It is one of those difficult decisions when looking at what activities to take part in with your child. There is a wealth of activities to choose from, which if time and money was no object then we would love to take part in. How do you choose which one to prioritise? Other than what you/ your child enjoys there are many other factors to consider. Please read as to why swimming should be at the top of your list.

It is a well-known fact that taking your little one to baby or toddler swimming lessons from a young age can offer them many benefits that you may not have thought about yet. This includes supporting their physical, social, language, and emotional development, teaching them a vital life-saving skill that, in turn, helps to build their confidence in the water, all whilst giving them the opportunity to do something fun alongside their parent or carer, encouraging bonding whilst creating special, life-long memories.

In this article, we look at the benefits of baby and toddler swimming lessons in more detail, helping you decide whether Turtle Tots is the right choice for your little one.

BENEFIT NO.1– ESSENTIAL LIFE-SAVING SKILLS 

The Turtle Tots baby and toddler swimming programme has been developed with water safety in mind. Our aim is to provide children with the essential, life-saving skills they may need to build confidence when they are in or near the water.

Early exposure to water from a young age helps to build familiarity in the environment. This comfort can help to reduce fear and panic if they find themselves in a tricky situation, giving them time to adopt the skills needed or call for help.

Skills like turning onto their backs, floating, or grabbing at the edge of the pool are crucial survival skills. Mastering these can significantly increase a child’s chances of survival in a water related emergency.

At our swimming lessons, we introduce pool and water safety rules within our programme to ensure that every child, and their parent or carer, understands the potential hazards they can face within these environments in a safe and supportive manner. These generally transfer to all water-based activities as they grow.

In summary, teaching water safety and swimming skills to babies lays the foundation for water safety and can help prevent drowning incidents by instilling safety habits and skills from an early age. You may want to ask yourself, If I choose a different activity will it teach my child a life saving skill from an early age?

BENEFIT NO.2 – PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Swimming from a young age engages various muscle groups, promoting overall muscle development. Right from the first level of our award-winning swim programme, our kicking skills help to strengthen their muscles and improve co-ordination.

Any physical activity promotes good cardiovascular health, even in babies. Swimming is an excellent way to improve lung and heart function, as well as general cardiovascular health.

The buoyancy of the water allows little ones to move their limbs in ways that may be difficult out of the water because of gravity. Many of our skills encourage stretching out their arms and legs in different directions, increasing flexibility at every stage.

Our relaxed armchair swim introduces the concept of floating. Floating and moving in the water requires babies to maintain balance and control their body movements. Therefore, practicing this skill will help to develop better posture and balance.

Overall, baby swimming lessons encourage the development of gross motor skills such as crawling, walking, and running.

BENEFIT NO.3 – DEVELOP SOCIAL SKILLS

Turtle Tots swimming lessons are taught in small groups and many of our activities include some level of group interaction. Group settings provide opportunities for babies to interact with each other, observing and engaging with their peers, developing an understanding of social interaction and communication skills from a young age.

Some of our skills are taught in where each child and their supporting adult take their turn to demonstrate their skills in front of the group. Turn taking helps little ones to understand the need to cooperate – learning to wait, share equipment and engage in interactions with other in the pool.

Babies naturally learn through observation. By taking part in a group activity such as Turtle Tots, gives them the opportunity to watch and mimic their peers’ behaviours, helping them to build an understanding of friendly and cooperative actions.

Emotional regulation is a hot topic. When swimming, babies and toddlers may experience feelings of joy, excitement, or frustration as they try to learn a new skill. Learning how to navigate these emotions with the comfort of their caregiver, and in a safe and positive environment will ensure that your little one grows up to be more socially competent.

BENEFIT NO. 4– LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT 

One of the benefits of baby swimming is language development. The Education Hub on the UK Government website states that, “…developing language skills at a young age is consistently linked with better school attainment and job prospects”. They recommend mimicking your child’s facial expressions and sounds, back and forth conversation, gesturing to your baby and responding to their actions, as well as singing songs, poems or rhymes repetitively as some of the great things you can do to bring on your child’s language skills from day one.

The social environment of an organised children’s activity such as a Turtle Tots swimming lesson, provides opportunities for children to be exposed to language and communication from a very young age. Through the close interaction a child has with their parents and teachers during our lessons, and the skills instructions, games and songs they learn throughout their journey with Turtle Tots, our swimmers will acquire a rich vocabulary of fun and exciting words that they can take with them for life.

BENEFIT NO.5 – CONFIDENCE

Learning to swim at a young age can boost a baby’s confidence and sense of independence through their small weekly achievements. The positive interactions that each child has with our highly trained teachers, and their peer group, helps to develop trust and confidence in a social situation. Feeling comfortable and secure in the water with other children and adults around them, can help a child to overcome shyness or anxiety through social engagement.

BENEFIT NO.6 – BONDING & ATTACHMENT

Parent/ Carer bonding plays a crucial role in child development. Our lesson programme, the skills we teach, and the pools facilities that we choose, are all designed to provide the best opportunity possible for the supporting adult and their little one to enjoy a fun and supportive time together.

The positive interactions they have together at a baby or toddler swimming class strengthens the adult-child relationship. Bonding with their supporting adult creates secure attachment which is essential for emotional well-being. Responsive parenting teaches children that their needs will be met helping them to manage their feelings and cope with stress more effectively.

Bonding with their trusted adult provides little ones with opportunities to learn new words, engage in conversation, and begin understanding non-verbal cues, as well as learning about empathy and cooperation with their parents, their peers and others within their family and wider community.

When a child feels loved and accepted, they are more likely to develop a positive self-image and confidence in their abilities. Taking part in an activity that gives you the chance to encourage and praise your child will help to develop e strong sense of self-esteem.

Now that you know more about the Turtle Tots 6 benefits of baby and toddler swimming lessons, what’s stopping you? Join Turtle Tots Southampton and East Dorset today! Please contact the office on Southampton@turtletots.com or 02382180326 if you want any more information!