Your child attends their school swimming program - that’s great. But is it enough to keep them safe in the water?
The short answer: no.
A world-first study by Deakin University has confirmed a critical issue in learn-to-swim education.
The research found that most children who rely solely on intensive school swimming programs are unable to retain their skills a year later - placing them at greater risk of drowning.
Even more concerning, parents who rely on school swimming alone often overestimate their child’s swimming and water safety ability.
The study also found that children who had developed basic swimming skills - such as gliding, kicking and arm coordination - but only continued with school-based intensive programs, tended to plateau or even lose those skills over time.
The best outcomes were seen in children who combined intensive programs with regular weekly swimming lessons.
Regular weekly swimming was shown to provide consistent, positive skill development across all levels, with the greatest impact seen in early learners.
At Superfish Swim Schools, this is something we have always emphasised - parents need to understand the reality of learn-to-swim progression.
The reality is this:
Toddlers under 3 will not develop strong water awareness or independent drowning prevention skills from just one 30-minute lesson per week.
Weekly lessons are important, but on their own, they are often not enough - especially in the early years when skill development is critical.
Babies and toddlers need as much exposure to water as possible, as early as possible.
The amount of time a child is actually in the water plays a major role in how quickly and effectively they learn.
Practice, repetition and consistency are everything.
Have you heard of “Real Swimming Time”?
This is the amount of time toddlers are actually exposed to the water, if only attending 1 swimming lesson each week. Work this out:
- 1 x 30-minute lesson per week = 2 hours of ACTUAL swimming per month
- 6 months = 12 hours 'real' swimming time = (2 days of school!) - that’s like expecting a child to learn to read or write in a week!
- 12 months = 24 hours 'real' swimming time = (Less than a week!)
- 1 x lesson/week for 1 year = 24 hours of swimming = 2 DAYS!!!
Toddlers need more if we are expecting them to achieve Independent Drowning Prevention.
So what’s the solution?
Children need increased exposure to water, more frequent practice and opportunities to reinforce their skills outside of formal lessons.
That’s why at Superfish Swim Schools, we offer free unlimited pool entry for enrolled children, along with their siblings and parents - encouraging more time in the water and faster skill development.
Because when it comes to swimming, more time in the water isn’t a bonus - it’s essential.
