Swimming lessons key for children to develop wider life-long skills

As the Olympic and Paralympic summer inspires more people to learn to swim, new research from Swim England has found that children involved in swimming lessons are not just gaining vital water safety skills – but extensive additional benefits.

Swim England has recently launched the latest wave of their #LoveSwimming campaign which aims to inspire more people to recognise these wider benefits of swimming lessons and start their learning journey.

As Great Britain’s aquatics stars have inspired the nation from Paris, attention turns to ensuring a longer-term positive impact, and providing every young person the opportunity to develop a lifelong love of the water by providing essential pool facilities.

The new research found that 87% of those surveyed signed their children up to swimming lessons with the intention of promoting a lifelong engagement in sport.

Lessons have been shown to have wider positive benefits. New data found that 84% of parents agree that swimming lessons have helped their child’s confidence or self-esteem improve, alongside learning vital water safety skills.

More than two thirds of parents also agreed that swimming lessons helped their children to meet new friends, making the activity one of the most productive mediums for supporting children to be healthy and happy.

Joanne, a mother of twin girls who both have swimming lessons at Five Rivers Health and Wellbeing Centre in Salisbury, said, “I think there is such wide-ranging life skill benefits of swimming.

“Swimming can help you to forget about things that may be going on day-to-day as you can just focus on your swimming and that definitely contributes to a better mood afterwards.

“They always come out after having fun, smiling and feeling like they have learnt something whilst having a really good time.”

Cllr Ian Blair-Pilling, Cabinet Member for Leisure, said, “Swimming is one of the most important life skills that a person can learn and is also a great way to have fun and keep fit. Encouraging parents to sign their children up to our swimming lessons is a great way to act on our Business Plan commitment to help people to improve their activity levels.

“We offer a wide-range of lessons to cater for the complete beginner through to a variety of adult options as well, with a concessionary pricing scheme in place to support eligible people so that nobody misses out. It’s also never too late, as we offer a variety of adult courses as well.”

As part of the latest #LoveSwimming campaign, more children are being urged to get swimming, to ensure they are not only safe in the water, but to benefit from the wide range of life-long skills.

Andy Salmon, Swim England’s CEO, added: "#LoveSwimming is a hugely important campaign for us as it represents an opportunity for us as the national governing body to make people aware just how important swimming lessons are.

“Water safety is of paramount importance but as well as learning how to enjoy the water it is clear that children’s confidence and self-esteem builds and they make new and lasting friendships.

“Our research has shown just how important swimming lessons are, with the vast majority of parents we have spoken to highlighting the positive benefits of their children taking part in swimming lessons.

“I would urge any parent reading this who hasn’t put their children through swimming lessons to do so - there is so much to gain and we’re confident your children will love it.”

Full details of the swim school courses being offered, plus information on prices and booking, can be found: Swim school - Wiltshire Council