5 Tips for a Water-Safe Family Vacation at the Beach this Summer

Be honest with me, in the past few months, how many times has the idea of bright sunny beaches framed by tall coconut trees waving in the warm, lazy breeze crossed your mind? Beach vacations have been a staple family holiday (for a good reason). However, it’s important to remember that drowning is still the leading cause of death in children under 14 in Canada. Here are 5 tips you can easily do to keep your family safe while still enjoying the sun, sand and surf this Summer!

#1: Pay Attention to Swimming Advisories and Lifeguard Instructions

Before heading to the beach, consult your local Swim Guide for any advisories, warnings, closures, health concerns or other important safety information. Between May and September, Vancouver beaches employ lifeguards from sunrise to sunset. If a lifeguard tells you to stay out of the water for the time being, please listen to them. 

#2: Know the Signs of A Child In Distress

Drowning can happen in under a minute and rarely looks like it does in the movies. When someone is drowning, they probably don’t have the capability to wave their arms in the air and yell for help as they’ll be trying to keep themselves above water to catch their breath. It’s safe practice to always have an eye on your child and make sure you can get to them quickly whenever they’re in the water. Try to stay within an arm's reach of them if they are young or not a strong swimmer. 

#3: No Diving Until You Know How Deep The Water Is

In open water, safety hazards aren’t always visible to the naked eye. Avoid diving head first into the water at the beach as the sand is often hard packed and unforgiving. Sharp rocks, marine life and even other beachgoers may be hard to detect from above the water as well.

#4: Take Lots of Breaks

It’s important to take multiple breaks from the water while at the beach. Heat stroke, heat exhaustion, sunburns, dehydration and exhaustion are all possible side effects of pushing your limits to dangerous levels. Which in turn, increases the possibility of accidents, drowning, and longer lasting effects. Instead of spending all your time at the shore, consider having a small picnic in the shade for a chance for everyone to refuel and get a break from the constant sun. Make sure to pack sunscreen and lots of water for everyone!

#5: Entering Water Only with Approval and Supervision

Whenever possible, it's good for parents and guardians to come up with set rules before ever entering a body of water. A good one is getting the child to ask permission before going into the pool by establishing contact with the supervising adult, asking the adult if they are ready for them to enter the pool, and then counting 1-2-3 together with the supervising adult before entering the pool. That way, everyone knows where everybody is, and children aren’t sneaking into the pool without notice.

If a beach vacation isn’t in your near future, check out our Fall session as well as our year round programs at our pools in Richmond, Maple Ridge, Surrey, White Rock, Langley, Cloverdale, and Abbotsford. For more information on our programs, how to register, and much more, head over to our website! Come swim with Swim Fins: www.swimfins.ca/register

How to Become A Swim Fins Swim Instructor

Wherever there is an athlete, there is an instructor. With swimming being one of the most valuable life skills children can learn, swim instructors have a life changing impact on their students’ lives. The path to becoming a certified swim instructor can seem overwhelming so we’ve decided to break the whole process down for you in a way that’s clear and easy to understand.

Why Be A Swim Instructor:  

Apart from teaching children skills that can save their lives one day, there are a multitude of benefits to starting a career as a swim instructor. Here are some of the benefits swim instructors can enjoy about their job:

• An amazing starting wage of $25 per hour.

• Great first job.

• Get to interact with children and adults from all walks of life.

• Knowing that you’re making a meaningful difference in your community.

• Learn and develop soft skills that transfer into everyday life and future careers such as effective communication, time management, collaboration and adaptability.

• Certificate credits can be used as credits to graduate high school.

• And many, many more…

Why Choose Swim Fins to Work for: 

At Swim Fins, our instructors shared some of the reasons they love working with Swim Fins Swim School: 

• Competitive wages ($25 -$30 per hour).

• 30+ hours of paid training.

• Job security: Swim Fins tends to have instructors that last for upwards of 10+ years! 

• Small, family business where you feel appreciated.

• Ready-made lesson plans are provided by our Head Coaches that have been tried and tested.

• Flexible scheduling of shifts that work around school schedules and volunteering. 

• Small group classes make it easy to focus on safety and making sure the swimmers are having fun in their lessons.

• Each shift is about 3+ hours with breaks in between so work days don’t feel long.

• Opportunity to support and be supported by a team of like-minded, hard-working individuals.

• Multiple locations to work at across the Lower Mainland: White Rock, Cloverdale, Walnut Grove, Richmond, and Abbotsford.

• Easy, information-filled application process where you fill out the application forms, attend a video interview and a 15 min practical interview at the pool before starting training.

