One of my earliest memories is of swimming lessons in the winter with my parents. I remember the pool, thinking it was crazy that we left when it was dark out (our lessons were in the evening and the days were still very short), and it seeming so weird that we had bathing suits out when it there was snow on the ground.\u00a0 Turns out, my parents were doing exactly what they should do (Thanks, Mom and Dad!), because winter swim lessons make a huge difference. Here’s how:<\/p>\n

\nAccording to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), there were over 170 child drowning deaths in the United States<\/a> during the summer of 2014. \u00a0Drowning is the number one cause of accidental death for kids under age five. And every summer, several children in the Chicago-area drown or suffer long-term injuries from a water-related accident. These statistics are so sobering, but there are steps you can take to make sure that your child is safe in and around water.<\/p>\n

This may surprise you but winter is actually the best time to think about swim and water safety. The American Red Cross says that the number one thing parents can do to prevent accidental drowning in enroll kids in weekly swim lessons to ensure that they have the basic safety skills they need to be safe in the water. Use this time to work on building up critical swim skills so that your child is ready to SAFELY hit the beach and pool when summer returns<\/p>\n

Why swim this winter?<\/strong><\/p>\n

1. Swim lessons reduce the risk of drowning.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\u201cGetting swim-ready for spring break and summer vacation starts in the winter months. Indoor swimming is actually a great cold-weather activity!\u00a0 Year-round lessons are the best way for kids to learn how to swim because they are able to retain what they learn with consistent practice.\u00a0 Plus each child learns new skills differently and at their own pace so starting in the winter is the best way to ensure progress by summer, ” says Sally Anderson, owner of Goldfish Swim School Evanston.<\/p>\n

2. Swimming helps kids do better in school.<\/strong><\/p>\n

I had no idea, but the folks at Goldfish told me about researching linking swimming 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\u2019ll do in the classroom.<\/p>\n

\n3. Strength in numbers + consistency!<\/strong><\/p>\n

Often times, younger swimmers are nervous about getting into the water without mom or dad for the first time. Swim safety experts find 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 benefitting 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. Being around other children fosters team building and social skills. Ongoing, consistent, week-to-week instruction helps kids to really progress and build on their swimming skills.<\/p>\n

And if you worry that your kids are too old to start, they’re not. It is never, ever too late to learn how to swim. Never.And someday, they’ll thank you.<\/p>\n

As a bonus, indoor swimming during the winter months is a great way for kids to expend a ton of energy while having fun! Perfect way to pass the time on a chilly winter day!<\/p>\n

——-<\/p>\n

This post wasn’t sponsored, I just think swimming is really, really important, and I’m grateful to the folks at Goldfish Swim School<\/a> for the valuable info. Goldfish is a leading water safety and swim lesson school offering infant and child swim lessons that provides weekly swim lessons a unique setting with highly trained instructors, small class sizes (max 4:1 student to teacher ratio), warm 90-degree pools, and a state-of-the-art water purification system. Goldfish also offers family swims to both members and non-members throughout the week so that families can work on water and swim safety skills together in the comfort of a 90 degree pool! There are seven Chicago-area Goldfish locations, and some in other states, too.<\/p>\n