5 things you should know about learning to swim

May 17, 2023
8:42 am

Learning to swim and being safe in the water is a lifelong skill that should be fun! Here we take a look at some of the basics and where to take your little ones for lessons that are all about the kids.

Whether we dreaded the school swimming carnival as kids or raced to the change rooms with goggles in hand, we can probably all agree that swimming is a life-saving skill. And that the earlier it’s learned, the easier it will be. With that in mind, here are a few things to think about when considering how and when your little person should start swimming.

1. Little ones learn best through play

Play is the centre of the universe for all young kids, and before starting school, it’s their main source of learning. Obviously, they have no clue that we have a hidden agenda, as they’re too busy having fun! Swimming lessons are no different. Classes at aquaDucks are completely child-centred, so the approach is all about fun. As a result, kids find swimming a happy and natural experience rather than scary or just too hard.

2. Babies are more familiar with water than you may think

We all spent around nine months submerged in the womb, so doesn’t it make sense that babies find water familiar and perhaps even comforting? While it feels kind of scary to us parents, reintroducing a young baby to an aquatic environment early on is actually quite smart. aquaDucks hold great classes for tiny ones and their parents, helping them to have fun while bonding in the pool, building water confidence through games and songs, and when they’re ready, practicing submersion and personal survival skills. Serious stuff aside, it’s a pretty good laugh too!

3. There’s more than one way to be water safe, and we should use them all

There’s a good reason it feels scary to take your little ones into the water: drowning is a leading cause of death and injury among young children. But it’s absolutely preventable. The key to the prevention of accidental drowning is to ensure there is constant adult supervision regardless of the child’s swimming abilities. Other measures include ensuring there’s a fence around the pool, covering drains appropriately to avoid entrapment, and understanding the basics of life saving and CPR so you can assist if something does happen. The aquaDucks philosophy is that only constant and proper adult supervision can help to save a life. The classes at aquaDucks will teach you and your child critical water safety skills while your little one learns the basics of swimming.

4. Flotation devices are just for fun

While the natural choice might be to give your children floaties and a rubber ring to stay safe, it might not help in the long term. aquaDucks believes children should learn how to be confident and independent in the water, and to respect it. Flotation devices, while fun, may inadvertently teach kids to be less independent, as they feel their floaties do the hard work for them.

5. Swimming is a skill and a joy for life

Let’s not forget, swimming is mostly about FUN! We have fond memories of long, sunny days spent at the pool or the beach as kids, with nothing to worry about but how soon we could get back into the water after inhaling our lunch. The teachers at aquaDucks know how important these lifelong memories are, and many of them used to swim with aquaDucks when they were kids! They also know that every child is different, so they customise lessons to make sure everyone is not just learning, but feeling happy and positive about their learn-to-swim experience.

We will be closed for the Chinese New Year holiday on 22, 23 & 24 January 2023.

5 things you should know about learning to swim

5 things you should know about learning to swim

1. Little ones learn best through play

2. Babies are more familiar with water than you may think

3. There’s more than one way to be water safe, and we should use them all

4. Flotation devices are just for fun

5. Swimming is a skill and a joy for life

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