A life skill just as important as walking and talking

We all expect our children to grow up to talk and walk well. We should also expect them to swim well. Swimming is one of life’s most important skills.

Water Safety New Zealand says that 7 out of 10 Kiwi kids can’t swim to save themselves. It’s a scary statistic when you consider that being in the water is part of New Zealand’s culture.

Learning to swim doesn’t happen by accident. Andrew Brown, General Manager of Hilton Brown Swimming explains: “Swimming is what’s known as a ‘gross motor skill’. It’s a whole-body action that takes time to learn, just like walking and talking.”

Hilton Brown Swimming’s benchmark for competent swimming is being able to swim 200 metres using correct stroke and breathing techniques.

“We offer new customers a free trial lesson, so that we can see what’s needed in the way of teaching”, says Andrew. “Our lessons are structured so that children are taught at the right level – not too easy, not too hard. We promote them to the next level as soon as they’re ready, so they can make progress at their own pace.”

Apart from the obvious life-saving benefits, being a good swimmer is great for self-esteem. How will your children do at this year’s swimming sports? If you want to give their skills a boost, now’s the time for a free trial at Hilton Brown Swimming.