The Certification Process: 

As you can see from the above infographic, the process of becoming a certified swim instructor can start as young as 13 years old with only a few prerequisites and some hard work. Let’s explore that more… 

The first step (we recommend) to becoming certified is completing the Canadian Swim Patrol. After you’ve completed the Canadian Swim Patrol to their highest levels (Star Patrol) you can then do your Bronze Star which develops swimming proficiency, lifesaving skills and personal fitness. Completing that moves you through the Bronze exams, which is the next step: completing your Bronze Medallion. This course works your judgment, knowledge, skill and fitness – the four components of water rescue. Once passing that exam, you can do your Bronze Cross which begins the transition from lifesaving to lifeguarding and prepares candidates for responsibilities as lifeguards. After this point, there are many different paths, careers, and opportunities for you! Any future jobs will see these accomplishments as a large amount of skill and responsibility. 

To teach with us at Swim Fins we also need you certified in your NL, Swim for Life Instructor, and SFA. Let’s break those down further:

• NL - National Lifeguard is your lifeguarding certification. This means that you are able to provide effective safety supervision in swimming pool environments.

• Swim for Life Instructor - Swim for Life Instructor is your certification so that you can effectively teach the Lifesaving Society’s Learn to Swim program properly with the tools given.  

• SFA - Standard First Aid and CPR-C (children) is your most commonly used certification for how to properly respond to emergency situations. 

All these certifications are required to be current and recertified when expired so that you have the most up to date knowledge possible. If you have any questions about certifications, please don’t hesitate to contact us, or the Lifesaving Society. 

How To Apply to Work At Swim Fins: 

To be a successful applicant at Swim Fins here’s a little checklist for you:

• Do you have your NL, Swim for Life, and SFA?

• Have you read our job description?

• Now complete your application form found here!

Can Babies Learn To Swim?

The short answer is YES, babies can learn to swim! In fact, at Swim Fins, we highly encourage starting your child's swim lessons from the age of 6 months old. Over the years, we often get parents asking if it’s worth signing their infant up for swim lessons while they’re so young so here is why we think swim lessons are a smart choice for your baby.

The main objective of swim lessons for infants is drowning prevention and learning basic water safety. In Canada, drowning is still the second leading cause of death in children under 14. Formal swimming lessons reduce that risk by 88% according to America’s National Institute of Health. At Swim Fins, we teach the Swim Fins program in conjunction with the Red Cross Swim program. Our program is designed by the owner to meet the needs of young swimmers. As a result, Swim Fins students learn to Swim in ¼ of the time. 

Some of the other benefits of infant swim lessons we’ve found are:

• Building confidence at an early stage of the child’s life by being challenged in a safe environment while being supported by their parents. We find starting swimming lessons young also helps get ahead of the possibility of the child developing a fear of water as they get older.

• Providing an opportunity for creating emotional bonds between the infant and the adult in the water with them.

• Developing muscle coordination and improving balance.

• Developing muscles and exercising the infant’s heart, lungs and brain safely.

• Improvements in sleep patterns and appetite after swim lessons.

So in essence, our answer to the question “Should I register my baby for swim lessons?” is an enthusiastic, resounding YES ABSOLUTELY! We have many different classes to choose from, don’t delay! Our program runs year round at our pools in Richmond, Surrey, White Rock, Langley, Cloverdale, and Abbotsford. For more information on our programs, how to register, and much more, head over to our website! Come swim with Swim Fins: https://www.swimfins.ca/register

How to Encourage Your Nervous Swimmer

Swimming is one of those few undeniably vital skills that could one day end up saving your child’s life or the lives of others some day. That being said, kids aren’t always excited to get into the pool those first few times. To help you set your child up for success in their swimming lessons, here’s our top 5 tips to encourage your child to take that first step to becoming a super confident swimmer.

1. Use Motivating Words

Use positive and inspiring words to encourage the progress your child is making at the start and end of lessons. Help them focus on the fun things they’ve experienced in the pool. Learning new skills can be frustrating for kids, remember to keep it positive and focus on how far they’ve come already!

2. Make Swim Lessons Fun

Get social! Share the fun of swimming lessons with their friends and family. Take photos and videos of where they started and where they are now and send them to grandma and grandpa. Hearing the positive words of other loved ones can help your child see the difference they’ve made. Do they have cousins or siblings that could join Swim Fins for a session? See if they can attend the same class and make it more fun. If they don’t know anyone in their classes, encourage your child to make friends with the other kids in their class.

3. Take A Break, Remember to Breathe

Getting a reluctant swimmer into the water can be stressful. Remember to take a deep breath (both you and your child) and release the stress that comes from dealing with a child that’s learning a new skill. One benefit of not being on the pool deck means that you can try to take some time for yourself as you wait for them to finish. Go grab a coffee, read a book in the car, take a walk, anything to ease your mind for that stretch of time.

4. Reinforce Learning Outside Lessons

Take your child to a community pool or local beach and let them safely show off what they’ve learned so far. Try getting in the water with them and make practicing their skills a game. Reinforcing the skills they've learned in other locations will help your child feel more confident in their next lesson!

