Benefits Of Teaching A Child To Swim

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Benefits of Teaching a Child to Swim
According to US Census Bureau, swimming is the second most popular sport in the US. However, it is a fun sport and healthful activity that provides a multitude of benefits in human body such as mental and physical fitness. Most kids love swimming especially in pools and beaches since it is fun and enjoyable spending time playing in water but also it is a healthier activity to adults who engage themselves in regular swimming. Moreover, swimming is an anaerobic activity that probably the last thing in the minds of American people especially during winter time but it is worth celebrating the return of sunshine while having fun in water. Therefore, this paper develops an insight to parents about the many benefits related to teaching a child how to swim. According to research, it shows that more than 35,000 people perish by fatally drowning each year (“Benefits of Teaching Children to Swim | Jeff Ellis Management”). However, teacher your child how to swim will reduce the risk of drowning and also make them stay healthy.
Learning to swim is not only fun and beneficial to health but also as a safety measure as well. Drowning is the most fatal tragedy and it mostly affects those who do not have the basic skills of swimming to save their life (Baby swimming: why we encourage parents to start them young). According to research conducted by kidshealth.org, it reports that drowning is the second most leading cause of mortality rate especially to people between the ages of 5 and 24(Whitehead).

On contrary to this context, the most essential and important beneficial aspect related to teaching your kid how to swim is that it guarantees life safety. Swimming lessons that are normally fun greatly reduce the risk of drowning; your child will be equipped with the relevant skills that will make him/her aware of the basic rules concerning safety. However, children who normally receive formal swimming learns about the life-saving water safety rules that are associated with factors that cause risky incidents in water such as lack of supervision, absence of fences and borders and not wearing life jackets while in water. Therefore, Swimming is a lifelong skill that could save many lives including an individual’s life since it creates an opportunity for children to learn life-saving skills such as first aid and CPR. In addition, reduction in risk of drowning may be influenced by less curiosity of children who are regularly exposed to waters since there will be minimal chances of attempting to find out what is all about under less supervision. In case a trained child accidentally gets immersed in water, they possess the ability to remain calm and apply survival techniques to save their life.
According to scientific proof, swimming boosts the development of the whole child. Basically, it stimulates cognitive and physical development of swim children compared to the normal time expected for such development to take place. Babies are considered to move faster in water than in dry land due to the conducive motion caused by buoyancy that is at high level and reduced resistance in water. Consequently, these ease the task of enabling the child to learn easily how to move limbs and therefore this will help the child to develop the necessary strength and coordination. According to a research study conducted by Griffith University in New Zealand, it reports that children who have learned to swim normally achieve many milestones at early age than the normal expected age in all areas involving physical, social, cognitive and linguistic (Whitehead). In addition, another study shows that training children to accelerate their physical, intellectual and emotional development. However, the study claimed that children who swam regularly and consequently from infancy they are considered to be more significantly stronger and coordinated compared to children with a round group that did not take year-round lessons in swimming. In addition, these children’s academic performance was excellent and carried over to greater heights whereas the results of a test which done on them showed that they scored higher in intelligence and problem solving. Furthermore, they were emotionally controlled whereby they were discovered to have more self-discipline and increased desire in succeeding. Compared to control group, swimming improved their self-esteem and they were discovered to be more comfortable in social situations (Whitehead).
On the other hand, swimming enables young child to develop motor development, accelerates cognitive development and strengthens social confidence. According to research study, it reported that baby swimmers develop better movement and balance and grasping techniques compared to non- swimmers and therefore these are motor developments. According to another research conducted by Griffith University, it shows that the children under the age of five who are involved in swimming lessons were discovered to be more advanced in their cognitive and physical development and also shows further benefits into social and language development (Whitehead). In addition, this study also reported that when young children are engaged in swimming, the high water resistance enables to strengthen the muscles compared to playing on the floor since swimming is considered to activate large portion of children’s muscles. Furthermore, children who take early swimming lessons tend to adapt to new situations very fast and develop more self-confidence and independence than non-swimmers. Swim class normally facilitates interaction and integration of many children thus offering abundant opportunities for children to socialize amongst themselves and explore movement together since a child learns through observing and imitating what others are doing. However, this group enables the child to develop self-esteem gradually through a sense of belonging (Hopkins).
