There are many benefits to taking your little one to baby swimming classes. From learning key water safety skills to supporting their development as they continue to grow, there's loads to be gained from swimming with your baby. Baby swimming is an activity which is built around helping little one's throughout their early years.
When the temperature starts to drop outside though, it can be tempting to stay out of the swimming pool. But the main benefit of baby swimming is that as other children's activities stop due to the elements, indoor swimming isn't impacted by seasonal changes and can be enjoyed throughout the year in toasty, warm pools, even when the winter months start rolling in.
Below, we run through five benefits of baby swimming this winter.
Building Confidence in the Water
Repetition is a great way to help babies and toddlers understand key safety skills to grow their water confidence, and this is a key part of lessons. This repetition supports their cognitive development so they can retain the information they're learning within their lessons. Practising these skills both in and out of classes supports little one's memory of the skills, as well as their progression.
Keeping the routine of going to lessons in winter also contributes to their learning and understanding of the skills taught in lessons, which continually builds their water confidence.
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Staying Healthy
Especially in the winter months, staying healthy and supporting the immune system is important for the whole family. The physical benefits of baby swimming means that you're keeping your little one active and fit to support all the key physical developments swimming encourages, all year long. These include:
- Improved sleeping patterns
- Improved appetites
- Strong heart and lung functions
- Typically walk earlier
- Better balance and better at grasping things
- Significantly stronger and more coordinated
Bonding Together
Swimming provides a special opportunity for some skin-to-skin bonding time with your little one, with no outside distractions and limitations. For that half an hour in the pool, it's just you and your baby learning key water skills together - and having fun!
Being Social
When it's colder outside you're more likely to spend your time at home indoors, where there's limited amount of energy release for little ones, or social interaction with children of a similar age to them. This can be the same for parents and carers as well. Baby swimming lessons are a great way to:
- Continue your little one's learning of a key life skill in a safe environment
- Socialise with other babies to help grow their social development skills
- It's also a great opportunity for parents and carers to meet and connect with other mums and dads in their classes
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What To Take Swimming in the Winter
There may be a few extra items you need to pack for your baby's swimming class during the winter months. But essentially, you just need to make sure to wrap your little one up nice and warm for when they leave the venue after their lesson. This includes:
- Look at baby or toddler wetsuits during winter
- Pack a hat or earmuffs for your baby (and yourself!) for after the lesson
- Dry your little one's ears before leaving the venue
- Have a hot water bottle in a towel for when you get out
- Onesies are a great way to keep little ones warm after classes
To find out more about baby swimming and classes in your local area, head over to the Water Babies website
