Learning a sport or physical activity at a young age often helps build stronger muscle memory and a solid foundation for greater skill proficiency later in life. There are many sports and activities that, if taught from a young age, children can often achieve unmatched skill mastery compared to those who are taught the same skill later into adolescence and adulthood like infant swim baby swim class.

Swimming is one of the most important activities to teach a young child. Not only does swimming provide many health benefits and open up a host of recreational activities for your child to participate in, it is an invaluable and crucial life skill that will be worth learning. Fortunately, swimming is an activity that can be introduced as early in life as infancy.  

The Statistics Do Not Lie

The National Institute of Health (NIH) conducted a study on swimming lessons and found that children between the ages of 1 and 4 who took swimming lessons had 88% less risk of drowning. Since drowning is the second-leading cause of mortality for kids up to 14 years old, teaching children the basics of swimming from infancy can help sidestep disaster. Survival swim lessons can help ensure your child develops proficiency in the water. 

A Low-Impact Physical Activity

Swimming encourages children to be active and can be either recreational or competitive. It is also an Olympic sport. From a physical standpoint, swimming builds the cardiovascular system and strength, improves lung function and capacity, builds bones, and more. A bonus: this sport is a total-body workout that is easy on the joints.

Teaching your children a sport and life skill like swimming will help build confidence—not only in the water but out of it. Most parents can recognize the advantage that building up their son or daughter’s confidence has across all areas of their life.

Physical Benefits Specifically for Infants

Additionally, teaching an infant to swim helps promote muscle control and development. It can help them build up their arms, legs, core, and neck muscles, which will help support their top-heavy heads. It also helps get their joints moving and can strengthen the heart muscle. Studies have also shown that pool time can build and increase coordination and balance. 

Swimming Has Cognitive Benefits 

One of the most exciting findings surrounding swimming and having infants learn the skill from a young age is that studies have shown a correlation between swimming as an infant and cognitive function. Apparently, the activity can help your baby’s brain grow.

According to Healthline, the cross-patterning movements can help stimulate neuron growth, particularly in an area of the brain known as the corpus callosum. Why is this such a big deal? Well, this region of the human brain is associated with communication between the left and right brain. Some of the cognitive benefits for your child are an advantage in reading ability and comprehension, spatial awareness, and language development. Check out the big brain on that baby!

Are you local to the Lancaster Area and Looking to Enroll Your Baby in a Swim Class?

Universal Athletic Club (UAC) in Lancaster has a complete aquatic center with all the amenities. We offer infant swim and baby activities in a controlled, safe environment. Our expert instructors can help teach your little ones this essential skill set that comes with all the added benefits.

Our aquatic center accommodates infant swim and encourages parents to spend time with their young children. Are you interested in learning more about our aquatic center or infant and baby swim class? Schedule a tour or drop by our athletic facility today!