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Alexandria, Va. (September 29, 2023) – Fall brings with it back-to-school season and cooler weather, but that doesn’t mean activities like swimming need to stop. Step Into Swim, a swim safety initiative of the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance, reminds families to stay consistent in their children’s swim lessons to build muscle memory and practice safety all year long.
“Swim safety isn’t seasonal and maintaining swim lesson consistency throughout the year has its benefits,” said Rowdy Gaines, three-time Olympic Gold Medalist and Vice President of Partnerships and Development at PHTA who leads the Step Into Swim initiative. “Fortunately, many learn-to-swim programs offer year-round swim lessons with flexible scheduling, allowing families to prioritize water safety as they find the right balance between work, school and extracurricular activities.”
In the midst of back-to-school season, the Step Into Swim experts share considerations for pursuing swim lessons through the fall and winter months.
Learning to swim safely comes from time and practice with a qualified swim instructor. The more children are exposed to water in a safe and controlled environment, the more comfortable and confident they will be in their safe swimming abilities. Ongoing swim lessons can help set children up for success as well-rounded swimmers, especially considering all kids learn at their own pace and may need skill repetition to build upon their progress.
Swimming is an activity that offers social, mental, health and safety benefits. Getting in the water is a full-body workout that builds cardiovascular fitness, endurance and strength. Not only does consistent exercise like swimming contribute to a healthy lifestyle by keeping kids active, it can also help reduce stress, improve mood, boost optimism, lead to better sleep and reduce the risk of depression, obesity and high blood1 -- all while strengthening the swim skills needed to be safer in the water.
Maintaining a routine is important to foster structure and predictability, which can help children in times of transition. Ongoing swimming is one way to keep that consistent balance as children learn to navigate the school environment and everything that comes along with it.
Learning to swim is an impactful drowning prevention tool to help keep kids safer in the water. No matter the time of year, parents and caregivers are encouraged to address water safety with their kids and enroll them in swim lessons to create safe, confident and empowered swimmers for years to come.
For more swim safety tips and resources, visit https://www.StepIntoSwim.org.
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About Step Into Swim
Step Into Swim is an initiative of the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance and its foundation committed to safe swim education and drowning prevention. By investing in the next generation of swimmers through learn-to-swim programming, the Step Into Swim initiative instills confidence, empowers long-term participation in water activities, touts the positive benefits of water play, and advocates for safe practices. Since its inception in 2012, Step Into Swim has played a role in reducing drowning fatalities and has gifted swim lessons to more than 300,000 children with support from community organizations, partners, industry advocates, members, and more. For more information, visit www.stepintoswim.org.
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