Tragically, drowning is the third highest cause of accidental death among children in the UK and in most cases it’s the shock of sudden submersion that causes children to panic. However, baby swimming lessons will teach children vital life saving skills so they’ll be less likely to experience fear if they do accidently fall in.

Taking babies to swimming classes from a young age increases their confidence and safety in the water as Paul Thompson, co-founder of leading baby swimming company Water Babies, explains: “Having spent nine months suspended in water in the womb, babies generally love the familiar sensation of floating in warm water,” he says. “The repetitive movements of bouncing and splashing provide a great stimulation for their sense of motion and balance.”

Top benefits of baby swimming lessons:

• Your baby will experience increased levels of confidence in the water – which often transfers onto land.
• The lessons encourage babies to swim independently from around 30 months old
• Teaching babies to respond to simple instructions from birth is a fantastic way to help develop your baby’s brain.
• Being in water means they can exercise all four quarters of their bodies, including some muscles they would never find on land. 
• The resistance in the water helps strengthen and tone your baby’s muscles and creates a calm and therapeutic weightless feeling. 
• Eating and sleeping patterns are often improved by swimming, as it’s a good form of gentle exercise. 
• Babies who attend swimming classes become more comfortable interacting with other babies and parents. 
• Baby swimming is a fantastic way for parents/carers to bond with their baby as it encourages skin-to-skin contact and lots of hugging.