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How Swimming Lessons Can Help Children Succeed In The Classroom.
Learning to swim has lots of amazing benefits away from the water's edge. Did you know that children that take part in regular swimming lessons can also perform better at school? I know crazy! Keep reading to find out why this is…
Swimming lessons build confidence
As we know many children struggle with confidence and a lot more so now since the world faced a global pandemic. However swimming assists in building that confidence, as they learn to feel more comfortable in the water and reach new milestones, their confidence grows. Self confidence translates into their everyday life, including in the classroom. Children who feel more confident in themselves tend to participate more in the classroom, answering questions openly and they feel more comfortable asking questions when they do not understand something.
Swimming improves mental development
Swimming is a full-body exercise that increases the heart rate and strengthens the cardiovascular system. Healthy habits and regular physical exercise are proven to help mental development in children. Children who swim regularly tend to perform better in school and understand the concepts better than their peers.
Swimming reduces stress
It may seem hard to believe that swimming reduces stress, but I promise you me and Luke will vouch for this one. It may seem hard to believe that children can suffer with stress just like an adult does. Stress in adults can prevent adults from going on with their daily tasks to the best of their abilities, so imagine the effects of stress on a young developing child. Stress can block a child mentally and make it very difficult for them to make it through the day. They may find it more difficult to focus, listen and complete other tasks. Swimming lessons regularly can help to relieve stress and it allows children to reach their full potential in and out of the water.
Swimming Lessons Can Improve Social Skills
It is not uncommon for young children to have trouble with social development. Swimming lessons can help children with their social development, In group lessons or private lessons, the attention from the swim teacher as well as the other children in the group setting can be extremely helpful in building social skills that can help the child in every other aspects of their lives.
Swimming Lessons Improve Problem- Solving Skills
In Swimming, children must learn how to stay calm and deal with emergency situations for their own safety. Learning how to calm down and solve your problem safety is a skill that is invaluable in life and in the classroom.
Life lessons from swimming
You have probably heard me and Luke talk about this 100 times, as it is something we are so passionate about! Swimming lessons teach children about water safety but also lifelong skills that can be helpful in other aspects of life. Lots of us are fortunate enough to go on holiday and play in the pool or walk by a lake and enjoy the views of the water. However there comes a time where it's not cool to be seen with your parents/ guardians and children want to start exploring by themselves. Swift Swimmers focuses on educating children about the do’s and don'ts if they or somebody else are in danger. We focus on water safety week and an element of water safety is taught in each of our stages. This may be something simple like a star float on their back or treading water while shouting for help. These are all techniques to help them become safe swimmers. However understanding dangers also will assist in their lives outside of the pool such as crossing the road. Swimming can give your child the confidence and mental development skills needed to help them excel in and out of the classroom, not to mention it's great fun and in our opinion water is the best place to be!!!
What happens in a Stage 1 swimming lesson at Swift Swimmers?
Stage 1 is our beginner stage for swimmers who are aged 4 - 7 years old, this is one of the most challenging stages in the Swift Swimmers Learn to Swim programme. This is where we take non swimmers using aids to swimming unaided on their front and back for 5 metres.
In stage 1 we are introducing and developing all the core aquatic skills, you will see in our lessons lots of time is spent on buoyancy and balance. You may have seen our team practising star floats with your swimmers, buoyancy is a fundamental skill that needs to be mastered not only for your child to progress through their swimming journey but also is an essential part of water safety.
So let’s have a look at some of our expected standards for the Stage 1 outcomes.
1- Enter the water safely
2- Move forward for a distance of 5 metres - This outcome is all about movement in the water, we are expecting swimmers to with aids such as a noodle or armbands swim for 5 metres. We are looking for kicking, blowing bubbles and paddling their arms.
3- Move backwards for a distance of 5 metres - Similar to the outcome above we are looking for swimmers to swim on their back for 5 metres with aids.
4- Move sideways for a distance of 5 metres
5- Scoop the water and wash the face - We are starting to work on aquatic breathing at this point. We usually introduce this outcome through different games such as Simon says. This is a great one to practise in the bath, get your swimmer to scoop some water and wash their face.
