Why It's Important For Your Child To Learn The Back Float

In any introductory swimming program, the students will learn a variety of things beyond just how to swim. Enrolling your child in swim lessons helps to make him or her more comfortable around the water and thus less at risk of being hurt or worse while around a pool, lake, or other body of water. One thing that your child will learn in swimming lessons is the back float, and it's common to learn this technique at a young age. You might wonder about the value of learning the back float, but here are some reasons that it's important.

It's A Way To Save Energy

Children and adults alike can use the back float for a variety of reasons, but it's important to not overlook the value that this technique plays in conserving energy. During an average day at the pool, your child won't likely be worried about conserving energy. However, if he or she were ever in a dangerous situation, the back float would come in handy. For example, if the child was visiting a lake as a teenager and decided to swim across the lake, he or she could get tired. Instead of proceeding on, and perhaps struggling to stay afloat, the teen could simply do the back float for a short time to restore his or her energy.

It Builds Comfort With The Water

For children in swimming lessons who feel a little anxious about being in the water, the back float is a calming technique that can be effective for building comfort and familiarity. Your child will likely notice that when he or she floats in this manner, things feel calm. The water splashes over the child's ears and blocks out the noise from the other kids in the pool, allowing him or her to simply focus on floating and feel his or her body move with the water. Dedication to practicing the back float can help an anxious child feel more at home in the water.

It Can Help Your Child Save Others

Swimming lessons aren't just about your child staying safer in the water; he or she also can use the skills built during the lessons to help others in the future. As your child gets older and swims more, he or she may occasionally come across someone who isn't a competent swimmer. Adolescents may take part in pool parties or other swimming events without knowing how to swim, and this could be a concern. If your child were to discover another child struggling to swim, he or she could provide instruction on how to perform the back float as a way of staying calm and waiting for help to arrive.