Wellness Wednesday:  7 Benefits of a Baby/Toddler Swim Class 

~We have been taking Dahlia to Swim class at La Petite Baleen in San Bruno for a little more than 6 months now & I can’t stress how much she’s learned since she’s started going.  Classes are 30 mins. and repetitive, but trust me, at this age, their brains are like sponges and you’ll want them to retain what they learn in class.

It became very apparent to me last week that Dahlia was retaining everything from class when she mimicked what we do in class at home & finishing all the songs we sing as well.  The classes aren’t cheap, but I know we’re getting our money’s worth.  (You can also do a free trial class if you give them a call & sometimes they have free classes specifically for babies under a certain age)

Listed below are the 7 benefits of going to a baby/toddler swim class:

(These benefits are also true for adults too! It’s never too late to start swimming!)

1.  Safety

This is an obvious one & though we don’t have a pool at home, we do have a bathtub, shower, sink, or maybe a friend does or maybe the hotel does if we go on vacation – you get the picture.  Whatever the case may be, water is everywhere!  And drowning is the 3rd leading cause of unintentional death in the world according to the WHO.

What better way to protect your child then to practice safety.  Safety, by-the-way, is the number one thing stressed in these classes.

2.  Building Strength

Doing all the Safety drills gets tiring for a little one and that’s all right by me.  Anything to get her to nap & sleep well at night!

She’s much stronger.  Dahlia can now pull herself out of the pool using her elbows & knees.  The best part about it, she actually tells me where her elbows and knees are.  In addition to that, she’s developed her leg muscles.  She used to not be able to do the running & jumping in the water but now she can and even enjoys it.  Here is a photo of Dahlia proudly doing just that.

3.  Building Confidence 
Not only do I think the classes help build strength physically, but I think it helps build confidence mentally.

Children are very impressionable at this age & the more you build them up, the more confidence they will have.  Praise is very important in this class & positive vibes only.

4.  Overcoming Fears (for the kids & for the parents)

We were very hesitant at first to take Dahlia to swim classes because we thought she’d be too young but the fact that one of us has to be in the water with her has eased our fears.  Not only is she comfortable in the water and submerging herself but we are too!  She also used to be scared of having water poured over her head in bathtime but not anymore.

I’ve asked a lot of parents why they take their kids and a majority of them tell me that they, themselves, can’t swim so it’s reassuring to know that they are establishing this life skill within their kids.

5.  Establishing a Routine

Everyone loves routine so what better way to get your baby/toddler started than a class like this.  Dahlia knows that every Thursday morning, we get into Mommy’s car to go swim.  I can tell she looks forward to it whenever I pack the bag the night before.

She also sees the same kids and get familiar with them as well as her surroundings.  And after we’ve showered and get ready in the locker room, she knows she’ll see the same baby in the class after her that she loves saying hi to.

All of this will come in handy when we start getting her into sports or when school begins.

6.  Getting Them used to Wearing Funny Things

It’s true!  Putting on goggles, fins and a tube can be a challenge with a baby/toddler but you’ll reap the benefits later on in life, I’m sure.

Also, getting them used to this protective gear means they’ll learn what they are specifically used for.  They also look darn cute in these things too!
 

7.  Lastly, It’s Fun!

Overall, Dahlia has so much fun in class and that’s what matters most.  She’s making friends, she smiles when we sing, gets a kick out of the fun exercises we go through & lastly, she gets to bond with mom or dad individually.  What more could a kid want?!

I’m glad we started going to these classes and it also gives us piece of mind that she is comfortable in the water.  Both my husband and I love swimming and hope she does too!

~Happy Swimming~

*La Petite Baleen has swim schools in Redwood City, San Bruno, San Francisco & Half Moon Bay*

40 thoughts on “Wellness Wednesday:  7 Benefits of a Baby/Toddler Swim Class 

  1. The first report of cataracts and microphthalmia associated with homozygous Le Cre transgenic mice appeared more than a decade ago 29 buy priligy without a script Factors limiting diuretic responsiveness in patients with CRI may include a reduced basal level of fractional Na reabsorption that places an upper limit on diuretic response, and enhanced NaCl reabsorption in downstream segments, combined with a reduced delivery of diuretic to the kidney

  2. An outstanding share! I have just forwarded this onto a coworker who has
    been doing a little research on this. And he actually ordered me breakfast due to
    the fact that I found it for him… lol. So allow me to reword this….
    Thank YOU for the meal!! But yeah, thanx for spending the time to discuss this matter here on your website.

