We all know how important it is to teach kids water safety and at least the basics of swimming. My youngest one started swim classes when he was only six months old. But how about swimming lessons in winter?
When he was a toddler, I loved showing his mad skills in the neighborhood pool. Older ladies would freeze when my son jumped in the water with no fear just to come out smiling a few seconds later from the depth of the pool.
Unfortunately, the outdoor swimming season in the Midwest is only three months long, which isn’t much. The only solution is to continue swimming lessons in winter at swim school. I looked for options that could accommodate all three of my children. And that is how our longstanding friendship with the Goldfish swim school started.
Swimming in Winter
I was hesitant to let my kids participate in swimming classes in winter. November was right around the corner, and I was ready to pull the plug on their lessons. Cold winds and declining temperatures worked great as a signal to put away the swim bag until next spring.
However, one time I stayed with the classes over the winter months, and to my surprise, my middle one who usually gets several ear infections in winter didn’t get one. He actually didn’t have another ear infection since. Coincidence?
Benefits Of Learning to Swim in Winter
Do your children take swimming lessons? Swimming is a skill that everyone should know, and everyone should learn how to swim when they are young.
Swimming lessons are available year-round, yet many people tend to only think about sending their children to lessons during the summer weather. In reality, swimming lessons are essential year-round. Winter is a great time to get the kids in the pool, working on their swimming skills!
If you are wondering about the benefits of taking swimming classes in winter, look no further than this list. This list will give you a little rundown of just some of the reasons that your kids should continue with their winter swimming lessons, even when the weather gets colder and the days get darker.
Keep Their Skills Fresh
Keeping their swimming skills fresh is crucial for kids, especially kids who haven’t been swimming long. Think about it. If you develop an ability and then you don’t do that particular skill again for 9 months, are you going to remember everything you learned? The answer is likely no.
Winter swimming lessons give kids the ability to keep those swimming skills up to date, while not losing those skills that they have learned. Additionally, the more lessons and training that they have, the more likely they are to have built their confidence in the water.
Taking Swimming Classes in Winter Helps Your Child Stay Socialized
Since the colder weather of winter often keeps people indoors, your children have fewer opportunities to socialize with other kids. If they are taking group swimming classes, this is an excellent time for them to socialize with others while learning a valuable skill.
Taking Swimming Classes in Winter Means Smaller Class Sizes
Remember how we mentioned that people often take their kids out of winter swimming lessons? Fewer students taking classes means smaller class sizes. This is a huge benefit for kids who are better able to learn more one on one attention from the instructor.
Taking Swimming Classes in the Winter Means a Cleaner Pool
More people swim during the summer, which means that there is less time for the facility to perform in-depth maintenance. You will notice that most of this type of cleaning and maintenance is done during the winter months, which means a cleaner pool for your swimming lessons!
Taking Swimming Classes in the Winter Keeps Your Kids Active Year-Round
It is far too easy for kids to become sedentary during the winter months. If you keep them enrolled in winter swimming lessons, they will be staying active all year long. This is great for their mental, physical, and emotional health. There have even been studies done that have shown that physical exercise, such as swimming, helps to combat Seasonal Affective Disorder, which children can be afflicted by.
Do you send your children to swimming classes? Will you be keeping them enrolled in swimming classes during the winter?
Winter Swimming Lessons Doesn’t Mean Ear Infections
Fun fact! Colds and ear infections are caused by germs and not by being wet in the cold. The Cold dry ear will actually absorb moisture a lot faster than warm summer air. If having a wet head is a concern, dry your child’s hair before leaving and wear a hat.
10 Things to Keep in Mind While Taking Swimming Lessons in Winter
While Considering Swim Schools
- When researching swim schools, pay special attention to the water temperature – that is more important than the location of the swim school. For a reference at the Goldfish swim school, we attend, the water is always 90-degree to help kids stay warm in the cold winter months.
Besides that, I love spending time in a tropics like environment while the temperatures outside are less than favorable. - Check out your school makeup policy! Goldfish Swim School offers a fantastic makeup policy. If you miss a class, the Goldfish Swim School offers 12 makeups per year – just let them know ahead of time, and they will be happy to schedule you a makeup class!
During Winter Months
- Allow extra time for parking! I am not a big fan of walking through the parking lot in freezing temperatures, and like many, I would like to park as close as I can to the entrance.
I found that the best time for arrival is about fifteen minutes before the class. That’s when many families from a previous class a heading home, which will drastically increase your chances of getting prime front row spots. - Even if your kids come to school wearing swim suites, make sure they have clothes to change into. Wearing a wet swimsuit outside is just asking for problems. Many schools, like Goldfish Swim School, offer lots of lockers and changing areas. You use them to your advantage!
- If your kids have a history of ear infections, pay special attention to drying their ears. I used a few methods from jumping and shaking my head to wiping the outer part of the ear with a tissue.
However, my favorite one is this – put your blow dryer on the lowest speed and coldest temperature. Hold it about 10 inches away from the ear. It shouldn’t take more than 40 seconds per year.
On Swim Day
- Start your car ahead of time! While it is warm inside of the school, it is still a Winterland outside. Start your vehicle ahead of time to make sure your kids stay warm.
- Dress weather appropriate! Zip up your winter jacket and put on a hat. There are no prizes for leaving first. Besides that, swim schools have coat racks and cubbies for you to use – put them to good use.
- Dry your kids’ hair after their lessons! Many swim schools offer hair drying stations, and it doesn’t take long. If your school doesn’t provide that option, pack a blow dryer in a big ziplock bag to keep it away from moisture.
- Bring along some snacks! My children always get hungry after their swim classes, and I try to remember to pack a few things (it only works half the time). And for the days when I forget, Goldfish Swim School usually has a few good picks.
- Give yourself an excuse to relax for a half-hour.
Discover other benefits of swimming and learn how to be a fantastic swimming parent,
I think my initial thought is that winter swimming sounds really silly. After you realize the pool is indoors and that all the facilities are heated, then everything makes perfect sense. I’ve been looking at swimming lessons for some younger kids and this might be the perfect solution in my area. Thanks for the awesome tips and advice on swimming lessons!