5. Ask For Some Assistance

Your number 1 resource at swim lessons is your coach. They may be able to recommend other equipment or have tips based on their experiences teaching that will help your child enjoy swim lessons more. Our coaches and staff are always here for you if you need help. 

Our program runs year round at our pools in Richmond, Surrey, White Rock, Langley, Cloverdale, and Abbotsford. For more information on our programs, how to register, and much more, head over to our website! Come swim with Swim Fins: https://www.swimfins.ca/register

Swim Class Checklist

The first few years of a child’s life is filled with new experiences and learning opportunities. As parents, we want to make sure they’re equipped with all the skills and items they might need to succeed later in life. Every day, it seems like there’s something new for your child to learn.

As a parent, your child’s first swimming lesson can be both exciting and intimidating. What do you bring with you? What if you forget to bring something essential? With all these questions, we understand that it can be difficult to organize yourself and pack for your kid’s first swim class. To make things easier for you, we’ve put together a checklist with suggestions (not all are necessary) that will leave you and your kiddo prepared for their first lesson:

1. Eyewear - your child will need a pair of goggles or a swim mask for their lessons. Goggles and masks (and more!) are available for purchase via our website here. Please wait to order your eyewear until your coach has seen and assessed your child’s needs for at least one lesson.

2. Your child’s swimsuit - we suggest wearing a comfortable one piece or swim shorts and shirt that is easy to slip on and off for easy changing. Please come dressed and ready to go!

3. A backpack or tote bag - a bag specifically to hold all your swim lesson essentials that is okay to potentially get damp or wet.

4. A waterproof bag for wet clothes - something like a reusable waterproof bag or a plastic bag to hold your child’s wet clothes and towels. 

5. Your child’s towel (or a robe) - we suggest a big, soft and absorbent towel (or robe) that will dry off your child after their lesson and keep them nice and warm. A large fluffy towel can help your child after being in the water and adjusting to the air temperature until they are changed.

6. Wipes - gentle cleansing wipes are the best way to get the residual pool water off your child’s skin until you can go home and have them hop into the shower.

7. Lotion - pool chemicals used to keep the water clean and safe can sometimes dry your child’s skin out and lead to some irritation over time. To keep them comfortable, we recommend a moisturizing, child friendly lotion.

8. Healthy snacks and water - swim lessons are a workout! We suggest packing a light snack and a bottle of water to fuel your child and rehydrate them after their class.

9. Masks - while Covid is still prevalent we ask that you and your child wear their masks in and around the pool deck areas. The coach will let them know when and where to take their mask off once it’s time to head into the pool. 

10. Swim diapers - for toddlers aged 4 and under, swim diapers are a requirement to avoid any accidents. Please see your Parent Handbook for more information. 

For parents joining their child in their lesson, such as in our Parent and Tot classes, it’s important to remember to come dressed and pack your own towel and other essentials. 

Parents will receive our Parent Handbook before your first lesson that will provide you with additional information about what to expect for your first lesson as well as information about our pools including parking and where to meet your coach before and after lessons. 

Our program runs year round at our pools in Richmond, Surrey, White Rock, Langley, Cloverdale, and Abbotsford. For more information on our programs, how to register, and much more, head over to our website! Come swim with Swim Fins: https://www.swimfins.ca/register

How Swim Lessons Benefit a Child's Personality Development

As a parent, when you think about ways to enrich your child’s mental development, swimming lessons may not necessarily be the first thing that comes to mind. However, at Swim Fins, we are a firm believer that swim lessons are useful tools to develop your child’s personality!

Going swimming is not only a fantastic workout, but also helps one feel accomplished. Children are able to work out some of their stress and frustration by swimming laps and burning off their excess energy. The enjoyment they may get by taking part in other pool-related activities such as playing games or other pool-related activities may also help take their minds off their worries.

Swim lessons are an amazing opportunity for your little one to build social skills. Swim lessons provide children with the opportunity to interact with their peers in a fun but safe environment. At Swim Fins, part of your child’s lessons include playing games with aims as a way to develop their swimming skills without realizing it! Your child may even meet their new best friend at a Swim Fins swim lesson!

If a child experiences anxieties relating to swimming or being around water, swim lessons are an excellent way to confront that fear. It’s important that kids who are fearful of water are given the support they need so that parents and the swim instructors can help them build their confidence. 

For children with special needs, swim lessons are a fun way to develop motor skills, increase their strength and improve their coordination. Children with special needs don’t always have access to swimming the same way other children do. Swim lessons help provide that chance as well as act as a means of developing social skills and building a healthy self-confidence. 

Our program runs year round at our pools in Richmond, Surrey, White Rock, Langley, Cloverdale, and Abbotsford. For more information on our programs, how to register, and much more, head over to our website! Come swim with Swim Fins: https://www.swimfins.ca/register

Why we think Winter swim lessons are SMART!

Do you think swim lessons are reserved only for the warm weather?  Think again!

It’s a common misconception that you should stop swimming in the colder months. But swimming isn’t just reserved for Summer! All of our lessons take place in indoor heated swimming pools (around 84-86 Farenheit) so there’s no reason for the weather to be warm outside. Take a break from the cold and come improve your skills! Here are a few benefits of continuing swim lessons year-round:

1. YOUR CHILD CAN REMAIN ACTIVE AND HEALTHY BY SWIMMING.

It can be hard to keep kids active when it’s cold and wet outside. Swimming makes sure they have an indoor activity that can keep them energetic and healthy even when the weather isn’t so great outdoors.

2. SWIMMING HELPS MAINTAIN A HEALTHY IMMUNE SYSTEM.

Staying active helps build a stronger immune system which helps protect your kids from illnesses, infections, and other not-so-nice stuff. Some parents think that when the weather gets colder, putting their children in the water will get them sick. But it’s always Summer at Swim FIns! We monitor the water and air to make sure they’re never too cold for you and your children.

3. SWIMMING THROUGHOUT THE YEAR KEEPS YOUR CHILD CONFIDENT ABOUT THEIR SWIMMING SKILLS

Taking a break from swimming lessons for a season results in declining swimming performance. Without practice and consistency, it is hard to avoid skill regression. Why not keep your kids feeling confident about their swimming by taking another session?

4. YOU WILL BE READY FOR THE BEACH AND POOL NEXT SUMMER

It’s smarter to be prepared! Taking swimming lessons throughout the Winter ensures that by the time Summer comes around, your kiddo will be swimming well and you’ll have less worries about their safety around the water during your next trip to the ocean, lake, or pool!

5. WE’LL SAY IT AGAIN: YOU WILL NOT CATCH A COLD FROM SWIMMING!

It’s worth saying again! This is a common misconception and far from the truth.

Learning how to swim not only ensures your child’s basic safety in the water, but also helps them stay healthy and feel more confident about their swimming skills. Our Winter swimming lessons schedule is online for you to start planning. We welcome all ages to our classes!

Our program runs year round at our pools in Richmond, Surrey, White Rock, Langley, Cloverdale, and Abbotsford. For more information on our programs, how to register, and much more, head over to our website! www.swimfins.ca. Come swim with Swim Fins: https://www.swimfins.ca/register

When Are Kids “Water Safe”?

When it comes to swimming lessons, parents often have a variety of goals. Some parents have heard of the advantages of infant swimming and want to reap the benefits as soon as possible, others want to develop strong techniques for future swimming goals. Either way, every parent wants their child to be as safe as possible around water. Here at Swim Fins, we often get asked:  “At what age is my child water safe?”

Our answer is not simple; there’s no such thing as “drown-proof”.

We believe that no one is truly “water safe”. Accidents can always happen and the unfortunate reality of the situation is that drowning is still the leading cause of death in children under 14 in Canada.

Maybe the goal then shouldn’t be to keep our children drown-proof but to give them all the tools to reduce the risk of drowning instead? Outside of lessons, we recommend parents and caregivers get in the water with their little ones when swimming recreationally at all times. Always be at an arm's reach from your child, no matter their swimming ability. ALWAYS stay alert and vigilant when your child is around any body of water. Accidents can happen in the blink of an eye and the best way to prevent drownings is to keep your eyes on your children at all times and be ready to respond in the event of an emergency. We’ve found the key lies in getting them in the pool on a regular basis at a young age to help build their, and your, confidence.

In order to help get your children to be water safe, they need to discover their abilities in a safe space. Check out our swim program that runs year round at our pools in Richmond, Surrey, White Rock, Langley, Cloverdale, and Abbotsford. For more information on our programs, how to register, and much more, head over to our website! Register here: www.swimfins.ca/register

NEW Location Alert: RICHMOND!

We are super excited to announce that we have a new swim school located in Richmond near the Vancouver airport which will be opening October 1st. Thanks to continued business from loyal clients like you, the demand was so great that we were able to acquire a new lesson venue! 🎉

Click here to see all of our locations: www.swimfins.ca/our-locations

Our Richmond swim school is currently taking registrations for our Fall session (Oct 1-Dec 23: 12 weeks). The rest of our locations will still run their Fall session Aug 30-Dec 23 (17 weeks). Sign up soon as we know these classes will fill quickly!

Should Young Kids Learn to Swim?… Yes!

Swimming is the perfect base for almost every physical activity. Swim lessons develop character, improve unique motor skills, and can prepare your child for numerous other activities such as kayaking, canoeing, scuba diving, surfing and triathlon training that they may want to attempt when they get older. 

