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The benefits of baby swimming are unique!!!

It is scientifically proven that infant swimming strengthens children's physique, respiratory capacity, heart function, while improving their posture and body position. They overcome their fears, gain courage and self-confidence, and become more autonomous and social.

It is a constructive time between parent and child and as is well known, children who exercise get sick less!!!

• Many children who take infant swimming lessons are able to swim before they can even walk. As their swimming skills improve, you will also notice improved coordination, increased strength and endurance, and a boost in their respiratory system.

• The earlier the child starts infant swimming, the faster he will develop defenses and skills for his absolute safety in the water.

Gentle and calm exercises in the water will give your child continuous and more restful sleep. Indeed, our parents confess that their babies sleep much better and longer after a comprehensive baby swimming lesson.

• Swimming brings great joy to the lives of toddlers and infants. Children also develop healthier and more dynamic personalities.

• Lessons from an early age help develop self-esteem and independence in the future adult. As a child's ability to move freely in the water increases, so does the child's sense of well-being.

• Parents and children have the opportunity to spend a very productive and enjoyable time together, especially at this age when few activities are appropriate for the infant. This develops stronger bonds between parent and child. Under the right conditions, cohesion increases both in the family and in society in general.

Often this activity is their first experience with peers. This way they learn to socialize and interact with each other, while looking forward to the next meeting. Social skills increase by a large percentage, compared to children who do not participate in similar activities. Children in baby swimming are more social!

• Parents themselves have the opportunity to socialize with other parents and, by extension, to meet people with similar perceptions and common interests. This way, not only the children but also the parents become more socialized.

• Swimming lessons from a young age lay a solid foundation for a life in which the adult will be able to participate in and enjoy a wide variety of water sports, both in and out of the water.

Baby Swimming Pisces

At Pisces baby swimming, the program manager is Nikolas Hatzigiakoumis, one of the few and most experienced baby swimming instructors in Greece. He is a Physical Education Professor, with a main specialty in swimming and holds two baby swimming diplomas from the Official Australian Baby Swimming Educational Group (AUSTSWIM). He worked for many years as a coach and then as a manager at the Hydria club, the first and most specialized baby swimming club in Greece, under the supervision and training of Margarita Kotzia, in 3 swimming pools in Athens (OAKA, Palini, Agioi Anargyroi). His long-standing experience as a family fitness instructor, with clients including prominent personalities of Athens, is another aspect of his multifaceted work experience.

Additionally, he holds an international lifeguarding, first aid and diving certificate, a water ski coach certificate, while at the same time he has attended a series of baby swimming and toddler education seminars.

His passion for sports, but especially his love for children, are the two main factors that led him to the decision to first become an educator and then to dedicate his life to baby swimming, bringing the most organized baby swimming program to Thessaloniki.

Source:

Fireflies in the cage

Baby swimming is a program of learning and developing skills in water, in the form of play. The program is aimed at parents and babies aged 6 months to 3.5 years.

It is scientifically proven that infant swimming strengthens children's physique, their respiratory capacity, their heart function, while at the same time improving their posture and body position. They overcome their fears, gain courage and self-confidence and become more autonomous and more social. It is also an opportunity for parents to spend constructive time with their children while, as is known, children who exercise, get sick less!!!

The supporting documents required for adults to participate in the course are a medical certificate: from a pathologist, dermatologist, gynecologist. For children, a medical certificate from a pediatrician and three photos are required!

In the center of Thessaloniki, you can participate in closed classes at the Egnatia Palace pool with Nikolas Hatzigiakoumis, program manager, one of the few and most experienced infant swimming instructors in Greece.

Source:

Magazine “Look, mom.”"”

Time for swimming pool

Once our baby turns 6 months old, we can buy him his first swimsuit, not only to start his trips to the beach but also because it's time for him to start swimming.

