Spring is here, and little by little, we’re starting to see the signs that summer isn’t too far away.
The days are getting longer. The weather is warming up. And before we know it, families will be spending more time at pools, beaches, on holidays and around the water.
It can be easy to think that getting ready for summer is something to worry about later.
But when it comes to swimming, the months before summer are valuable.
At Learn to Swim Victoria, our September focus is:
Summer Starts Now
Because confidence in the water is built over time.
Don’t Wait for the First Hot Day
When that first really warm weekend arrives, suddenly everyone starts thinking about swimming.
But children don’t learn new swimming skills overnight.
September gives us something we can make the most of – TIME
Time to practise.
Time to repeat.
Time to become more comfortable.
Time to strengthen skills.
And time to build confidence before summer arrives.
That’s why continuing swimming lessons for summer preparation now can make such a difference.
Confidence Comes Through Practice
Learning to swim is a process.
Children are developing many different skills along the way — from breathing and floating to kicking, body position, treading water and independent swimming.
Some skills might click quickly. Others need to be practised many times before they begin to feel natural.
And that’s okay.
Each lesson gives children another opportunity to practise what they know, work on something new and become a little more comfortable in the water.
Over time, those individual lessons add up.
Building Skills for Summer
Summer often brings more opportunities to be around water.
For one family, that might mean days at the beach. For another, it could be swimming in a backyard pool, visiting friends, going away on holidays or trying a completely different aquatic environment.
Wherever children are swimming, the skills they are developing now can go with them.
Depending on their age and swimming level, that may include learning to float, control their breathing, tread water, enter and exit the water safely and move through the water with increasing independence.
Of course, swimming ability never replaces appropriate adult supervision around water.
But giving children time to continue learning and practising helps them build the skills and confidence they can take into summer.
Three Months of Valuable Learning
September.
October.
November.
Rather than waiting until summer arrives, we can look at those months as an opportunity.
Three months to keep learning.
Three months to practise.
Three months to build on what children can already do.
Three months to work towards the skills that are still developing.
At Learn to Swim Victoria, we believe the right environment, the right teaching and regular opportunities to practise all play an important part in helping children become confident swimmers.
Summer might not be here yet.
But the preparation can start now.
This Month’s Parent Tip
After your child’s next swimming lesson, try asking:
“What are you looking forward to doing in the water this summer?”
Maybe it’s jumping into a pool.
Swimming at the beach.
Playing with friends.
Or simply being able to do something they couldn’t do last summer.
There’s no right answer.
It’s simply a chance to help children make the connection between what they’re learning in their lessons today and the things they’re looking forward to doing in the months ahead.
Summer Starts Now
We don’t need to rush towards summer.
We can use the time we have.
Keep learning.
Keep practising.
Keep building confidence.
So when those warm summer days do arrive, children have had months of opportunities to strengthen their swimming skills.
Summer confidence starts today.