Swimming also provides a great outlet for your child! Being one of the more intensive forms of physical activity, swimming offers a healthy and safe opportunity for your child to burn off all that extra energy in your child!

Swimming isn’t just all fun, it also offers a lot of health benefits that will help keep your children safe and happy at the same time. Swimming offers a total-body workout that improves your child’s cardiovascular endurance and encourages muscle building. Your child’s arms, core and legs will all be working together to stabilize and drive them forward. Swimming is one of the few activities that engages so many muscle groups all at once to get your child’s heart pumping and their blood flowing! Swimming is also a low-impact activity, this helps preserve your child’s joints while still getting the benefits of a full workout.

At Swim Fins, we classify swimming as an essential life skill. Drowning is still the leading cause of death in children under 14. Formal swimming lessons were found to reduce the risk of drowning by 88%. Formal swimming lessons at a young age also help overcome a fear of water in children. Our classes focus on instilling comfort and confidence in swimmers that allow fearful swimmers to thrive and overcome their fears in time.

After learning more about why children should learn to swim at a young age, it's time to find a place near you and sign up for your children to start seeing these extraordinary results. Our program runs year-round at our pools in Surrey, White Rock, Langley, Cloverdale and Abbotsford. Head over to our website to learn more about our programs, how to register, and so much more: www.swimfins.ca/register

From Swim Clo to Swim Fins: This Is Our Story

We have been brimming with excitement for the past year about Swim Clo Aquatics and Fitness’ next chapter and we are so pleased to announce that the Swim Clo you’ve all known and loved has grown into something bigger and better! Swim Clo has been rebranded to Swim Fins Swim School!

For 30 years, Swim Clo Aquatics and Fitness has delivered the highest quality swimming lessons to the Lower Mainland - a dream that the owner, Claudine (“Clo”), has nurtured since she started the business as a one-woman show in backyard swimming pools. Her passion for water safety and determination to teach children how to swim in ¼ of the time is what has driven Swim Clo, now Swim Fins, to become the amazing program that it is today. Swim Fins is the result of 30 years of refinement - an evolution from aquatics and fitness to a specialized swim school targeting children between the ages of four to nine years old (our largest swimmer base), but accessible to all ages! Swim Fins is a true masterclass providing the best swimming lessons parents and their children can experience.

2020 was a hard year for all of us, between not being able to visit with our families and friends to our favourite small businesses having to temporarily shut down in solidarity with our community’s efforts to stymie the spread of COVID-19. While we missed our swim families so much during the shut down, we took this rare opportunity to explore the many ideas we’ve been storing in our innovation vault. With more time to focus on improving the business, we wanted to represent what our swimming lessons have become today; Swim Clo was a representation of “swimming with Clo” - a throwback to our origins. However, we have become so much more than that! Now our swim families have the opportunity to swim with our team of professional coaches who are personally mentored by Clo to become the amazing instructors you swim with every day.

Our new logo incorporates several aspects of our swimming lessons:

• FINS: As many of our swim families know, we use flippers, or “FINS”, in our lessons. Fins help students swim with straight legs so that they kick from their hips instead of their knees. They are a fantastic tool and are used frequently throughout a portion of your children's lessons.

• GOGGLES AND MASKS: All students use goggles or masks in our swimming lessons. They allow for more confidence while in the water and help swimmers be more kinesthetically aware of their body.

• BRADLEY THE SUPERHERO: The little boy represents Clo’s seven year old son. Bradley has been the face of Swim Clo for many years and it only made sense for him to continue as our mascot! He’s featured as an adorable young swimmer who dreams of growing up to be a superhero in all aspects of life.

• AQUA THE MERMAID: Aqua is a little mermaid who has had trouble keeping up with all of her mermaid friends as they swim through the ocean. She joined Swim Fins to learn how to swim even better than she already can and now she has joined the team to encourage other little mermaids who want to swim better.

• MORE TO COME! Expect more Swim Fins characters to join the team in the future as Bradley and Aqua grow and make new friends!

We want children to be able to feel like our logo represents them and their dreams - a visual representation of other children succeeding in their swimming goals. Swim Fins will be a place that children are excited to go; a place where they can see their friends, mentors, and coaches while learning amazing life skills.

The Swim Fins dream is for everyone to learn to swim, be safe, and have fun! Join us for our year round lessons at our pools in White Rock, Walnut Grove, Cloverdale East, Cloverdale West, and Abbotsford! Follow us on all our social media platforms to stay in touch and see your kids in action. We want to thank everyone who has allowed us to rent their pools, all of our coaches, all of our staff, and all of you, our valuable swim families, for following us on our journey and supporting our small business for the past 30 years!

Celebrate Subs!

Consistent attendance is a key part of our swim instructors job description. However, as we all know life can get in the way, people get sick, prom, final exams, etc. Our instructors are there for your children as much as they can, but life events are also important to our instructors so they feel fulfilled and energized at work. Thankfully this is where our wonderful subs come to the rescue! 