  3. I don’t even know how I ended up here, but I thought this
    post was great. I do not know who you are but certainly
    you are going to a famous blogger if you aren’t already 😉 Cheers!

  4. Appreciating the hard work you put into your site and detailed information you provide.

    It’s nice to come across a blog every once in a while that isn’t
    the same out of date rehashed material. Fantastic read!
    I’ve saved your site and I’m including your RSS feeds to my Google account.

  5. I’ll right away snatch your rss feed as I can not find your email subscription link or newsletter service.
    Do you’ve any? Kindly permit me recognize in order that I could subscribe.
    Thanks.

  6. Magnificent beat ! I would like to apprentice even as you amend your website, how could i subscribe for a weblog web site?
    The account aided me a applicable deal. I had been tiny bit familiar of this your broadcast offered bright clear idea

  7. Nice post. I was checking continuously this blog
    and I’m impressed! Extremely helpful info particularly the last part 🙂 I care for such information much.
    I was looking for this particular info for a very long
    time. Thank you and best of luck.

  8. Hello! Someone in my Myspace group shared this site
    with us so I came to give it a look. I’m definitely enjoying the information.
    I’m bookmarking and will be tweeting this to my followers!
    Superb blog and superb design and style.

  9. Just wish to say your article is as surprising.
    The clarity in your publish is simply excellent and that i can suppose
    you’re an expert in this subject. Fine with your permission allow me to seize your feed to keep up to date with drawing close post.
    Thanks 1,000,000 and please continue the rewarding work.

  10. I was recommended this website by my cousin. I’m not sure whether this post is
    written by him as no one else know such detailed about my difficulty.
    You are amazing! Thanks!

  11. Wonderful beat ! I would like to apprentice whilst you amend your
    website, how can i subscribe for a weblog
    website? The account aided me a applicable deal.
    I had been tiny bit acquainted of this your broadcast provided vivid clear idea

  12. I think this is among the most important information for me.
    And i’m glad reading your article. But want to remark on few general things, The website
    style is wonderful, the articles is really great : D. Good job,
    cheers

  13. I am not sure where you are getting your information, but great topic.
    I needs to spend some time learning more or understanding more.
    Thanks for magnificent information I was looking for this information for my
    mission.

  14. Thanks for finally talking about > Wellness Wednesday:  7 Benefits of a
    Baby/Toddler Swim Class  – dahlia + ivy < Loved it!

  15. I am really impressed with your writing skills and also with
    the layout on your weblog. Is this a paid theme or did you modify it yourself?
    Anyway keep up the nice quality writing, it is rare to see a
    great blog like this one nowadays.

  16. Magnificent beat ! I would like to apprentice at the same time as you amend your website, how could i
    subscribe for a weblog site? The account helped me a applicable deal.
    I were a little bit familiar of this your broadcast offered
    shiny transparent idea

  17. Hi! I realize this is kind of off-topic but
    I needed to ask. Does running a well-established blog like
    yours require a large amount of work? I’m completely new to blogging but I do write in my diary daily.
    I’d like to start a blog so I will be able to share my own experience
    and thoughts online. Please let me know if you have any kind of suggestions or tips for brand
    new aspiring blog owners. Appreciate it!

  18. Do you mind if I quote a couple of your posts as long as
    I provide credit and sources back to your
    website? My blog site is in the exact same niche as yours and my visitors
    would definitely benefit from some of the information you provide here.

    Please let me know if this alright with you.
    Many thanks!

  19. Good day! Do you know if they make any plugins
    to safeguard against hackers? I’m kinda paranoid about losing
    everything I’ve worked hard on. Any tips?

  20. Thanks for a marvelous posting! I genuinely enjoyed
    reading it, you might be a great author.I will make
    sure to bookmark your blog and definitely will come back in the foreseeable future.
    I want to encourage you to ultimately continue your great job, have a nice weekend!

  21. Hello! This is my 1st comment here so I just wanted to give a quick shout out and tell
    you I really enjoy reading through your posts. Can you suggest any other blogs/websites/forums that
    deal with the same topics? Thanks a lot!

  22. If some one desires expert view about blogging and site-building after that
    i propose him/her to go to see this website, Keep up the fastidious work.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *