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Swing swimmers

Do you want your baby to become smarter, stronger, calmer, more sociable? Maybe even a great swimmer? Dive into the pool with him.

Infant and toddler swimming is slowly starting to win the hearts of both young and old. This enjoyable, educational and highly beneficial activity for the child's (and parent's) health has dynamically entered our lives in recent years and is growing rapidly.

Get to know baby swimming

The first experimental swimming programs for infants and toddlers began in Germany 30 years ago, with the aim of familiarizing the little ones with water, so that they would become good swimmers. However, in the process, it turned out that initially flotation and then learning to swim came second, as the benefits to the psychomotor development of children were much more important. “I believe that there are only positives in this type of activity,” points out Ms. Maira Mylonopoulou, neonatologist at the “Miter” maternity hospital. “Among the negatives, I would put, in parentheses, the issue of hygiene of the spaces used. They should be clean, properly equipped and the people trained.”

From 6 months… to the depths

Infant and toddler swimming is aimed at children aged 6 months to 4 years and is carried out by trained physical education teachers with the participation of parents, in a heated pool (29-32 degrees Celsius). "Water provides infants with a very good opportunity to discover that they are capable of managing their movements. In this environment, they can perform spontaneous and autonomous movements, which would not be possible in any other case," emphasizes Ms. Margarita Kotzia, a Physical Education teacher with a specialization in swimming and a postgraduate degree in babyswimming, instructor of the program at the OAKA pool.

The benefits for children

It has a positive effect on the motor, muscular and neuropsychic development of infants and toddlers.
Infants who have attended water movement programs have developed a greater variety of movements and positive emotional behavior.
Children who are involved in learning to swim from such a young age gain adaptability to stimuli, courage, self-confidence, and independence.
The parent-child relationship is strengthened.
Through contact with other infants, they better develop their personality, their intelligence, and become social.
After swimming, sleep is more pleasant and peaceful, since the water regulates their muscle tone and creates a feeling of relaxation. Swimming in warm water is familiar to young children, as it resembles the state they experience as fetuses in the “aquatic environment” of the womb.
Swimming strengthens their immune system.

Parents also win

“The relationship with their child is strengthened. Imagine that in the first lesson we had them listen to their babies' heartbeats while they were in the water. They learn more about their child and are happy to see them make some movements, have some skills that they didn't even expect. Fathers also come to the lessons, because this way they find the opportunity to spend some time with their child, as their professional obligations don't allow them to see them as much as they would like,” says Ms. Kotzia.
Are there any risks?

“Only if the spaces are not suitable. Then, mainly babies are at risk of skin infections and very young babies from urinary tract infections, because they are more sensitive,” emphasizes Ms. Mylonopoulou. However, Ms. Kotzia assures that there is no risk. Not even for accidents, since the pool meets all safety standards and learning takes place with the participation of parents. Besides, as she says, at the same time as swimming, both children and parents are taught some lifeguard skills to prevent accidents.
Can all babies?

“Almost all children can attend this program,” says Ms. Mylonopoulou. “Caution is needed only in some special cases, such as for example in children with asthma, because the chlorine in the pool is excessive and can cause asthma attacks. Also, it is good for premature babies to start the program after they are one year old. Children with certain dermatological problems should also avoid the pool, for hygiene reasons and for the safety of other children.”

Diving is a pleasure

Holding your breath is an important element in this training. However, deep dives require special technique. In the first months of their life, children instinctively hold their breath in the water. But little by little, they forget this and so the instructor is called upon to teach them to hold their breath. “Infants at the age of 6 months perform reflexive swimming movements and reflexive breath holding when they are underwater.
When babies are submerged in water due to the reflex movement of the epiglottis, they can hold their breath without swallowing. This is one of the reasons why learning to swim should be done from 6 months, in order to cultivate these characteristics. Reflex swimming is the pre-natal motor behavior that newborns have in the water immediately after birth. These innate reflex swimming movements are referred to as a phylogenetic memory from the life of infants before they are born and if cultivated correctly, they can become voluntary swimming movements from the 11th month, while through appropriate stimuli and proper guidance they can lead to learning to swim independently from the age of 16 months. Of course, even after this age, it is never too late for children to start swimming, so that they can reap the significant benefits of babyswimming, Ms. Kotzia tells us.

Is there a failure rate?

“No, because our goal is not just for them to swim, but for them to learn things through safe and enjoyable activities, always according to their personality and abilities. We will never force a child to do something in order to have negative results. We follow the rhythm of each child, because each one is a separate unit and must be treated accordingly,” points out Ms. Kotzia.

Swimming lessons in the winter

It is advisable for lessons to start in the fall and be held systematically throughout the winter and spring, so that by summer the child has received the first basic training and is more ready for the sea. The swimming pools where the programs are held have the appropriate equipment (heated indoor pool, heated children's changing rooms, etc.)

Swimmers… from the cradle, infants and toddlers learn to swim

playing with the help of their parents under the guidance of specialists
coaches. Baby swimming has started to gain ground in the
Greece. It is becoming fashionable steadily and gradually. The benefits for children are
important: they relax, calm down, get stronger, socialize,
they are entertained, become more independent, smarter and bond
more with their parents.