6- Be comfortable with water showered from overhead
7- Move from a flat floating position on the back and return to standing - Normally this outcome is achieved by your swimmer being a star on their back. We are looking for some key things here such as, eyes at the sky, tummy up and no wiggling. This outcome must be completed unaided.
8- Move from a flat position on the front and return to standing - It is time for a star float on the front. It is essential that swimmers are still with their face in blowing bubbles, this outcome must be achieved unaided.
9- Push and glide in a flat position on the front from the wall - Here swimmers start with two hands on the wall and their feet on the wall. Faces in, blowing bubbles and pushing in a flat horizontal position with no kicking. This outcome should be completed unaided.
10 - Push and glide in a float position on the back from the wall - Similarly to above but performed on the back. Here we are looking for eyes up, tummy up and a float horizontal position with no kicking. You may see some of our team demonstrating these in the pool very well!
11- Give examples of two pool rules
12 - Exit the water safely
13 - Swim unaided on the front for a distance of 5 metres - It is time for your swimmer to really show their skill. We are looking for swimmers to swim on their front completely unaided. Swimmers should have a constant kick, paddling their arms and lifting their head to breathe and then returning to the water. This must be completed independently.
14 - Swim unaided on the back for a distance of 5 metres - Swimmers should lay on their backs slowly and be in a flat horizontal position. In order to pass this outcome hands should be by their side with a constant kick. This must be completed independently.
What other awards can swimmers achieve in Stage 1?
Within this class we also offer the puffin award and 5 metres distance award. This ensures that swimmers remain motivated as they work their way through the outcomes above.
Taking Your Swimmers To The Pool...
We love to watch our swimmers learn new skills and enjoy swimming, but how do we keep up with our swimmers at the pool? If you are planning a trip to the local pool outside of your Swift Swimmers lessons, have a read below...
It is always difficult taking your child swimming, fighting the temptation to surround in floats and hold their side for the entire length of the pool - we understand1 At Swift Swimmers, we love to hear about how swimmers enjoy their time at the pool outside of lessons. For many, frequent visits can really help their confidence in the water and allow them to focus on their technique in lessons.
A lot of people ask if there's anything they could be doing during these visits and the simple answer is 'no'. The best thing you can do for your swimmer outside of their lessons is to have fun and enjoy the water, go at their pace and let them show off their new skills they have learnt with us.
We think it is important to work with you to make sure that your child gets the best swimming journey possible, so always feel free to share anything you have noticed from your swimming trips, whether it be shouting about their fantastic new front crawl technique or a pool game you think we should try!
If you have any questions or queries regarding taking your swimmer to the pool email us on - enquiries@swiftswimmers.co.uk
Staying SAFE Around Water
With drowning being the second leading cause of death, we want to ensure that our swim families are safe in and around water!
Following SAFE will keep you and your children safe. Teaching this to children from a young age allows your child to feel safe and reassures parents that their child is not only a competent swimmer, but also knows what to do in an emergency.
If you have any questions or queries regarding water safety please contact us on – enquiries@swiftswimmers.co.uk
Learn To Swim For Kids: What You Need To Know...
Swimming is a life skill. It is a skill that your child will retain for the rest of their life, allow them to live a healthy and active lifestyle. Every child has the potential to be able to swim, regardless of their age and ability. Plus, it’s the one sport that has the potential to be a true lifesaver.
Swimming is a great form of physical activity. It involves the entire body and is great for bone and muscle development as well as boosting metabolism. Jumping in the swimming pool, lake or sea is the fun part. Knowing how to be safe around the water is the crucial part. This is where ‘Learn To Swim’ comes to aid.
“Children of any age and ability can take part and learn how to swim with Swift Swimmers”
What are the benefits of swimming for kids?
1-Swimming teaches safety skills
As mentioned above, swimming is a life-saving skill. Learning to swim enhances your kid’s safety in the water. However, supervision of the kids while in water is still very important. This is why at Swift Swimmers, our team is highly experience and qualified swim teachers in order to teach your kids swimming in a safe and secure environment. All our programmes are designed with safety kept as a top priority.
2-Swimming leads to an active and confident life
As a parent, you are always looking for things to keep your child active Swimming is a great way to keep your child happy, healthy and smart. The act of swimming keeps their blood pumping through their bodies and brains, which is essential for development in kids.
