Make a Splash: Why Swim Lessons are Essential This Summer

As the Texas summer heats up, more children are heading to pools, waterparks, splash pads, lakes, and rivers to cool off. Drowning is the second leading cause of death nationwide for children 14 and younger. Swimming classes, including Infant Swimming Resource (ISR) classes, can greatly benefit the entire family.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends starting children in swim lessons as young as 12 months old to reduce the risk of drowning. The AAP says always keep in mind that swim lessons are just one of several important layers of protection needed to help prevent drowning.

“You are never too old to learn how to swim,” said Jillian Mitchell, community health program coordinator at Cook Children’s Health Care System. “There are instructors who specialize in teaching adults or co-teach adults and children.”

The National Drowning Prevention Alliance (NDPA) provides parents with a printable questionnaire to help identify the right swim program for their children. They suggest some questions for the program you are looking at, including asking for information about the instructor’s experience, swim lesson curriculum, length and frequency of classes. 

“Choosing the swim instruction style is a personal choice, and it should be an informed one,” Mitchell said.

Before choosing a program, the AAP recommends keeping your child’s emotional maturity, physical and developmental abilities and limitations, and comfort level in the water in mind.

“It is important to consider what unique needs your child has in addition to visiting a school, asking questions about their curriculum or teaching philosophy,” Mitchell said.

Swimming lessons teach the basics of swimming and, for toddlers, it introduce them to get them comfortable with water, teaching them physical movements in the water like kicks and “ice cream scoops” with their hands. It also shows them how to get in and out of the water. Infant Swimming Resource (ISR) teaches infants and toddlers how to roll in the water in emergencies.

When should you sign up a child for swimming lessons?

The AAP says most children are ready for swim lessons by age 4. However, parents of younger children should look into classes that allow a parent or caregiver and child to be in the water together with an instructor, whether swimming lessons or ISR. The AAP explains that by age 4, children can usually learn basic water survival skills such as floating, treading water, and getting to an exit point.

What is Infant Swimming Resource (ISR)?

Parents may feel their child is ready to learn as young as 6 months old. ISR instructors are unique in that they work specifically with infants. ISR focuses on teaching children to roll onto their backs, float, and rest. It is designed to give children instinctive reactions to emergencies if they find themselves in the water unexpectedly. Children learn how to “float, swim, float” until they reach the edge and can exit safely or be pulled out of the pool by an adult.

Cook Children’s recommends asking questions and choosing an instructor/school that fits families’ budget, schedule, and child’s unique needs.