It is Wednesday afternoon, November 22. The indoor swimming pool in
The Olympic Stadium is bustling with activity. Children young and old fill the
swimming pools, adults, men and women, coming and going on the sides.
Some sit in the stands, others accompany the children and others
are getting ready to go diving, swimming or playing polo. The
rays bring images from the Olympic Games to life and contradict
the image of desolation and abandonment that dominates the exterior of the
vast but always impressive facilities of the OAKA. An image
contrary to what unfolds inside a glass dome, which
This is also located in the indoor swimming pool in a corner behind the
There, a line of Lilliputian swimmers “splash” with
with the help of her parents and under the orders of specialization
coach, in an extremely small pool.

All of them participate in the swimming program for infants and toddlers aged six months.
up to three and a half years old. It is a program that had begun to be
increasingly popular in Greece and requires children and parents to
They swim together, at least for those under two and a half years old.
There, in the small pool, swimming is combined with play. They testify to this
Scattered in every corner are balls in the shapes of Mickey, Winnie,
and Spiderman, but also the naughty sounds from the happy kindergartens
voices. Suddenly interrupted by loud cheers. “Bravo, bravo,
"Bravo!" shout the five adults and the coach, who are standing
at that time in the pool. Little Danae, the recipient of the cheers,
Souravla, one of the five Lilliputian athletes in the baby class
swimming that is taking place at that time. Danae is only eighteen
months and successfully performed a dive. She herself seems to have no
understands exactly what is happening and comes out of the water blinking
her eyes are constantly rolling. She is constantly rolling her eyes. She is constantly rolling
startled and immediately hooks onto the neck of the adult who is holding her
accompanies her to the pool. In this case, it is her uncle
Harry Filis. After a few seconds, the tiny swimmer
clings to him and starts smiling. "Danae started swimming
six months old. She likes it, she reacts with joy every time we get ready to
"Let's come to class," says her uncle, who is accompanying her this time.
time as her mother is pregnant. “Here she relaxes. It’s a
activity that contributes to the physical and psychological development of
children”, says Mr. Filis. Similar enthusiasm is shown by the
their grandmother and grandfather, who come together twice a day
week to help mainly with dressing before and after the half-hour
lesson. “It’s the best thing for young children. To learn swimming from
early. We struggled to teach our children how to swim,” says the
Danae's grandmother.
An important motivation for participating in baby swimming programs is
relaxation and the calmness that the little ones feel, especially after the lesson.
This is what happens with little Lydia, who “relaxes and calms down during
"during the half-hour lesson," Siouros' father tells us
Harakakos. “Every time we come she feels very happy, especially after
lesson". It started in October, as her parents want "her daughter to learn
short swim for safety reasons in the sea, but also to
"She's getting used to the water." But her father is also better after the
his daughter's lesson, despite the pressure he feels to catch up.
"I just have time to get her dressed and leave the house for class."
But in the end I relax and exercise myself,” she says. Lydia,
who is two and a half years old, has singled out her favorite exercise. “Pass
"She wraps the "pasta" around her chest and kicks her legs," she says with
pride of her military father. She and the “little horse” are
two of the favorite exercises of most toddlers, but also two
of the basic movements that lead them to the acquisition of knowledge
swimming. Participation in the program causes pleasant feelings in the
Maria Panagiotou, mother of Giannakis, who is twenty-one months old and
has been swimming since she was ten months old. “We both feel beautiful in the
water”, says Ms. Panayiotou, referring to one of its benefits
program.
"Learning to swim in infants and toddlers supports the overall
their development and has a positive effect on motor, muscular and neuropsychic
their development”, observes Margarita Kontzia, Physical Education teacher
with a major in swimming and a master's degree in
Baby Swimming. “Infants who have attended physical activity programs
in the water, they have developed a greater variety of movements and positive
emotional behavior".

What is baby swimming?

What exactly is baby swimming or swimming for infants and toddlers?
Hellenistic? It is a program for learning and developing basic
swimming skills in the form of a game. In the program
parents with their infants, aged six months to
three and a half years, under the supervision of a qualified instructor and in special
a shaped pool with warm water at a low height. Baby swimming programs are designed to help infants become familiar with the water and develop confidence in it through their participation in safe and enjoyable activities in the pool.
As Ms. Kontzia, who is responsible for the baby program, says
swimming run by the sports club “HYDRIA” at OAKA,
“Scientific research has shown that through play,
exploration and encouragement these activities can
lead to learning basic swimming movements and skills,
as infants, when under water, perform
reflex swimming movements and reflex holding of
breathing from the first months of their life”. If the reflexes
These movements that infants perform at six months are cultivated
correct, voluntary swimming movements can be made from the eleventh
month and lead, through the appropriate stimuli and the correct
guidance, in learning to swim independently from the age of
sixteen months. Baby swimming programs have started since
1960s in America, while in Europe they began to spread
later, in the 1970s and 1980s. They are particularly popular in
Germany and Finland. They made their appearance in Greece just before
for a few years and only in the last two years have they begun to acquire
fans. “Especially this year the increase is leaps and bounds,” observes the professor
Physical Education Theodoros Vasilatos, who “runs” baby programs
swimming as a freelancer in three municipal swimming pools of
Attica. “I estimate that in five years all swimming pools will include
in their swimming programs for infants and toddlers”.
Why should I throw the baby into the water?

