Swimming Classes in Bali : From Toddlers to Young Adults

Everyone loves the water, be it for a small paddle in the pool, or diving in the ocean. Of course, without the right skills, water can be dangerous, and that’s why more and more parents now send their children to swimming classes from a very early age. Familiarising them with water in childhood is not only a great skill but can even save them from dangerous situations – it’s a must-have skill for everyone.

Early age’ can be as young as three months, depending on whether the child is in good physical health and is able to hold his or her head up. Those first few moments in the water for a young child will not have them sinking, but rather develops and triggers reflexes that get the body moving and kicking. Babies, when placed tummy first in the water will naturally begin to kick their arms and legs. If not trained consistently, this natural reflex can disappear between that age of four to six months. Other natural reflexes develop too during swimming classes, like the mammalian reflex (reaction to immersion) and a gag or pharyngeal reflex (holding breath). Swimming classes, which often include parents, are also great bonding experiences between parent and child.

Swimming is a complex activity for children; the cross-coordination of moving legs and arms and breathing, these all help to improve the child’s cognitive functions, build muscle and improve coordination.

Most baby and children swimming classes include water play, songs, and other group activities. This way the young children don’t only experience the tactile sensation of water, but also interact with other children, they get to see different faces and expression, they get to hear different voice and intonation, and they learn how to follow instructions. These elements help build better self-esteem and more comfort in social situations.

It is never too late to start a swimming lesson. Every age group – toddlers, preschoolers, and middle schoolers etc – can get great benefit from joining a swimming lesson. When baby starts to have the ability to freely explore their environment, such as by crawling or walking, their spatial awareness starts to develop too. They start to have perception regarding space, such as distance, size, depth and so on. That is one of the reasons why some children show great confidence and comfort in the water, while some might demonstrate fear or hesitance of being in water.

Here in Bali, being an island surrounded by water and home to many amazing leisure and recreation centres, you’ll find many places to start your children on the first splash to become swim-ready!

Here are some top picks for learning to swim in Bali.

Kartika D. Suardana