Swimming lessons are one of the few lifesaving interventions we can do for our children.
This summer, in the first 40 days of the season in Australia we had 35 drownings.
These numbers are a shocking reminder of the dangers of the water and why it’s important to enrol in regular, formal swimming lessons – which can reduce the risk of drowning by up to 88 per cent (study by American Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine).
You can start regular, formal swimming lessons with babies as young as 4 months old.
By this age babies are able to regulate their body temperature for the duration of a 30-minute class.
It is a great time to start water familiarisation and a great opportunity for parents and carers to connect with their babies.
Research also suggests that early swimming lessons can lead to better physical, cognitive and linguistic development in children.
A study conducted in 2012 by Griffith University, which ran for three years and surveyed almost 7000 parents with children under five, examined whether participation in early swimming lessons impacted subsequent milestones in child development.
The results showed a clear connection between children who participated in early swimming lessons developing a range of physical skills and meeting a number of developmental milestones earlier than their peers.
Paul Sadler Swimland has multiple locations across Melbourne’s West and offers classes from 4 months old all the way through to adults.
They also offer 4 and 5 month old babies to swim for free, so there’s never been a better time to start lessons.
For lessons for children aged 3-plus years, Paul Sadler Swimland offers a FREE one-on-one assessment, where the teacher will work with the swimmer to establish their current skills and comfort level in the water in order to place them in the best class for them.
This will take into account what is best for the child to learn at their optimal level.
The Paul Sadler Swimland team members pride themselves on being The Survival Specialists and have been teaching children to swim and survive since 1972.
The Paul Sadler program is specifically designed to teach children the survival skills they need to be safer swimmers.
They spend a minimum of 10 minutes per class in deep water, where they teach treading water, deep water recovery (safety circle), mobility on front and back until children have achieved 2 minutes treading water.
They will then continue to build on these skills and help swimmers reach their Swordy 1km swim.
You can book a FREE assessment at Paul Sadler Swimland Bacchus Marsh, Braybrook, Essendon, Hoppers Crossing, Laverton, Melton, Parkwood Green and Westgate-Altona by visiting www.paulsadlerswimland.com.
