Why is swimming an essential skill?

Throughout your children’s lives, they will learn a great number of skills that will help their long-term development. Basic skills like reading, writing, and math are picked up throughout school, while social skills like manners and conversation are taught at home.

Swimming, however, is a skill that is not specifically taught in school or at home. It is a skill that not only promotes health but is also proven to be a potentially life-saving skill.

During your children’s growing stages, swimming is a great sport that allows them to exercise with low-impact resistance routines. Often times, children take a liking to the sport and continue to practice it in their middle and high school years.

Swimming focuses on core strengthening and flexibility, two very important health aspects. Whether they do it for fun or competitively, it is important to give your children access to this skill early on.

Aside from exercise, swimming is a crucial life-saving skill to have. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there were an average 3,536 fatal unintentional drownings between 2005 and 2014.

About one of five people who die by drowning are children 14 years or younger. Many cases of non-fatal drowning injuries often lead to hospitalization and can lead to PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) in later years. By learning to swim, a child’s life can potentially be saved when an adult is not present.

The Manassas Park Community Center offers a wide variety of swimming lessons. From six-month-olds to seniors, our swimming programs give students the ability to take up the skill with a variety of levels.

Our Parent and Child course is an introductory early childhood class in which a parent or guardian is in the water with the child. Our Preschool and School Age swimming classes are divided into levels based on skills received at prior levels. We also offer basic swimming and lap swim lessons for adults and seniors. It is never too late to learn this essential skill!

The Manassas Park Community Center is located at 99 Adams Street in Manassas Park, VA. Managed by the City of Manassas Park Department of Parks and Recreation, the facility is home to basketball courts, a swimming pool, wellness areas, special events, and recreational classes. For more information visit us at ManassasParkCommunityCenter.com or call at 703-335-8872.