Swimming can help promote pre-school readiness.

The worldwide outbreak of Covid-19 has meant that many children are no longer attending daycare or pre-school. With social isolation expected to last for at least 6 months, parents may be worried about how the coronavirus crisis may impact their child’s development.

The disruption of routines due to the coronavirus pandemic can be upsetting for children. As parents, it is important that we be gentle with ourselves and with our children as we all settle into the ‘new normal’. Children (and adults) need cuddles and giggling and play, now more than ever.

Parents may be worried about how the loss of daycare or preschool will impact their child’s developmental milestones. As a parent, you may be concerned that your child will not be developing the skills that are important for successfully transitioning to formal learning environments such as pre-school and school.

Luckily, we have some wonderful news for parents who want to ensure their child is ready for preschool or school when they reopen: you can increase your child’s school readiness by teaching them to swim!

Researchers from Griffith University have conducted one of the world’s most comprehensive studies into early-years swimming and have found that babies and pre-schoolers that learn to swim develop “highly valuable skills” that are of “considerable benefit for children as they transition into pre-school and school”.

The study found that babies that learn to swim early in life are up to 15 months ahead of their non-swimming peers in math, counting and language by the time they start school! Early-swimming babies also achieved their physical milestones earlier than non-swimmers, and had better oral expression.

While most swim-schools are closed at the moment, if you have a safe place to swim you can teach your baby to swim. Teaching your baby to swim means you can have some fun quality time while helping your baby to reach her developmental milestones earlier than the norm.

The SWIMTRAINER “Classic” swimming aid is designed for babies and pre-schoolers from 3 months to 4 years of age and places children in the correct, horizontal position for learning to swim. Parents should be in arms-reach of their baby, but don’t need to hold them. This frees parents up to demonstrate or correct their child’s swimming strokes, while encouraging children’s confidence and independence in the water.

Children as young as 4 months old will start to kick around the pool in the SWIMTRAINER “Classic”, allowing parents to swim along beside them offering encouragement and lavishing praise. The SWIMTRAINER “Classic” is a great way to stimulate play-based learning. Play-based learning is how Australian pre-schools and daycare centres stimulate school readiness.

Using the SWIMTRAINER “Classic” to encourage play-based learning is a great way to promote pre-school and school readiness for your baby or pre-schooler, while also gaining the valuable life-skill of swimming. Allow your child to explore the water at their own pace and include lots of games, races, splashing and giggling. Enjoy the opportunity for one-on-one time with your baby. Laugh a lot, and the learnings will naturally follow.

Reference: https://news.griffith.edu.au/2012/11/15/swimming-kids-are-smarter/