National Baby Swimming Week

National Baby Swimming Week runs from Monday 2nd - Sunday 8th September and it's the time of year when we get to shout about all of the amazing benefits that baby swimming brings to children. Who are we kidding? That’s what we’re always doing! 

This National Baby Swimming Week, we want to raise awareness of all the benefits early years swimming can bring, highlighting how little ones can learn to become swimvincible through understanding how to swim safely. Our team of swimming superheroes will be on hand to help as well!

Not only this, but swimming supports little one’s emotional development through skin-on-skin bonding time and is a chance to play and have some fun! 

It's more important than ever to give our children the opportunity to embrace the gift of swimming. Moving their arms and legs in the water, finding their balance and working those new found muscles are incredibly important for helping children tackle the world. Not just that, but we've heard that it tuckers them out brilliantly, giving mum, dad or carer a chance to get some well deserved shut-eye.

Pearl’s Playtime Adventures

During this Mystery Island Week, you’ll have a fun lesson in your Team, taking part in ‘Pearl’s Playtime Adventures.’ You’ll learn some new skills and do some exciting activities focusing on bonding, social development, health and well-being, and the importance of play. 

These are all key benefits baby swimming can bring. With our outgoing youngest Swimvincible Pearl at your side, it’s going to be swimtastic! 

Keep on the lookout in your inbox for your special digital National Baby Swimming Week Badge & Certificate! You’ll be able to download it as a keepsake and add to your collection of Water Babies Treasures. This email will be sent at the end of National Baby Swimming Week

Pearl

The youngest of the group, Pearl is keen to learn everything and always moves at a million miles an hour – keeping the other swimvincibles on their toes. A huge fan of jumping overboard to swim with Bubba the whale by holding onto one of his fins, Pearl can be a real handful but is a true water baby. She’ll make friends with any water dwelling creature. She always says to her Water Babies friends “I’m flipping like a pancake”. 

Sometimes the babies that start in our classes actually end up on the tracks to Olympic stardom. Yes, we're talking about the incredible Alex. 

Alex was once fearful of going underwater in his class, but through perseverance (and a little help from his teacher, Nina!) he's now swimming with the best of them in Olympic sized pools. Watch his incredible story here.

Water Babies is much more advanced

It focuses more on safety skills and confidence in the water. The other programme I went to was just singing songs while bouncing your baby in the water.

Water Babies Customer

Oh my gosh, Water Babies is amazing!

The instructors are brilliant. In one session we learnt and did far more than other swim classes. As a parent I felt confident with my baby in the water. I felt included and it was just an all round fantastic experience.

Water Babies Customer

I can only say how much me and my son love going.

How confident he is in the water and how fun the lessons are. Also how much we bond during the lessons is amazing.

Water Babies Customer

Besides the obvious safety benefits, baby swimming lessons are one of the best things you can do to bond with your baby, as well as being excellent for their development: they help little ones develop learning skills, boost their confidence, improve their co-ordination and enhance their wellbeing.

Physical development starts with swimming!

Swim, eat, sleep, repeat. Swimming helps regulate all of these essential activities.

Babies and toddlers who swim with us have...

  • Have stronger heart and lung functions.
  • Have better balance and are better at grasping things. 2
  • Are significantly stronger and more co-ordinated. 3
  • Walk earlier than their peers.
  • Have improved appetites and sleeping patterns.

Swimming promotes cognitive growth and wellbeing!

Compared to non-swimmers, water babies are top of the class when it comes to cognitive development.

Griffith University of Queensland, Australia found that children that had swum as babies were...


  • 11 months ahead in oral expression. 1
  • 6 months ahead in mathematics. 1
  • 2 months ahead in reading. 1
  • 17 months ahead in story recall. 1
  • 20 months ahead for understanding directions. 1

Nurturing the bond

Swimming with us provides you with the perfect backdrop to support the bond between you and your little one.

  • Promotes bonding.
  • Boosts confidence. 3
  • Stimulates positive emotions. 3
  • Provides structure.
  • Rewards achievement.

Down Syndrome UK

Down Syndrome UK (DSUK) is a national charity passionate about empowering parents and professionals to improve the lives of those with Down syndrome and their families in the UK. 

We are delighted to be supporting National Baby Swimming Week as we believe every child, regardless of ability, should have access to the water - learning an essential skill that will last a lifetime.