While consistency is important in developing young minds, flexibility is a valuable life skill that can be learned here in swim class. All of our instructors undergo the same extensive training but each one brings their own personality and teaching style. Some students respond differently to a new teaching style and a fresh set of eyes can be all it takes to overcome a plateau.

Positivity from parents is crucial when it comes to celebrating subs. Allowing your children to be comfortable with subs and new teachers helps them to build healthy relationships and develop their social skills. Notice your child's coach is absent? Here are some positive phrases to set the right tone for your lesson:

1. "Oh look Zac, you get to swim with a new coach today!"

2. "What an exciting day! We get to swim with a different teacher. I wonder if she's friends with Coach Tara…"

So, the next time your little one has a sub, help us make it a positive experience for everyone! Our program runs year round at our pools in Surrey, White Rock, Langley, Cloverdale, and Abbotsford. For more information on our programs, how to register, and much more, head over to our website! www.swimclo.com

Register here: https://www.swimclo.com/register-summer

Healthy Living in Kids!

Each year “Every Kid Healthy Week” runs from April 22nd to 26th to encourage school health and wellness achievements. In recognition of this week we have put together our best tips for encouraging healthy living with your kids.

#1: Start your children in swimming lessons as early as possible, at Swim Clo we teach students as young as four months old. It will help them develop physically and cognitively and also teach them life saving skills. When children regularly attend swimming lessons an active lifestyle becomes their normal routine. Once your child is comfortable in the water it can open the door to many other activities and sports for them, like competitive swimming, surfing, water polo and more.

#2: Water! The best thing you can do for your child is to get them drinking water as their primary source of hydration. It can be hard if they prefer to drink juice or milk, but keep a full cup of water on hand and offer it to them throughout the day. If they don’t like plain water, try adding fresh mint or squeeze an orange or lemon into it, use a colorful twisty straw, or add ice cubes in fun shapes. 

#3: Being active together as a family which will help your little ones to enjoy and make fitness a priority. Whether that is going on a family bike ride, having an impromptu dance party in the kitchen or playing catch in the backyard, incorporating exercise into your daily family life will help raise healthy children. 

#4: We understand kids are known to be picky eaters and it can be frustrating for parents to get them to eat the nutrition-dense foods you’d like them to. A good start is to try to eliminate or reduce processed foods and always offer a healthy snack to help them fuel up before an activity. It might take a lot of attempts and creativity, but you can definitely improve the quality and nutrition of your kids’ foods if you keep at it. 

Making some, or all, of these tips a routine in your family's life will make sure everyone stays happy and healthy. We hope swimming will be part of your active lifestyle. Our program runs year round at our pools in Surrey, White Rock, Langley, Cloverdale, and Abbotsford. 

Register here: https://www.swimclo.com/register-summer

Benefits of Making Swim Lessons Part of your Back to School Routine

It’s that time of year again, spring break is over and your kids are getting ready to head back to school. When planning your new back to school schedule you may be thinking of what activities to include. Here are a few reasons why it’s a good idea to introduce swimming lessons in their back to school routine.

A break from school can disrupt your family’s routine and sense of normalcy. Whether you were able to take some trips or had family in town to visit, there’s no doubt that the time off school revolved around a different routine. Swimming lessons are a great activity to incorporate to help your kids transition back into the swing of school.The school day makes up the main part of their routine and then other activities are scheduled around that. They may have hockey scheduled on Mondays, piano on Thursdays and swim class on Tuesdays. Creating a good schedule of events for your little ones and establishing your new routine right away will help them ease back into their busy back to school schedules.

The routine of learning to swim and attending lessons weekly has likely become a familiar and comfortable place for your child. Having the familiarity of swim class to look forward to can especially help if your little one is about to start a new school or begin a new grade. The customized lesson plans we have in our classes gives kids an understanding of what to expect each week and with our small class sizes they look forward to meeting the new friends they’ve made in class.

While kids are at school they spend most of their time sitting in the classroom, yes they have recess but most kids are still anxious to move around once the school day is over. Scheduling swim lessons right after school is a good way to get their bodies moving after a long day of learning. Many of our families have found this schedule to work well with their school-age children. 

Our program runs year round at our pools in Surrey, White Rock, Langley, Cloverdale, and Abbotsford. 

Register here: https://www.swimclo.com/register

Why Repetition in Swim Lessons Helps You Learn!

Repetition is a core part of learning how to swim, especially in younger children. It establishes a routine, therefore helping to develop muscle memory, improving mental development, and ultimately results in a stronger, more confident swimmer. In this blog we will look at the different ways that repetition benefits swimmers.

Repetition of a new skill in a comfortable learning environment helps your child increase their knowledge while also improving their feeling of self-worth. The more your child practices, the more confident and accomplished they’ll feel when swimming.

