Back-to-school time is here already but we’re not putting away our swimsuits and goggles quite yet, and we hope you don’t either!

Swimming has many obvious benefits for kids. This lifelong skill provides kids with an outlet for exercise and of course teaches the very important skill of water safety. However, beyond those obvious advantages, there are a number of developmental benefits that come with consistent, year-round swim instruction that help young children reach developmental milestones much more quickly. Here are a few reasons to keep your little ones in the pool with us this fall.

1. Develop fine and gross motor skills. Swimming lessons provide a technical, whole body form of exercise, so kids who regularly practice movements such as the simultaneous kicking of arms and legs, paddling, breath work, and strokes improve overall coordination (hand eye, grasping), concentration and focus, and balance.

2. Enhance intellectual and emotional development. In a multi-year study from The German Sports College Cologne, young children who swam year-round were more confident and independent than their non-swimming counterparts. They fared better socially and academically, displaying superior problem solving and communication skills.

3. Build brain power. Studies are showing that swimming is wonderful for kids’ brain health. A four-year Early Years Swimming Research Project (with 45 swim schools in Australia, New Zealand and the United States) found that children younger than five who had swim lessons were more advanced in their cognitive and physical development. This is because the bilateral cross-patterning movement (where you use both sides of the body to carry out an action) performed in swimming develops more nerve fibers in the part of the brain that connects the right and left hemispheres of the brain which affects cognition, ease of learning, gross motor skills, and overall academic performance.

4. Help foster independence. Formal instruction teaches kids how to take turns, listen, share, and cooperate in a group setting. These activities promote comfort and confidence in the water and, in turn, builds self-esteem and the ability to try and adapt to new things!

5. Have fun! Swimming should be a fun activity for kids of all ages. The Goldfish Swim School curriculum ensures that kids have a positive experience in the pool. Our students play games, interact with their peers and learn to love (and be safe in) the water. What could be better than that?

All of the wonderful benefits of swimming come with time and repetition. Consistent, year-round swim lessons are the best way to achieve that result. We hope to see your family at our pool this fall!

Goldfish Swim School provides swim instruction to children ages 4 months to 12 years in a unique setting with highly trained instructors, small class sizes (max 4:1 student-teacher ratio), shiver-free 90-degree pools, and a state-of-the-art water purification system. Goldfish Swim School has locations in Wyckoff and Livingston (opening October 2017). Please visit the website for more information: goldfishswimschool.com.