How Important is Winter Swimming?

Some parents are afraid that their child will catch colds or other illnesses by continuing to swim throughout winter. Colds and flu, however, are transmitted by casual contact with an infected person, not by exposure to cold air or water.  Children are more likely to catch a cold from playing with their friends and siblings rather than from swimming.  

While summer classes certainly help to build the strong swimming and water safety skills children need, year-round lessons allow them to better retain those skills – and move on to mastering more advanced skills faster. I like to use the analogy of playing an instrument, you would not expect to take piano for a few months out of the year and be a proficient pianist. Swimming is very much the same. While it may be a typical summertime activity, the more you

learn in the winter and the spring, the more prepared you are to be a confident and safe swimmer during the summer. Those who do not continue and do take a break during the winter months often need to spend time reviewing or relearning skills they had previously learned. 

Most importantly learning to swim is not only a sport but an important lifesaving skill! Drowning can happen at any time during the year, not just in the spring and summer.  Ensuing that your child is a strong swimmer