can take with them as they get older. Since swimming is a low-impact sport, it is a hugely popular and safe option for older adults, unlike other sports which can risk falling, swimming is good for the joints and is great for people of all levels.

At Proswimwear, we have a large variety of swimming costumes for children, ranging from performance swimwear to training swimwear. We also have training aids to help support your child in learning how to swim. Make sure to check them out! 

https://www.proswimwear.co.uk/swimming-accessories/swimming-training-aids.html

https://www.proswimwear.co.uk/kids-swimwear.html

It is important to enrol your child into swimming lessons not only for their safety but for their confidence. It is a sport that is a lot of fun for people of all ages, and children love getting in the water and enjoying themselves. It helps keep your child’s heart and lungs healthy, improves strength and flexibility, increases stamina and can even improve posture and balance. 

The Essentials

What would be considered essentials? A swimsuit and towel. We know this sounds simple, but you’d be surprised how frequently people forget these two! Make sure you always have these packed in your child’s swim bag to make sure you don’t forget them. Other items to go in your swim bag could be a pair of footwear for those kids that don’t like the cold tiles beside the pool and a water bottle to make sure your child stays hydrated. Wet bags are also essential. They are useful for keeping damp items separate from the rest of your belongings after a swim, such as your goggles and swimsuit.

For kids with long hair, hairbands are another essential. They don’t want their long hair getting in the way whilst swimming. To ensure hair stays out the way while they swim, you could also pack a swim cap to make sure none of those loose strands gets in the way and is tucked away. 

Struggle to keep your eyes open in the water? Swim goggles are also important! This will help you swim through the water without worrying about chlorine getting in your eyes and allow you to swim until your heart's content. Swim goggles are especially useful for the first swim lesson to help your child see clearly in the water.

Are you taking your baby to their first-ever adult and child lesson? Make sure you pack swim nappies. Swim nappies fit nice and snug which reduces the water that gets into the nappy.

It’s nice to have: 

If your child isn’t completely confident in the water, kickboards could be the perfect assistants to keep them above the water and having fun. They can also be used to play fun games.

You could also help your child feel more comfortable in the pool by bringing a waterproof toy, this can help your child feel safe and reassured as swimming can often be a daunting task for the first time. Pool toys are perfect for fun games such as throwing and chasing the toys or simply playing catch, both of which could help your child improve their confidence in the pool. 

Shampoo and body wash is also a nice touch to bring for your child, at Proswimwear we have SoCozy products such as a Swim 3 in 1 (Shampoo, Conditioner and Body Wash). Even though the showers are equipped with liquid soap, it is nice for your child to have their own body gel and shampoo to wash themselves with. Chlorine sucks the natural oils from your hair and skin, leaving them dry, rough, and damaged. Chlorine can also cause chemical reactions in your hair, changing the natural colour of your hair, weakening each hair strand, and causing split ends, therefore it is appropriate to have the correct products to combat this. 

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It is important to wash after a swimming lesson to help reduce dry skin afterwards, and if your child is prone to this, it could be recommended to use lotion as well. It is also a nice touch to blow dry your child’s hair after the lesson to make sure that they are nice and dry when leaving the building and that they feel refreshed for the day. 

After the swimming lesson, you could also give your child a snack, as moving through the water makes you tired and hungry, and so their energy levels could be low afterwards. Fruit is also a great way to recover after a swim as it provides the body with a good source of vitamins and minerals. Make sure they get their five a day! 

Overall, it may be daunting as a parent taking your child to their first swimming lesson, but it is important to remember that they are in the safe hands of the instructor and that it is an essential skill for them to learn for their safety.

https://www.proswimwear.co.uk/swimming-accessories.html

When you want the best for your child, it can sometimes be challenging knowing how to make it happen. Swim parents can sometimes get a bad rap, which does very little for the child’s ability or confidence in the long run. But the truth is: with a wholesome union of parents, children, and coaches, there is no reason that those swimmers can’t improve and improve as much as they like. In order for this to happen, everyone needs to be on form, and that includes the parents. Let’s take a look at some of the ways in which you can better support your child’s swimming - without being feared for hanging out poolside.