The more your child practices a skill the easier it will become to remember, thanks to muscle memory. Repetition helps young minds master new skills and develop their muscle memory. The more a child repeats a skill, the easier it becomes for them to perform it whenever necessary, outside of the swimming lesson environment.

The practice of repetition helps strengthen the connections in the brain used for learning, which results in improvement in your child's mental development and cognitive function. It is especially crucial to practice when your child is still young as their brain is still developing. 

We know repetition is not just important to kids for learning purposes. Especially during their younger years a child will read a book or watch their favourite movie again and again without getting fed up. Repeating an activity or routine gives them some form of control and helps build their sense of security. With swimming lessons repetition will develop their security in the water to acknowledge it as a comfortable and safe environment. 

This is why repetition is a key part of our swimming program. Our program runs year round at our pools in Surrey, White Rock, Langley, Cloverdale, and Abbotsford. 

Register here: https://www.swimclo.com/register

Benefits of Swimming Lessons for Kids

When you enrol your child in swim lessons, you’re probably focused on water safety, as well as providing them with regular exercise and teaching them new skills. But have you considered all the extra ways swimming lessons can benefit your child? Feeling comfortable in the water and being able to swim can help your kiddo by boosting their confidence at a pool party or at the beach, but the additional benefits can far outlast the days of swim lessons. Here are just a few:

Recreation

Kids are known for their playfulness and enthusiasm and, as parents, we can only hope to encourage this zest for life as they grow. When they’re little, simply splashing around in a bathtub or pool can bring loads of fun. As they get older, knowing how to swim can enable them to feel comfortable taking part in activities like snorkeling, fishing, and jet skiing. Their confidence in their swim skills will help them enjoy fun activities without worrying about how to swim.

Sporting Opportunities

Some kids love swimming as a standalone sport, but others want to branch out into different water-centred activities. If your child has strong swim skills, they can participate in a variety of other sports easily and naturally, such as water polo, paddle boarding, or surfing. If your child is especially ambitious, they might be interested in competitive swimming. Building a strong swimming foundation throughout childhood will serve them very well as they engage in water-based sports in their future.

Aquatic Careers

Beyond fun and sports, there are plenty of real-life opportunities for little swimmers as they grow up. Many professions involve working with water, such as underwater videography, scuba instruction, or marine biology. Kids love to dream big, and exposure to the water at a young age can lay the foundation for a lifelong passion.

Set your kids up for future success with our swim lessons at our pools in Surrey, White Rock, Langley, Cloverdale, and Abbotsford!

Register here: https://www.swimclo.com/register

Why Swimming is a Good Form of Physical Activity for Kids

On average, school-aged children need 60 minutes of physical activity per day. While your child’s daily routine undoubtedly provides some exercise, you may have struggled in the past to find an activity for your child that keeps them happy, healthy, and having fun. The answer is simple: swimming lessons with Swim Clo in one of our Lower Mainland locations! 

Swimming lessons are not only a fun way to get your child moving, but the benefits they provide are unparalleled. Not only does swimming improve respiratory and cardiovascular health, strength and stamina, it can even teach your child better balance. Knowing that your child is a confident swimmer will lend you peace of mind on the next family trip to the beach or pool. It also opens up a world of other activities for your child, such as kayaking, surfing, or boating. 

If you have considered enrolling your child in swimming lessons before but were worried about the time commitment, Swim Clo offers flexible booking with time slots available on a long-term basis - no more scheduling nightmares! On top of that, we use our specialized program to teach kids to swim in ¼ of the time, producing stronger swimmers faster than traditional lesson formats. 

Our programs provide children with fun challenges and the tools to succeed, building their self-esteem and confidence while they learn. We offer swimming lessons in a variety of locations, including Abbotsford, Surrey, Langley, Cloverdale, and White Rock. They also are free from distractions so that your child can get the most out of every lesson. 

Our coaches are highly trained and create personalized lesson plans to improve the swimming skills of each individual student, as we understand that not every child will begin lessons with the same strengths and weaknesses. Additionally, Swim Clo has ensured that our pool areas will follow COVID protocols in all locations. 

If you’re looking for a way to get your child more active while teaching them valuable safety skills, register today!

Source: click here

How Our Swimming Lessons Help You Learn:

Everyone knows how much fun playing can be! At any age, time spent playing is also a time for learning! Did you know that playful physical movement is essential to learning, especially at a young age? In the past few decades scientists have been proving there is an amazing link between movement and learning. It starts all the way back in infancy; as babies begin to learn and grow, their inner ear systems and motor function systems are the first to mature. We can use this information to make a fun environment full of motion! Classes and play dates that involve movements like rocking, rolling, spinning, and later on, somersaulting and swinging can stimulate the brain’s capacity for improved learning. These actions are building blocks for how to expand a child’s knowledge of themselves and their surroundings. We want to activate pathways in the brain early so that kids can prime their nervous systems for more complex things like reading, writing, attention skills, speech, and social interactions!

