Babies love swimming! It’s one of the few things they can do from birth, and feels entirely natural to them – after all, they’ve just spent nine months in the womb!

Because they’re free of the restrictions of gravity, and able to use muscles they’d never even find on land, babies love the sense of freedom it gives them. And whilst the emphasis in lessons is often on strengthening the bond between the two of you, swimming from birth is also excellent for their development.

Despite looking gentle, swimming provides a complete physical workout, strengthening the heart, lungs and respiratory system which, in turn, aids development of the brain. During their first year of life, a baby’s brain grows more rapidly than at any other time, with every movement they make helping to strengthen this growth. The exercises used in baby swimming lessons to teach water confidence – gentle rocking, reaching for objects, kicking movements, and learning to respond to voice commands – provide the perfect stimulation for your baby’s brain. What’s more, the cross lateral movement of reaching out for bright swim toys in the pool is the same one used in crawling, and teaches both sides of the brain to work together. Not only is this great for enhancing hand-eye coordination, but it also strengthens nerve pathways between the two sides, helping the brain store and retrieve information more effectively – all great for learning!

In fact, The Early Years Swimming Project at Griffith University found that by the time they start school, children who swim in the early years are ahead of non-swimmers by 6 to 15 months when it comes to solving maths problems, counting, language and following instructions. 

 What’s more, regular swimming can enhance their awareness while improving eating and sleeping patterns – a definite bonus for parents!

Enjoying a swim, with all these added benefits, is surely reason enough to take to the pool! So if you haven’t tried it before, why not take the plunge today? Just head over to www.nationalbabyswimmingweek.org.uk to discover why baby swimming’s such a smart move - and find a class near you!

Book your lessons here