In accordance to the benefits of swimming to children, it enables them to enhance neurological development, expand memory capacity and also expands memory capacity. The tactile experiences in the water are considered to have a positive effect in overall neural organization. Water has a high resistance of air that causes the child to experience tactile stimulation over the entire body that encourages neurological development. According to study report, bilateral cross patterning movement s like swimming are considered to cause brain development of a child. However, the cross patterning causes the nerves fibers found in the corpus callosum in the brain to develop further. The functions of the corpus callosum are to facilitate the communication by ensuring there is effective feedback and modulation from one side of the brain to the other (Whitehead). Moreover, good communication in the brain is necessary for the cerebral hemispheres since poor communication affects the language development and academic development therefore it leads to overall efficiency in the brain. In addition, research study shows that swimming is an aerobic exercise therefore it has an effect in the size and memory capacity. Therefore, higher physically fit people are considered to have bigger hippocampus (Whitehead).
Another fascinating benefit related to swimming is that it allows children with disabilities to enjoy physical activity. Logically, swimming is an aerobic exercise that hardly causes wear and tear in a body or cause impact in joints. Furthermore, it reduces the health issue children whereby regular swimming is considered to reduce the risk of heart disease. Swimming is most important to children diagnosed with cerebral palsy that is a disorder associated with development of movement and posture. However, Cerebral palsy consists of primary problems such as abnormal muscle tone, balance impairment and coordination, loss of motor control and decreased muscle strength. Research shows that water exercise is the ideal therapy for children with cerebral palsy hence several aspects of water enables children with cerebral palsy to exercise more freely than in land. For instance, buoyancy frees an immersed body in the water from downward pull by gravity and as a result enabling relaxation of joints. Hydrostatic force normally facilitates enhanced tactile input while weight relief allows safe movement, strength and functional activity. Moreover, swimming is regarded as a recreational activity therefore it is necessary to expose people with lifelong developmental disability in aquatic environment. On my viewpoint, aquatic environment is the safest and flexible place that offers children with disability an opportunity to engage in recreation, meaningful exercise and fitness (Declerk, Feys, and Daly)
In conclusion, children who learn or know how to swim have more advantages compared to non-swimmers. Arguably, research emphasizes that swimming has more benefits in a child’s life than harm, it facilitates development of body and enables to avoid health issues. Children who regularly swim year-rounded perhaps have fewer health issues than non-swimmers and on the other hand there brains are more developed compared to those of non-swimmers. Finally, it is advisable for parents to train their children how to swim during early childhood ages as it will be more beneficial to them while growing up considering aspects such as safety, health factors, general physical development, social and language development and intellectual aspect.
Works Cited
Baby Swimming: why we encourage parents to start them young. N.p., 22 Apr. 2013. Web. <http://swimmingsafari.com/blog/baby-swimming-why-we-encourage-parents-to-start-them-young>.
“Benefits of Teaching Children to Swim | Jeff Ellis Management.” Jeff Ellis Management | Pool Service Management, Aquatic and Lifeguard Management. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Dec. 2015.
Declerk, Marlies, Hilde Feys, and Daniel Daly. “BENEFITS OF SWIMMING FOR CHILDREN WITH CEREBRAL PALSY.” N.p., Web. <http://www.researchgate.net/publication/255728666_Benefits_of_swimming_for_children_with_cerebral_palsy_a_pilot_study>.
Hopkins, Mellisa. What Are the Benefits of Swimming for Kids? N.p., 18 Dec. 2013. Web. <http://www.livestrong.com/article/148394-what-are-the-benefits-of-swimming-for-kids/>.
“Swimming Lessons for Infants and Toddlers.” PubMed Central (PMC). N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Dec. 2015.
Whitehead, Lana. Scientific Proof of the Benefits of Baby Swimming. N.p., 30 Jan. 2013. Web. <http://www.sosswim.com/blog/scientific-proof-of-the-benefits-of-baby-swimming>.