Swimming is tons of fun, but it is no joke
According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), in summer 2012 alone, there were 137 child drowning deaths in the United States. Sadly, drowning is the nation’s second leading cause of accidental death for children under 14.
These are staggering and upsetting statistics. So what can we do are parents? The fact is that getting kids into swim lessons is the number one thing you can do to protect your kids from drowning. In 2009, the American Academy of Pediatrics conducted a study that concluded that children who are enrolled in formal swimming lessons have an 88% reduced risk of drowning. These numbers can’t be ignored.
Looking for some reasons to get your child enrolled in swim lessons? At Goldfish Swim School Roscoe Village, we’ve got plenty!
1. Swim lessons reduce the risk of drowning. You read the stats above, right? Swimming is an essential life skill and you want to be confident that your child has mastered it. Kids are around water all of the time. Arm your child with the skills they need to be water-safe -- now and in the future.
2. Swimming helps kids do better in school. You heard right: your kids’ time in the pool translates to higher marks at school. That’s right—swimming has been scientifically linked to an increased performance in visual motor skills and oral expression in kids. Studies have found that children who swam during their developmental years achieved several physical and mental milestones faster than their non-swimming counterparts. Researchers found that the type of instruction and sensory learning kids are exposed to early on in swimming lessons translates almost seamlessly into the type of learning they’ll do in the classroom.
3. Strength in numbers! Often times, younger swimmers are nervous about getting into the water without mom or dad for the first time. We’ve found that little kids do better when they are with other kids their same age. Goldfish offers small group swim lessons (4:1 max student to teacher ratio) for the Mini through Pro levels. This ratio ensures that little swimmers get the individual attention they need while also benefiting from the presence of peers. For example, if swimmers see their peers participating in a skill taught by one of the instructors, they are often more likely to join in. This philosophy can be applied to children of all ages, but it’s particularly impactful for 2-3 year-olds who are at an critical stage in their development. Being around other children fosters team building and social skills.
4. Kids benefit from consistency. That’s why we use a perpetual lesson model. No need to worry about waking up at 5:00 a.m. to re-register for swim classes as each new session begins. At Goldfish, you have your class time until you tell us otherwise. We know that this ongoing, consistent, week-to-week instruction helps kids to really progress and build on their swimming skills.
5. Common sense is key! As parents, it is our responsibility to be aware of our children’s swim abilities and to be proactive about teaching them the necessary skills to keep them safe. At Goldfish, we believe that children aren’t fully safe in the water until they have learned the proper stroke techniques and built up their endurance; a strong swimmer is a safe swimmer! Teaching children not only to be comfortable in the water, but also to respect the water and its possible dangers are essential to water safety. As parents and caregivers, we can also follow simple steps such as keeping toys away from the side of the pool or having your children use the buddy system while swimming. In addition, the American Red Cross’s tips on water safety detail some basic guidelines to keep in mind any time you are in or near a body of water.
About Goldfish Swim School: Goldfish Swim School is 100% dedicated to teaching kids how to swim and everything about the facility and program is tailored to that objective. They provide swim lessons for children ages 4 months to 12 years-old with highly trained instructors, small class sizes, warm 90-degree pools, and a state-of-the-art water purification system. They are also proud to offer swim classes for children of different ages at the same time so that families with multiple kids can get everyone in the pool for a lesson at the same time each week. Headquartered in Birmingham, Michigan, Goldfish Swim School has over a dozen locations throughout the Midwest with more locations planned for 2014. There are currently three Chicago-area locations: Naperville, St. Charles and Roscoe Village.
About the author: Kathy Ryan is a mother of two and the owner of Goldfish Swim School in Chicago. Goldfish offers swim classes and other programs for children 4 months to 12 years of age. Our developmentally-appropriate curriculum offers top-quality swim lessons coupled with an experience you can't get anywhere else. To learn more or to register for lessons, please visit our website.
