• Published by Salma Safira Sukma from BehaviorPALS Center 

Swimming can be scary for your kids but it is actually a vital skill for them as it can help to prevent drowning. Moreover, not only important for their safety and physical development, swimming can also improve their mental health and is a great way for your kids to explore more of their world. With close supervision, your child will be able to benefit a lot from swimming!

Below are several more benefits of swimming for your children’s development:

1. Improves strength and muscles development

Swimming is a great exercise to build muscle and strength for children. The resistance in the water will require your child to use their entire body to move through it. This will also make their lungs and heart stronger. 

2. Promotes coordination and balance

Other than having to use their overall body, they will also have to coordinate their movement and maintain their balance in the water while swimming. For example, when they learn to kick in the pool, they need to have good coordination on both sides of their body to be able to swim through. Eventually, this will help stimulate their coordination and balancing skills outside the water as well. 

3. Helps develop cognitive and social skills

All the training that your child gets from swimming can help improve their cognitive ability as they learn about body coordination. This will help to develop their visual-motor skills like cutting paper, coloring, and drawing lines or shapes. Swimming activities can also improve their social skills. Whether they are swimming with you, a teacher, or friends, they have the opportunity to interact with others and build their communication skills. 

4. Boosts confidence

Swimming can increase your child’s level of self-esteem as they learn to be independent and rely on their own body in the water. This will also help them feel comfortable and confident to get into new situations or try new things. 

5. Improves appetite and sleep patterns

While swimming, your body will put out lots of energy to move and stay warm in the water. This also happens to your child’s body and it will stimulate their appetite once they are out of the water. Moreover, the amount of energy they use in swimming will also improve your child’s sleeping patterns as their body will need to rest, regenerate and recharge. Therefore, having a regular swimming schedule could be a great way to increase your child’s appetite and have better sleeping patterns.

It is important to note that formal swimming lessons are recommended when your child reaches the age of 1 or older. Parents should also be very careful and gentle when introducing babies or children to the water. Make sure to keep an eye on them while they are in the water.

References: 

5 health benefits of swimming for your infant and toddler. (2020, May 1). Marsden Swim School. Retrieved May 9, 2023 from https://marsdenswimschool.com/blog/health-benefits-swimming-infant-toddler/

How your child’s development benefits from swimming. (n.d.). Bear Paddle. Retrieved May 8, 2023 from https://www.bearpaddle.com/swimming-blog/how-your-childs-development-benefits-from-swimming/

By: Salma Safira Sukma Ikhsani, S.Psi. from BehaviorPALS

swimming, benefits, good, children

Children 4 Years - 6 Years / 4 Tahun - 6 Tahun / Physical Development / Tumbuh Kembang Fisik / Health / Kesehatan / How Swimming is Good for Children

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