On top of that swimming is a great confidence builder, helping children become body confident, boosting their social skills. For instance, swimming includes the combination of movement of several body parts, as well as integrating breathing and balance. It works wonders for coordination and developing a kid’s belief in their athletic abilities which can be transferred across many sports as they mature.
3-Swimming helps kids stay healthy and builds endurance
It is a heart-healthy activity and great for strengthening lung capacity. Swimming is a one of the kind workout. It is fantastic for toning shoulders, arms, backs and abs while being able to learn and practice from an early age. With each swim stroke, your child learns using different muscles to pull, kick and glide their way through the water. Swimming is the answer to help your kids maintain a healthy weight and avoid many diseases when they get older.
4-Improves memory and supports academic performance
While the kids are mastering backstroke, breaststroke, front crawl and butterfly – it is not only helping them physically but also mentally. Some studies suggest that the type of instruction and sensory learning kids are exposed to early on in swimming lessons translates seamlessly into the type of learning they’ll do in the classroom.
5-Swimming builds confidence
We know that children can be a little nervous about the water, and new experiences. It can be intimidating for new swimmers to let go of the all, take those first few pulls and kicks towards the other side of the pool. At Swift Swimmers, we believe in an inviting and safe place where kids overcome their fears, learn to swim, respect the water and have lots of fun while doing it.
With every kick, stroke and breath, kids gain confidence in themselves and their abilities – because every small win adds up to a BIG sense of accomplishment.
6 – Swimming is FUN!
Children love getting in the water and enjoy themselves. Learning to swim also opens up the door to a range of other fun activities your child can enjoy. For example, triathlon, water polo, artistic swimming, swimming competitions.
Whether as part of a team or as an individual, swimming is a great way for kids to meet people from different backgrounds and other schools. Come rain or shine, winter or swimmer, swimming is an activity that your child can enjoy all your round.
Luke Davis, Managing Director at Swift Swimmers says:
“ Learning to swim is an essential life skill that everyone should have the opportunity to learn. Our mission is to ensure that not only our swim families are safe around water, but our community too. It is critical that children are exposed to swimming lessons from a young age. At Swift Swimmers we provide a friendly, fun environment where swimmers can develop and grow not just as a swimmer but as a young person.”
If you would like to start your families swimming journey with us today email us on - enquiries@swiftswimmers.co.uk
Why Your Child Should Learn To Swim...
Reasons why your child should learn to swim are many and varied. You need to give your child the chance to learn to swim.
The most important reasons are that swimming is the only sport that can save your child’s life.
With drowning still being one of the most common causes of accidental death in children, being able to swim is an essential life skill. It is important to remember that children who appear water confident are not always competent swimmers.
Swimming is not just fun; swimming also provides lots of health benefits which can help to keep your children healthy and happy at the same time:
•Swimming keeps your child’s heart and lungs health, improves strength and flexibility, increases stamina, and even improves balance and posture.
Another great thing about swimming is that children of any age or ability can take part and it is more accessible for children with additional needs than almost any other sport.
•Swimming provides challenges and rewards accomplishments, which helps children become self-confident and believe in their abilities.
•Your child will have plenty of opportunities to make new friends and grow in confidence.
For more information about our swimming programme email us on enquiries@swiftswimmers.co.uk
Why Should You Choose a Private Swim School?
Whether we learn from childhood or a little later in life, swimming is an essential life skill to teach and be taught. In the UK, where swimming lessons are readily available on average one person dies from drowning every 20 hours. These incidents are highly preventable, and it is important to be well-informed on how pro activeness can be achieved and which options are best. Private swim schools have become increasingly popular over the last few years and the reasons for this shift are endless.
Swimming lessons in a private swimming school are personalised to each student and are not generalised and the private industry recognises that every swimmer learns at a different pace and in their own unique ways. Swimming teachers at Swift Swimmers are specifically trained to alter lessons and teaching styles based on the individual needs of each swimmer. Swimmers who take their lessons through private swim schools most often see quicker and more visible progress, even within the first few weeks!
The culture of private swim schools is much different than that of public swim school and plays a big role in their increased popularity.
