Frequency is the key to confident swimmingÂ
Learning to swim can be challenging for some. Patience is essential with any new skill. How long it takes to learn to swim is one of those questions which has the potential to create confusion. There is no definitive answer because age, previous experience and trust all affect the outcome.
What we do know is learning to swim is a process and takes time. Just as learning to read, it requires practice – repetition is a key to learning. The more we practise, the more confident we become. Confidence leads to learning.
Here are a few reasons why attending lessons twice (or more) a week benefits your child.
Fun Fact
Swimming adds benefits other than water safety. Research shows learning to swim increases numeracy and literacy skills in the classroom. This is why kids swimming lessons are so important to your child’s development!Â
A new experience
When you think about the first time you learnt something new, even as an adult, you are most likely overwhelmed with thoughts. It is no different for a child. It often takes a short time for a child to adjust to the new environment of a swimming pool, new faces, new noises, smells and sensations. Attending more frequently settles those butterflies in the stomach.
Between lessons.
A week is a long time in the eyes of a child. To give your child the best start, attending twice a week increases memory recall and increases confidence. If your child is a little unsure, trust is the main factor in a new environment. Increasing attendance fast tracks the trust of familiar people, routine, and environment.
Get the basics right.
The foundational skills of breath control and floating go hand in hand. These are the most challenging but the most important skills. And they need practice to be mastered!
Muscle memory requires emotional confidence for progress to be made. By increasing the opportunity to learn faster these skills are demonstrated without thinking – then you are on your way to start learning to swim!
Mistakes lead to mastery.
Mistakes are all a part of learning. Just like learning to walk, it’s natural to fall, get up, and go again – practising until we get it right. The more often we attempt a skill, make mistakes and re attempt the skill, it increases skill development.
It can be tricky.
Learning to swim can be challenging as it requires coordination of every muscle in the body. A simple example of this complex coordination is climbing. Our natural curiosity for moving and climbing starts as a toddler. We are born with the natural ability to climb. Repetition is how we learnt… and it’s fun!
It’s fun!
Research shows it takes 400 repetitions to learn a new skill – unless it is done with play. Then it is 10 – 20 times. Learning to swim activities include games and fun equipment.
Practise is important for progress.
Mastering the skill takes repetitive practice. If you practise something every day, just like reading and writing, you retain 90% of what you learn. Swim safety for kids is vital to ensure your little ones learn lifesaving skills. With regular swimming lessons you help them learn a valuable skill.
Starting with two lessons a week will see a surge in confidence, learning and fast-tracking skills, opening a world of fun in the great outdoors this summer.