While we all know the benefits of children learning to swim from an early age, many parents wonder how long their kids will need to take lessons for.

 While it’s completely dependent on the individual child and their development, there is one crucial factor to keep in mind – safety.

I’m going to be honest with you, teaching your child to swim will require a big commitment. Really, most swim schools will want you to enrol with your baby before they turn 6 months of age and then continue with them right through primary school as your child masters not only water safety skills but the 4 competitive strokes of freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly. Learning great swimming technique does take years to accomplish. But even if your child doesn’t go on to be a competitive swimmer they will go on to have the skills to enjoy a range of sports and recreations in, on, or around water.

Swimming lessons are great for children’s social, emotional and physical development. Don’t just take my word for it – science backs it up! Professor Robyn Jorgensen conducted a 4 year study which showed that early years swimming actually builds children’s social, emotional, physical and intellectual capital. Children regardless of culture and socioeconomic backgrounds displayed significant advantages. The study also indicated that children’s readiness for school was considerably improved as children had advanced scoring on language development, comprehension, literacy and numeracy. The full study can be found at the following link

Swimming is a unique form of recreation and sport that can be enjoyed by babies right through to the elderly. So learning to swim is truly a gift for life. Drowning is a leading cause of accidental death in children under 5. While no child is drown-proof and supervision is essential, I believe learning to swim does teach children a love and respect for the water, making them less likely to wander into dangerous situations. As a parent and a swimming instructor, I do appreciate that this will require not only your time but a significant financial investment. But swimming lessons are just that – an investment, an investment in the fun, fitness, health and safety of your child.