Obviously knowing how to swim is important for safety reasons but it has other important factors for a healthy lifestyle as well. Doctors often recommend swimming as the exercise of choice. Not only does it allow low impact exercise but it improves breath control for a better quality of life for asthmatics and those who are experiencing breathing problems.

GOOD REASONS FOR TEACHING BABIES TO SWIM

• Babies less than a year old accept the water more readily that older children. Often they willingly go underwater the first lesson.


• Fear of water is acquired as children grow older. The longer the baby is kept away from the water, the more likely the child will develop aqua phobia.


• Human infants are well adapted to swimming. When submerged, they automatically hold their breath and make swimming movements. These reflex behaviors begin to fade, however, as early as 5 months of age and need to be revived.
  
• Babies can exercise more muscles in the water than on land. They are less restricted by gravity and their inability to sit or stand. This increased strength often manifests itself in early acquisition of physical skills, such as walking.
  
• Swimming improves the child’s cardiovascular fitness. Although babies are limited in how much they can improve their endurance, swimming does have a beneficial effect.
  
• Early mastery of water movement gives children a head start in learning the basic swimming skills. Stroke instruction can begin as early as 2 ½ years for children who have had proper early preparation.
  
• Water helps improve coordination and balance by allowing the babies to move bilaterally to maintain their equilibrium.
  
• Warm water, combined with gentle exercise, relaxes and stimulates babies’ appetites. They usually sleep and eat better on swimming days.
  
• Doctors often recommend swimming as the exercise of choice for asthmatics. Exercise improves bronchial activity and swimming stimulates less wheezing than other forms of exercise, possibly because the warm moist air is less irritating to the lungs.
  
• Babies flourish in the focused attention their parents lavish on them during swimming. Parents often confess that the lessons provide the only time they can spend 30 pleasurable, uninterrupted minutes with their babies.