So, you’ve heard about the many benefits of swimming and why it’s a great sport for kids.

You might be asking yourself if it’s worth enrolling your child in swimming lessons or not. Perhaps you’re at the stage where you’ve decided you want your child to learn how to swim. 

This is an exciting time!

While self-taught swimming is possible, it’s not always the safest option. Having your child taught by a qualified, trained swimming teacher is the way to go to ensure that they are equipped with the necessary technique and equipment for an enjoyable and safe time in the water.

We believe swimming lessons should be thought of as an important investment into your child’s safety. A great teacher not only teaches your child how to swim, but also supervises and prepares your child with the skills needed to be safe around water.

Here’s why swimming lessons keep your child safe.

Swimming lessons…

• Teach your child to be safe around water.
• Help your child with open water swimming in the future.
• Provide an ideal environment to teach your child to swim.
• Give your child access to proper equipment.
• Mean that a qualified team is available to deliver CPR if needed.

Let’s dive (or swim) deeper into each of these reasons!

HOW DO SWIMMING LESSONS KEEP MY CHILD SAFE?

SAFETY AROUND WATER

With pools common in backyards and a country surrounded by beautiful coastline, swimming and water are a big part of Australian life. While they are rare, unfortunately tragedies can occur, particularly in young children.

Studies have shown that participating in swimming lessons has been linked to an 88% reduction in the risk of drowning for children aged 1-4. One of the first things a swimming instructor will teach is how to prevent their students from drowning by teaching them how to enter the water safely, how to float, and safe behaviours around water. Swimming isn’t only an ability that’s needed in the pool, but is a general life skill that your child will need for a lifetime. 

PREPARING FOR OPEN WATER

How does a family outing at the beach sound? A lot of parents love to take their children for a dip into ocean waters – but there are some risks associated with this. 

Strong currents, waves and bad weather can make swimming in open water particularly challenging. But don’t stress. A day at the beach with your little ones is still a feasible option. One of the major benefits of learning to swim in a pool with a swimming teacher is that they can also teach children skills that are transferable to swimming in open water.

With the skills that they’ve learnt through their swimming teacher, your child will be better prepared to swim away from signs of danger in the open water. A child should therefore learn how to swim properly in a pool first, before swimming in oceans, rivers and lakes.

CORRECT ENVIRONMENT

Have you ever thought about how water temperature can affect your child when swimming? Swimming in water that is too cold or too hot poses serious risks.

Risks of swimming in water that is too cold include:

• Cramping
• Asthma
• Hypothermia
• Cold shock
• Damage to your child’s breathing, heart rate and blood pressure.

Contrastingly, swimming in water that is too warm can induce:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Light-headedness.

The ‘correct’ temperature on any given day can vary depending on the weather and environmental conditions. That’s why it’s crucial that your child swims in a facility that’s equipped to handle all types of conditions.

High quality swimming facilities and programs like those at the Artemis Centre are designed to monitor and maintain safe water temperature at all times, making sure that your child’s health isn’t compromised by water that’s either too cold or hot.

PROPER EQUIPMENT

At the early stages of learning how to swim, it’s paramount that children have access to equipment that not only facilitates their learning, but also keeps them safe.

For example, the use of equipment such as kick boards and swimming noodles help kids safely stay afloat while they’re still gaining confidence in the water and developing their strokes. Other apparel, such as goggles, ear plugs and caps, can be used to keep water out of your child’s eyes and ears.

Although having a range of equipment and apparel is vital for a child’s safety in the water, as a parent, it’s unrealistic that you’re going to have access to all the equipment your child might need – but that’s okay.

Swimming teachers will have access to a wide array of equipment to use when appropriate, making it a safe and comfortable learning environment suited to every child’s unique needs.

EMERGENCY SUPERVISION

No parent ever wants their child to be in an emergency situation, however it’s important to be prepared. Although being in the water is generally a safe experience for children, it’s best not to take chances when you’re dealing with potentially dangerous circumstances.

In emergencies, time is of the essence – and things can go wrong in a matter of seconds. That’s why it is vital that there are people who are trained in CPR supervising your child when they’re in the pool.

Swimming teachers must complete formal training in CPR before they can ever practice as a teacher and are equipped with the skills to quickly and effectively perform resuscitation when required.

This is a skill that could potentially save a child’s life – so when you enrol your child into swimming lessons, you’ll always get the peace of mind that your child is in the safe hands of someone who is trained and qualified to assist in emergencies.

SO HOW CAN I KEEP MY CHILD SAFE WHEN SWIMMING?

The best thing you can do for your child is enrol them in a swimming lesson program with high quality, trained swimming teachers. 

These instructors will serve as your eyes and ears in the pool, and they’ll always have your child’s safety as their number one priority. 

WHAT WE OFFER

Artemis Aquatics offers swimming lessons that your child will not only learn and benefit from but are also extremely safe – with only highly trained, qualified instructors at the helm to make sure that your child has the safest experience possible!

Our Learn to Swim program caters for swimmers of all levels. Whether your child is building up confidence and just discovering themselves in the water, or they’re at the stage where they’re ready to start swimming competitively – our helpful, talented and friendly teaching team will be more than happy to help with your child’s development in the pool.

Get in contact with us today to learn more about our swimming programs.