It is astonishing that 57% of children age 7-11 do not know how to swim.
It is estimated that children require at least 25 hours of lessons to swim confidently a distance of 25 metres. Primary schools are offered 18 hours of swimming lessons per child a year, way below the recommended hours. If hours were raised to 25 across all primary schools as standard the number of children who can swim would rise by 200,000.
Many schools are unaware of their student’s ability to swim. The Amateur Swimming Association (ASA) suggest that swimming should come under the physical education budget and be taught as a requirement much like any other subject.
As well as a lifesaving skill the ability to swim has vast health benefits and is one of the few sports you can continue to partake in into old age.
Swim Shop, who sell swimming costumes and equipment on-line are running a ‘Save a Life, Learn to Swim’ campaign and have created some fun games you can do as a family to increase your child’s confidence in the water.
The lovely people at Swimshop, have offered U,Me and the Kids 3 sets of arm bands and floats to giveaway to our readers. The 3 lucky winners can choose from a Steve Shark or Polly Fish float and armbands from age 1-3 or 3-12 years.
To Win a float of your choice and armbands, simply enter using the Rafflecopter entry form below.
Competition open in the UK only
Competition ends at 11:59 29/07/2015
All winners will be displayed on this page after the closing date
Ursula Hunt says
Let them float on their back for a while until confidence is built up before they get their faces splashed
Ashleigh Allan says
Have fun so they build up confidence first!
msedollyp says
keep calm and have fun
jodie crossley says
have fun and don’t put under any pressure
Elizabeth Hinds says
Definitely try to make it as fun as possible – so that they don’t even realise you’re teaching them a skill 🙂
Siobhan Davis says
Start them young and make it fun 🙂 x
kris says
be relaxed
sarah says
Start kids young!
Liam Bishop says
Keeping calm, everyone gets there eventually and staying calm will build confidence quicker.
Linda McGarrigle says
Make it fun x stay relaxed x
claire woods says
Pinned.
Kamila Y. says
sign up for swimming lessons
Michelle Banks says
make everything fun!
claire elizabeth noke says
Start learning your children whilst they are young 🙂
Ema J Lowe says
let the child do it at their own pace, don’t put pressure on them to swim with no aids.
Bob Scott says
Keep it fun and confident
Solange says
Start kids young
michelle mccall says
Make it fun and Have lots of patience ☺
Jodie W says
start CHILDREN SWIMMING as early as possible
Susan B says
Get the child used to being in the water from a very young age; swimming is just the next step.
Katy Malkin says
Doing widths with floats first, swimming alongsde them
Cathryn Bowen says
start kids young, keep it fun and light hearted
Lisa King says
Make it fun and get your child used to swimming pools at the earliest OPPORTUNITY
Diana says
I need tips! None of us can swim :/
carol boffey says
dont push them to hard
emma kinsey says
go swimming oncea wekk
Kate Davies says
Have confidence in yourself, if your tense so are they and everything will be even more difficult than it needs be.
Karl Borowy says
start early