RLSS

We're proud to work in partnership with the RLSS this National Baby Swimming Week to elevate the importance of water safety, standards and training and embed this into everything that we do. Find out more.

Slipfree

Non-slip shoes and swimwear for the pool, beach and home

As parents, we're constantly searching for ways to enhance our little one's development while creating memorable experiences. One activity that ticks all the boxes is baby swimming. Not only does it offer a unique bonding experience, but it also provides a wide array of benefits for both you and your precious bundle of joy. In this blog, we'll dive into the wonderful world of baby swimming and explore the numerous advantages it brings.

Plus,  to ensure  your journey into swimming with your little one is as fun and relaxing as possible we want to share some of our top ‘Slipfree®  Family Swimming Hacks’ to keep tucked away with your swimming kit…

Water Babies and BEAR Snacks have teamed up this summer

Water Babies branding will be on front of pack across the entire BEAR Little Paws and Fruit Treasures ranges, aimed at little ones aged 2+ and 3+, offering a chance for children aged 2-5 to win eight free swimming lessons with Water Babies. Don't miss out on your chance to win with BEAR Little Paws and Fruit Treasures.

There’s a few ways for you to enter for a chance to win!

1. When you’re doing a food shop, you can purchase a Water Babies BEAR Little Paws or Fruit Treasures multipack and scan the QR code.

2. Or, visit bearsnacks.co.uk/waterbabies and enter your details for your chance to WIN.

5 special winners will also WIN a bundle of Water Babies merchandise and a years’ supply of BEAR snacks.

‍Follow this link to head over to the competition page to discover more and read the competition T&Cs. The competition ends at midnight on 22nd September 2024.

Make bath time even more fun with this splash-tastic boat race activity. It’s the perfect way to get creative and practice some core aquatic skills, such as blowing bubbles, at home. Click the link below to download the activity sheet now. Remember, always keep an eye on your little one when creating craft activities, especially when scissors are involved.

Download Activity

My First Five Years

My First Five Years is a free child development app for parents, created by Jennie Johnson MBE and Dr Alistair Bryce-Clegg. With over 50 years of experience working with children and families between them, they wanted to turn their knowledge and expertise into simple, impactful, information and ideas for parents. The app will help you ditch the worry and find the joy in parenting with activity ideas and a skills journey that will help you see, support and celebrate every step of your child’s developmental journey.

We’re supporting National Baby Swim Week, because we know learning to swim is not only an important life skill and a way to enjoy time with your little one, but also a brilliant way to support many aspects of your child's development.

Download their app here: https://mzlv.adj.st/?adj_t=12qkka3

Visit MFFY's website: http://www.mffy.com/

Read MFFY's useful blog on 'How swimming develops self-confidence and self-awareness in early childhood'.

Nuby

At Nuby, we’re all about making life with tiny tots a little easier, and a lot more fun. We create products that are as clever as your little genius, as tough as their toddler tantrums and as cute as their chubby cheeks. We’re your baby’s new best friend (and maybe even yours too). 

We’re making waves with Water Babies for National Baby Swimming week because we want to help parents have the confidence to introduce their baby to the water. We know grabbing your goggles can do wonders for your baby’s development from social interactions to learning how to play, it’s worth taking the plunge. 

As a Water Babies fan you can save a third on Nuby.com for a limited time with code: NBSW24

Nuby have also provided our with their top 7 tips for getting ready for swimming lessons. Read the full story here.

Ready to start your Water Babies journey?

Childrens Alliance

The Children’s Alliance began as an initiative by Water Babies to broaden politicians’ awareness of the health and wellbeing issues currently facing children in the UK and a push to create a ministerial position dedicated to the health and wellbeing of children. Stemming from that has grown an acknowledgement that we are all responsible for creating a better, brighter future for new generations. The old adage that “it takes a village to raise a child” promotes the idea that we can all help to make a difference in children’s lives. So that’s what we’re doing at the Children’s Alliance. We are finding ways to provide better starts, and therefore brighter futures, for children throughout the UK through both political and community channels and we want you to join us. Be a part of our story.

1 The Early Years Swimming Research Project, Griffith University 

2 Norwegian University of Science and Technology 

3 German Sports College, Cologne