By Eleni Daskalaki

With the collaboration of Pediatrician Evangelos Kantaros and Professor of Physical Education Margarita Kontzia
My girlfriend's son is 7 months old and already enjoying his dips and stretches in the baby pool of the Olympic Stadium! According to the proud mother, the little one is calmer, sleeps better at night and shows in every way he can how much he likes this new activity. New of course, but not unprecedented, since the feeling of water on his body is clearly familiar to him after 9 months in the moist environment of the womb. According to experts, this is one of the reasons why babies adapt much faster than older children to the pool and relax in the water.

Another advantage of the Lilliputian swimmers is that they still retain the spontaneous reflexes for swimming and breathing in the water, something that older children need to learn with care and patience. Thus, as soon as babies are in the water, they automatically “close” their respiratory tracts and can dive without drinking water. Another impressive fact is that they instinctively make the familiar swimming movements with their bodies. So is the swimming pool a “smart” choice, especially now that summer is approaching and we want to smoothly and safely bring our children into contact with the sea?
Let's go for long dives!

“Every baby reacts differently to the first contact with water,” explains Physical Education teacher, Ms. Margarita Kontzia, “and this depends on each person’s personality and adaptability to the liquid element. There are babies who laugh and rejoice from the first contact and others who cry and need a few lessons until they get used to it. The familiarization period lasts about 4-5 skill lessons. However, as time goes by, all babies love the water and enjoy swimming lessons.” Of course, the earlier they start, ideally as soon as they are 5 months old, the better. At this age, children have the benefits of the breath-holding reflex and the swimming reflex. Thanks to the epiglottis reflex, when a baby is submerged in water, he holds his breath and does not swallow water. Accordingly, the swimming reflexes correspond to the primary motor behavior of newborns. These innate movements, referred to as a memory from life in the womb, can, if cultivated, become voluntary swimming movements from the 11th month and then lead to learning to swim after 16 months.
But do babies make long dives? It seems that they do, since as the trainer tells us, when they are timed, they can swim for a few seconds between two adults - for safety - and around 16 months they manage to swim independently for a while.

Baby swimming pool

The curiosity was great and I wanted to see the little swimmers with my own eyes. So I followed my girlfriend and her son to a lesson. In a small children's pool about 1.5m deep, mothers and babies followed the instructions of the coach and did the exercises and games she suggested to their babies. The babies' cooing laughter was interrupted for a few seconds for the little swimmer to do his long dive and then they continued as if nothing had happened. As the coach explained to us, the pool meets all safety standards, is heated to a constant temperature, so that babies and parents feel comfortable, and is cleaned with ozone.

The half hour of the lesson passed without me realizing it, since I was literally going crazy with what I was seeing and regretting that I missed the opportunity to give similar lessons to my children while they were still babies. On the way back, the little boy was sleeping carefree in his seat and my friend described to me how much calmer he had become in the weeks he had been swimming.

The benefits of swimming

“Contact with water strengthens babies' immune systems,” points out Ms. Kontzia. “Water, thanks to its natural characteristics, such as buoyancy and resistance, provides infants with a familiar environment and many opportunities for sensory activation, which they could not have otherwise. It gives them the opportunity to discover ways to control their body, to change posture and position, to observe the world from a different perspective. It has been proven that contact with water supports the overall development of infants by positively affecting their motor, muscular and neuropsychic development. Infants who follow corresponding programs, as they grow up, have a greater variety of movements, a higher degree of self-confidence and are more independent. Thanks to swimming, their sleep becomes more pleasant and calm, since the water regulates their muscle tone and relaxes them. Furthermore, because the lessons are held with the cooperation of the parent, the bond between mom-dad and baby is strengthened and even more intense emotions develop. Finally, it contributes to the development of the child's personality, who socializes better within the group and naturally through These safe and enjoyable activities are fun for babies. Let's not forget that this entire process, especially at such a young age, promotes lifelong exercise in general and swimming in particular.

The pediatrician's opinion

Pediatrician Evangelos Kantaros answers our question about how safe swimming is for children of all ages, from infants to older children. Subconsciously, water reminds babies of life in the womb, calms and relaxes them. Endorphins, hormones that are secreted in the brain when they are calm and have a beneficial effect on the child's daily behavior, help with this. Many parents of babies or older children worry that chlorine or swimming in the pool in general may affect the health of tiny swimmers. However, this concern is unfounded. Swimming is completely safe, suitable for all ages and all children without exception.