Private swim schools are often family run and treat their staff like family members as well. This creates an environment where the swimming teachers love to teach and love being at work. Swimmers can sense the energy of the swimming teachers and are equally as enthusiastic about learning how to swim. This great culture has swimming teachers stay within the swim school for many years, watching their students grow and progress. Along the way, these instructors make amazing connections with not only their students, but with parents as well!
The customer service provided at private swim schools is held at an extremely high standard and is carried out at every level of the organisation.
When you start your journey with Swift Swimmers you will hear from our team ensuring that you are comfortable and happy with the booking process. Our team will always provide a friendly face to talk to and our staff will always be happy to help no matter what your enquiry.
The quality of instruction is one of the major differences found between public and private sector lessons.
Swimming teachers working in private swimming schools are not simply teaching for a job, but teaching because they enjoy working with, and educating children. Our swimming teachers go through rigorous training before they are given this large yet rewarding responsibility. At Swift Swimmers training is ongoing to ensure that swimming teachers arekept up to date with the latest tips and tricks of the industry.
Why not start your swimming journey with a private swimming school today? Contact a member of our team for further details. We look forward to seeing you at the pool soon!
Swimming lessons...why they should be family!
As a family run business our goal is that everyone who walks through the doors feel like they are a part of a bigger family – the Swift Swimmers family. We must provide you and your family with essential, life-long and lifesaving skills. We must help make your beach holidays more enjoyable, pool parties less anxious. Most importantly, we want to keep you and your loved ones safe in and around water.
It is important that babies, children, teens, and adults are exposed to water and learn the basic skills to rescue themselves (maybe even others!). It is not a matter of if you will encounter water, but when!
At Swift Swimmers, we offer a wide swimming programme for everyone. Swifty’s mini swimmers starts at 3 months old and we teach all the way through to adults. In this programme we also offer our Ducking classes, stage 1, and stage 2. This is the perfect time to develop confidence and embed the fundamentals in swimming.
So, what happens if your child is older and they have not taken swimming lessons?
It is never to late to learn how to swim. If your child is 8 or older our 8+ and 11+ classes are the perfect place to begin. It is a great option for ensuring that they are in a class with swimmers of a similar age group.
While we all hope to give our children the things they did not have, it is necessary for the safety of your children, your family and yourself that all family members (including adults) know how to swim. Sadly, there have been far too many situations in which a child was at-risk of drowning and a parent or guardian passed while trying to save them.
In 2019, adults made up for 86.5% of drownings. Swimming is an essential life skill that everyone should learn, regardless of age. Our swimming teachers are well trained in working with those of all comfort levels in our adult programme, which is designed for reaching individual goals, whether that be learning the basics or building endurance and technique in their swim lesson.
From infancy to adulthood, it is so important that all families have the tools to stay safe and have fun in and around water. Whether it be with Swift Swimmers or elsewhere, prioritise your entire family’s safety and make sure everyone knows how to swim!
For further information about our swimming programme please contact us on enquiries@swiftswimmers.co.uk
Welcome to Swift Swimmers!
Thank you for your interest in our swimming school. We are a private family run swim school that has a wealth of knowledge in teaching swimming. Our programme is set to ensure that our swimmers progress and are taught the best practices within the pool. Staff are fully trained, and we dedicate ourselves on ensuring that there is quality first teaching in every lesson.
In this post we would like to introduce the two owners of Swift Swimmers. Read below to find out more information about them.
Luke Davis
After being a competitive swimmer since the age of 7, at 14 I found a love for teaching and coaching. I have been teaching swimming for over 8 years and I love seeing swimmers progress. I have taught a range of abilities and ages from babies, adults, and squads. I spent a year in the Middle East teaching and coaching at a world class swimming academy that produces Olympic swimmers. I believe that everyone’s swimming journey should be individual and personalised. I cannot wait to see you at the pool soon!
Danielle Davis
I was a competitive swimmer from the age of 7 where I spent early mornings and late evenings in the pool preparing me to compete for the county and my team. I spent some time coaching swimming at a local swimming club where I enjoyed seeing my little swimmers compete for the very first time. I believe that swimming is an essential life skill and an amazing discipline. I have a wealth of knowledge in customer service and I am happy to support you in your swimming journey. I love to travel and in previous jobs I flew around the world learning about different cultures therefore I can adapt to different customer needs. I look forward to assisting you to reach your goals.