Helping Your Child Set & Achieve Swimming Goals
Swimming is not just a fun recreational activity; it’s also a valuable life skill that can build confidence, improve physical fitness, and foster a sense of accomplishment. To make the most out of your child’s swimming journey, setting and achieving goals can be an essential part of their development.
Get SMART
To be affective, goals should be SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Timely. While this may sound a little too formal for a child’s swimming goals, it’s really quite simple. It’s a time-proven goal-setting method:
Specific: Target a specific area for improvement, for example “I want to swim 50m unaided”.
Measurable: Quantify or at least suggest an indicator of progress; in the aforementioned goal, this is easily measured by the distance achieved.
Achievable: It needs to be a realistic and achievable goal for your child. If they are completely new to the pool, something more achievable to begin with might be: “Floating on my back unaided for five seconds”. Once some of these foundation goals are ticked off, then it becomes achievable to set a goal such as “I want to swim 50m unaided”.
Relevant: Goals should be relevant to your child. For example, you wouldn’t set goals related to competitive swimming (such as achieving certain times for set distances in the pool) if your child is more interested in a water sport such as surfing (where a more appropriate goal would be to gain skills that then allow them to progress to swimming in an open water setting).
Time-bound: It’s always good to have a timeframe in mind for goals as this can help with motivation, however when it comes to children and the water it’s also important not to push them if they are not ready.
Involve your child in goal setting
To ensure that your child is motivated and engaged, involve them in the goal-setting process. Sit down together and discuss what they want to achieve in their swimming endeavours. Encourage them to think about both short-term and long-term goals; initially it might be something simple such as floating unaided, while a long-term goal might be swimming a lap non-stop.
Consistency is crucial
Consistency is key when it comes to achieving swimming goals. Encourage your child to practise regularly, whether it’s through swim lessons, recreational swims, or swim team participation. The more they practise, the faster they’ll progress toward their goals.
Monitor progress
Keeping track of your child’s progress is essential to staying motivated and making necessary adjustments. At Aquastar Swim Schools, our Learn to Swim program has clear levels for children to progress through, ensuring their progress is monitored throughout their swimming journey.
Celebrate achievements
Celebrate your child’s swimming achievements, no matter how minor they might be. This positive reinforcement can boost their self-esteem and enthusiasm for the sport. It all comes back to setting SMART goals and then providing your child with the tools they need to reach them. Aquastar Swim Schools’ Learn to Swim program is the ideal way to achieve goals in the pool. With experienced teachers, small classes, and excellent facilities – as well as a program that encourages your child to develop and progress – there is no better way to help them set and achieve their swimming goals!