Swimmers with a pacifier

They get off their swing, put on their swimsuits and
dive into the pool. Some of the little athletes
of this report they know how to swim even before
walk!

By Eleni Daskalaki

The day I went to the indoor swimming pool for the report
of the Olympic Stadium was rainy and cold. A typical
winter day. With difficulty I made the decision to go out
from my house and I was wondering which parent would go
his baby in the swimming pool in winter weather. But when
When I got there, my mood immediately improved. A little
blue reflection of the water that brought to mind the
summer sea, a little carefree laughter of the little ones who
They were swimming merrily in rows, a little bit of the girls
synchronized swimming that were taking place at that time
their training, drawing attention to them, I began
to enjoy my visit.

While looking for the baby swimming pool, I saw a
warm and cute image. The polygonal swimming pool in
ideal size for children from 9 months to 3 years old,
enclosed in glass to keep warm
atmosphere, babies splashing around chasing
colorful plastic balls and older children to
they show off their proud parents their clumsy dives, all
together they were enough to wake up the mom in me and
I'm thinking maybe I should bring my son to the babysitting service too.
swimming of the Nireas Chalandri Athletic Club. “It must
to be from the magazine. I am Margarita, the
coach of the little ones. But we'll talk about it later because
"As you can see, babies don't hold on," she introduced herself to me.
smiling girl and immediately rushed to the pool.
Really two little girls, a little older than one
year old, they had put on their one-piece swimsuits and were waiting
impatiently at the edge of the pool for Margarita to get involved
in the water.

One of the two little ones, Marina, with the
who left the safe embrace of his mother and put the
crying. Her mom, much calmer than me,
rewarded every time between her moans
pushed the ball or bathed the baby doll, like
the coach told her. When we moved away to
To calm the little one down more easily, I found the opportunity to
talk to her mom. “Marina is sixteen months old and
this is her sixth lesson. Bringing her into contact with
water and swimming were my desire and
decision, since she herself is too young to be able to
express her opinion. The fact that she is crying at this moment when
She's with the coach, she won't make me stop her.
And that's because at home, while I'm preparing it, it's running
to bring her swimsuit, she announces to everyone that we
now we go to "congo" - the word he has for
swimming pool – and generally seems happy to come.
If at any time I see her resentful or unwilling,
If she wants to start, then I will respect her refusal.
When I learned that there are swimming classes for such young children
Guys, I was excited, because swimming is something that interests me.
I really like it too. My goal is not to
lead to championship. My desire is to
to encourage sports, a healthy lifestyle and
thinking.

Before we started swimming, the pediatrician gave me
his consent and agreed that swimming was
something positive for Marina...".
Irene, 3 years old, comes to the swimming pool from
September and her familiarity is evident. She does
dives in the water, opens her eyes in the water and
she swims even without her life jackets.
"I was taking my oldest son to the swimming pool so it was
"It's natural to bring Irene too," her dad explains to me.
3-year-old Irene and 5-year-old Konstantinos who
swims with the older children. “Since we live in a country
surrounded by the sea, I believe that our children
they must learn to live with water. It is
the percentage of Greek children who do not know is excessive
swimming but also in general of people who drown
every summer at the seaside. So by bringing the children
my to learn to swim properly, I believe that they
I ensure a significant level of safety for life.
On the other hand, we see that children who live
in Athens, locked inside the house, they don't have many
opportunities for relaxation and activity that are important to them
so necessary.

So the swimming pool is for us a
good choice. Swimming is an outlet for
energy that children and adults have within them
conditions of our everyday life do not help them to
to decompress. Judging from my son, who is a little
bigger and swims longer, it's obvious
how much sports have helped him. At five he is swimming
comfortably without a life jacket, his body has begun to acquire
correct lines and the main thing is that he really likes it
swimming and seeks it. I believe the same is true
and with Peace, even if it is still fragile."
Long dives with the… diaper

While we were talking to Irene's father, two little sisters
arrive. Margarita embraces the youngest and
together they begin the games and the dives. In a
moment I see the coach diving into the baby and
where I wait for it to come out of the water... crying, this
starts laughing. His mom looks at him confidently and
She smiles too.

