Introducing your baby to a swim environment early – from around six months old – will have lifelong benefits.
Caue Tench, who teaches baby swim classes at Coogee, says: “I see how early swimming creates a great bond between parent and baby. They get to spend quality playtime together, as well as helping the baby to develop water awareness and how to have a good and safe time in the pool.”
There are physical, social and developmental benefits for babies – but first of all conditions have to be right. If the pool water is too cold or the environment is too big, crowded and noisy, it can be overwhelming or off-putting for a tiny tot. So choosing the right swim school from the get-go is really important.
In many large, public pools, the water is too cold for babies. Water temperature should be about 32°C and no warmer than 35°. Smaller, more intimate pools like the AquaBuddies pool at Coogee doesn’t echo with loud noise. It is light and airy and offers a calming, welcoming space for babies to experience their first swim with a parent or carer.
All babies should wear a swim nappy, of course. On top of these a reusable pair of swim pants or neoprene wrap or wetsuit will keep your baby more contained and maintain their body warmth for longer.
Now let’s look at some of the benefits for baby of swim time.
1. Physical benefits
Infants are born with a kicking reflex but after around six months this instinct starts to wane. By introducing them to water familiarity early, it encourages and prolongs their kicking ability and helps to develop all their muscles.
Swimming boosts healthy lung and heart development and babies that begin swimming earlier have been shown to have better coordination and balance. on land if they have spent time in the water. Swimming gives infants their first opportunity to move almost independently in their first year of life.
Parents often report that their baby’s appetite increases and they sleep better after all that energy used up in the pool.
2. Cognitive benefits
Learning to swim early may even give children a head start at school. Research from a Griffith University study of 7,000 children showed that if a child could swim by the time they were 3 to 5, they were reaching many milestones earlier than their peers – such as in language development, reading and maths. Using both sides of the body in coordinated movements builds neuron pathways which facilitate crucial higher brain functions linked to spatial awareness, linguistic and academic development.
3. Social benefits
Infant classes include lots of skin-to-skin contact, water play and songs with parents and caregivers. Babies observe each other and the teacher and start learning how to interact in groups. This, and the fun of learning new skills is thought to give babies self-confidence and make them more independent with a stronger desire to succeed as they grow up.
It’s also a wonderful time for adults to bond with their child with the focus entirely on each other free from distractions or perhaps demands of older children.
Water Familiarisation classes at Coogee
Our baby and young children classes at Coogee are tailored to the skills development of our smallest clients combined with lots of games and fun activities.
PINK DUCKLING classes 6 – 12 months
For our first-time-in-the pool babies, we teach safe entry and exits from the water. We aim to introduce supported floating on their back and front, as well as activities to promote paddling and kicking.
YELLOW DUCKING classes 12 – 18 months
Babies are becoming more independent in the water and interacting more. We aim to get them more comfortable submerging to the point where they are floating freely on their front and introduce paddling and kicking with a noodle.
BROWN DUCKLING 18 – 24 months
Our little ones are encouraged to spend more time doing activities with an instructor while still guided by their parent or carer in the water. There is a big focus on water safety, building strength and being able to climb out of a pool unaided. More floating practice and free swimming short distances to the wall all help to grow confidence.
STARFISH From 2 years
This program is specifically designed for toddlers who are not quite ready to swim without a parent. They may be new to lessons or are anxious in the water and need a bit more support before transitioning into a class without a parent. This is very typical for many toddlers and we value the importance of patience and kindness at this stage. The class aims to build water confidence and encourage increasing independence before transitioning into a CRAB class.
If you have any concerns about introducing your baby to one of our swim classes, do please get in touch and we will do our best to answer your questions.