Now, you are probably asking yourself which classes are best for learning these movements? The most useful ones that get your kids up and moving are swimming lessons, gymnastics, and dance! These types of classes work the brain's natural bi-lateral cross patterning by using all four lobes because of how much focus it takes. For instance, in our Surrey swimming lessons, the act of holding your breath, closing your eyes, and putting your head underwater takes a lot of concentration and skill for someone so young. The more cross patterning, means the more nerves firing from one side of the brain to the other. This results in heightened cognition, improved body coordination, and increased learning. Who wouldn’t want a little more of all of that? It’s a good thing the Lower Mainland offers many of these wonderful classes stretching all the way out from Abbotsford, Langley, Cloverdale, Surrey, and White Rock. Make sure to check out your own neighbourhood for incredible classes such as these!

Our Winter swim lessons start January 2nd at our pools in Surrey, White Rock, Langley, Cloverdale, and Abbotsford. Lessons run from January to April.. 

Register here: https://www.swimclo.com/register

Source: Movement - The Key To Early Learning by Lana Whitehead (SwimKids USA)

Why we think Winter swim lessons are SMART!

Do you think swim lessons are reserved only for the warm weather? Think again!

It’s a common misconception that you should stop swimming in the colder months. But swimming isn’t just reserved for Summer! All of our lessons take place in indoor heated swimming pools so there’s no reason for the weather to be warm. Take a break from the cold and come improve your skills! Here are a few benefits of continuing swim lessons year-round:

1. YOUR CHILD CAN REMAIN ACTIVE AND HEALTHY BY SWIMMING.

It can be hard to keep kids active when it’s cold and wet outside. Swimming makes sure they have an indoor activity that can keep active and healthy even when the weather isn’t so great outside.

2. SWIMMING HELPS MAINTAIN A HEALTHY IMMUNE SYSTEM.

Staying active helps build a stronger immune system which helps protect your kids from illnesses, infections, and other not-so-nice stuff. Some parents think that when the weather gets colder, putting their children in the water will get them sick. But it’s always Summer at Swim Clo! We monitor the water to make sure it’s never too cold for you and your children.

3. SWIMMING THROUGHOUT THE YEAR KEEPS YOUR CHILD CONFIDENT ABOUT THEIR SWIMMING SKILLS

Taking a break from swimming lessons for a season results in declining swimming performance. Without practice and consistency, it is hard to avoid skill regression. Why not keep your kids feeling confident about their swimming by joining us for another session?

4. YOU WILL BE READY FOR THE BEACH AND POOL NEXT SUMMER

It’s smarter to be prepared! Taking swimming lessons throughout the Winter ensures that by the time Summer comes around, your kiddo will be swimming well and you’ll have less worries about their safety around the water during your next trip to the ocean, lake, or pool!

5. WE’LL SAY IT AGAIN: YOU WILL NOT CATCH A COLD FROM SWIMMING!

It’s worth saying again! This is a common misconception and far from the truth.

Learning how to swim not only ensures your child’s basic safety in the water, but also helps them stay healthy and feel more confident about their swimming skills. Our Winter swimming lessons schedule will be online for you to start planning. We welcome all ages to our classes!  

Join us today by registering here: http://www.swimclo.com/register

What to Do When Your Child is Scared of Swimming Lessons

It’s completely normal for a child to be a bit nervous when beginning swimming lessons. While every child is different, there isn’t a perfect way to get them comfortable in lessons, but the following tips may help relieve your child of some of the nervousness they feel around lessons and/or the pool. 

Enroll with a Friend or Sibling

New environments can be intimidating for anyone! By enrolling your child with his or her friend or sibling,  your child has a higher chance of feeling more comfortable in their lessons and in a new environment. At Swim Clo, we are able to accommodate siblings and friends of different levels due to our individualized lesson plans.  

Introduce your Child to the Environment Outside of Lessons

Whether it is the pool that your child’s lessons are in or a small, controlled environment such as a kiddie pool, making sure your child is getting used to being in an aquatic environment could help make the setting feel more familiar and thus help your child feel less nervous during lessons. Family trips to the pool are encouraged, as it gives the child the chance to develop his or her water confidence while practicing this important life skill.

Use Goggles

The novelty of being able to see underwater may help your child enjoy being in the pool. It may also help if your child is afraid of getting water on his/her face as it is common that young children often dislike getting their faces wet. By preventing the water from getting in their eyes, young children will likely be more comfortable in the water.

What’s helped your child with becoming more comfortable in swimming lessons? Let us know in the comments below!

Register today for our Fall Session at our pools in Surrey, Whiterock, Langley, and Abbotsford: swimclo.com/register