'Very young babies, once they have overcome their natural fear,
which is mainly for the unknown person with whom
they suddenly find themselves hugging each other in the water, they remember
instinctively the contact with water, as they experienced it in the
their mother's belly. Babies still have spontaneous
reflexes for swimming and breathing inside the
water, something that older children need to
"We learn with attention and patience," says the gymnast who
is training.
"It's not dangerous to bring, say, my baby, who
"She's almost nine months old, so she's going to learn to swim," I ask her.
"Babies and young children are held in the arms of the
coach the whole time he is in the pool. When
begin to get used to and become familiar with, the
we move away from our embrace, but always holding
Then the babies start to dive with their
eyes open and enjoying contact with the water,
Children calm down and relax, and even more so after
swimming they are tired and fall asleep very easily.
However, the greatest difficulty at all ages is not
It's both the water and the contact with the coach that
It's a stranger who the child needs time for.
to get used to.

That's why in the first lessons the
more children cry. In these cases
I'm trying to get to know each other a little outside the pool and in the
I then hold them in my arms and we walk around the
a point where they step, to feel more secure.
But once they get over their initial fear, most
they enjoy swimming and don't want to get out of the pool
pool".
I remember a conversation about the unique relationship that
The kids have the water I had with Vicky.
Zerva: “For babies, water is something very familiar, a
of their favorite toys. Contact with water
offers children peace. In addition, playing together
it also gives them practical knowledge about nature
as well as helping them learn to coordinate their
their movements. Children playing with water
discover its properties: You can put it
in a container and take its shape, but it remains the
the same wherever they are. This subconsciously helps them to
they perceive themselves, that in this way we too can
adapt to different situations while remaining
themselves. This subconscious knowledge is valuable for the
the child's emotional development and interpersonal
of relationships".

From theory to practice

When I saw 3-year-old Charalambos getting ready for the
his lesson, I was immediately excited. “This is mine
"ours", I thought, meaning that he is the same age as the
my son Valerio. I watched him with great interest
stubbornly trying to swim without a life jacket,
he dives, clasping his hands together and with
I was jealously watching his mom brag about him. With a
secret code that moms have to
are recognized, we quickly went from the plural
of the report in the friendly singular of two women with peers
children, since our second children have also been born with
a few days' difference. "The hawk has begun the
swimming pool for about three months and he liked it
from the beginning the contact with water. While many children because
the coaches say, they cry or get upset at first
lessons, Charalambos seemed to like it from the very beginning
"He is pleased and has made progress very quickly,"
says his mother.

“On the days I don’t bring him, he misses me a lot. It’s a
lively child and it is obvious that he needs to
to release, to channel his energy. So
On the days we come to the swimming pool it is calmer.
and more relaxed. Especially when there is a new
baby at home, the older child needs one
"distraction" that will make him feel proud
and confident about himself, but it will also help him to
"spend his energy."
The work is finished, the report material is
enough, but I refuse to leave. I look at the children who
play, learn and make friends in the water. It is
very important to start sports early. So
we lay the foundation for them to love exercise and
healthy life, to consider them part of their lives, which
"tomorrow it can protect them from various evils",
the coach tells me as if she's reading my thoughts.
"You can, you know, bring the child for 10 minutes
trial without writing it down. From its first
reaction we will be able to understand if he will like it
the swimming pool".

We will start a swimming pool because...

Through playing with water, children learn to
float and take first steps in technique for
swimming.
Swimming is the best exercise for little ones
children who are not allowed to do other types
gymnastics.
Their physical fitness and respiratory function are strengthened.
ability, heart function, posture improves and
the position of the body.
Psychologically it also helps children overcome their
their fears and gain courage and self-confidence and
they become more autonomous.
Children who exercise get sick less and are less likely to
they easily catch childhood diseases