Studies have shown that spending time in the pool can help your baby developmentally. It can help them become more self-reliant, improve coordination, and help build muscles. Being in the water engages your baby’s brain in a unique way. They naturally begin to kick and smack the water once they are immersed. These bilateral movements will help strengthen your baby both inside and out.
SafeSplash Swim School in Castle Rock, Lone Tree/Parker, and other Denver metro locations provides swim lessons for babies 6 months and older. It’s normal to feel uneasy about enrolling your infant in swim classes but there are so many benefits to starting early.
Think of it this way: an infant just spent 40 weeks in a water environment in the womb. This is a naturally calming place. They are used to the sensation, movement, and noises. In some cases, the longer you wait to introduce your baby to the pool, the more fearful and negative about swimming they can become.
One of the biggest benefits of baby swimming is the reduced risk of drowning. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), drowning is a leading cause of death among children and toddlers. This is why it’s so important that even the youngest babies be taught safety skills that could potentially save their lives. Younger children are less resistant to floating on their backs, which is a key lifesaving strategy taught at SafeSplash.
The social benefits of swim lessons at an early age are also instrumental in boosting their brain power. It’s also a nice place for parents and baby to bond with skin-to-skin contact in a relaxing environment!
Tips to help prepare your baby for the pool:
- Bath time is a great way to introduce fun in the water-toys, splashing, and gentle drips of water overhead and forehead.
- Make sure your baby has the proper apparel for classes: swim suit, long sleeve rash guard if water is cooler, and non-disposable swim diaper.
- On the first day of lessons, try to arrive early. Let your baby take in the new environment and watch the lessons before their lesson. Bring a bath toy from home. They can use their own toy in class and that will make the transition from bath to pool easier.
- Go with the flow. Make it a positive experience, and don’t stress if your baby isn’t reacting to the water as you’d hoped. It’s a new experience for the both of you, so listen to their cues and never push them to do things that make them uncomfortable. It becomes more difficult to teach a child who associates the pool with a traumatic experience.
Overall, as long as you are taking the necessary precautions and giving your baby your full attention, pool time will be a wonderful bonding experience between you and baby. Plus, there isn’t anything cuter than a baby in a tiny swimsuit!
SafeSplash Swim School has locations in Castle Rock, Lone Tree/Parker, and across the Denver metro area. When it comes to choosing the right program, be sure you know the training and experience of your swim instructor. To learn more about infant swim lessons or to register for a FREE trial lesson, call (303) 799-1885, visit SafeSplash.com, or email moreinfo@safesplash.com.
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