What are the benefits of bathing infants and toddlers? According to
experts, the programs primarily benefit the physical health of the
children. “Their cardiorespiratory system improves, their muscles become stronger
their muscles, the immune system is strengthened and prevention is achieved
posture problems, such as scoliosis,” observes Mr. Vasilatos.
Furthermore, according to Ms. Kontzia, “their sleep becomes more
pleasant and calm, since water regulates their muscle tone and
creates a sense of relaxation”. In favor of bathing infants and
infants, the assistant professor of Pediatric Pulmonology at the
University of Crete and director of the Athens Hospital “Elpis”, Mr.
Haris Katsardis: “Children learn to swim from a young age”
they exercise, they socialize. Swimming is a very good sport, as long as
be done by the right hands". In fact, Mr. Katsardis supports that the
Swimming is the most recommended sport even for asthmatics
children. Swimming also benefits the mental health of infants and toddlers. “With
swimming helps children become more adaptable to stimuli,
courage and a higher degree of self-confidence and independence”
says Ms. Kontzia. “Water is magical,” she argues from the side
Mr. Vasilatos said. “Children are entertained, they acquire social skills
relationships, their personality is stimulated and they learn to love
swimming”. Little Vagia Eleni confirms the opinions of the experts.
Even though she is only two years old, she enters the pool alone, without the
her parents, but always under the protection of her coach.
It even demonstrates exceptional comfort in all exercises and
toys in the water. He seems to fully understand the commands
of the coach and responds immediately. She is possibly affected
from her brother Yiannis, who, having done the baby program
swimming, has switched to another, more appropriate for his age.
In fact, little Vagia feels so good in the water that
refuses to get out of the pool at the end of the half-hour lesson. “I will
"You have to go out so we can come back," her grandmother Maria Eleni reminds her.
The benefits of baby swimming are even greater. "The participation of
parents strengthens the godfather-child relationship, while through contact with
other infants develop the child's personality, sociability
but also his intelligence”, says Ms. Kontzia. Her opinion
confirms from experience the mother of twenty-two-month-old Ariadne, who
prefers to remain anonymous. “Although I am tired after the
work, it relaxes me that the child is happy. Her swimming
It is good for her motor and nervous system. It makes her more
social, happier,” says her mother, who knows firsthand
the benefits of swimming since she herself swims systematically. “Every time
when we leave the house and I tell her we're going to go "plitz-platz",
starts laughing". The people themselves also benefit immensely
parents. “Toddler swimming is a great school for parents,”
supports Mr. Vasilatos. “The parent, through joint activity,
discovers his child. At the same time, he follows the correct educational
a process that requires no pressure. Swimming requires patience and
persistence. Because that's the only way children of this age can learn
swimming. We don't push them. We wait". That's why he himself
We organize special seminars for parents, which are held
“co-coaches” of their children, and they need to know what
what they should do and what to avoid during training.
In most cases, young athletes are accompanied in the water
from their mother. But some parents share the experience. This
What happens with the twenty-eight-month-old Zoe, who just started in September,
as “last year we couldn’t find a place,” observes her mother Viki Alafaki. “The
"Contact with water is carefree and relaxing," says her mother.
The waiting list for the baby swimming program held at OAKA,
but also the lack of such programs in a large number of swimming pools
are one of the problems that parents face. The mother,
for example, little Ariadne had applied last year
December to finally start just a month and a half ago. "My
They said I have to wait and for the child to be accepted, to tell them
I harass you by phone constantly and systematically. I have been doing this since the beginning of
summer,” says her mother, “until I get a positive answer.” The
The existence of a waiting list at OAKA shows that more is needed
programs in more pools to meet demand”,
supports Haris Filis, uncle of little Danae. The parents
also refer to the lack of adequate facilities, which
increases the fatigue of the whole process, as her mother states
Danais Delavaya, who turns one these days. But the mother
Areti Georgiou's overlooks fatigue, as "exercise makes her
good”, he says. Besides, Danae's cousin, one-year-old Marios-
Konstantinos Delavogias, participates in the same program.
Both Ms. Kontzia and Mr. Vasilatos argue that there is no
no risk in baby swimming programs. The pools comply with all
safety standards and learning takes place with the participation of
parents. At the same time as learning to swim, learning also takes place
some lifesaving skills for both children and parents
for accident prevention.

Little known in Greece, baby swimming has only benefits to offer your baby, and significant ones at that. By teaching your child to swim and dive from a baby, you are not only giving him the opportunity to get acquainted with the water from an early age, but you are also helping him to exercise, strengthen his body and become more social and independent. So, now that summer is here, is it an opportunity for you and your baby to start baby swimming lessons?

The lesson begins.

Before the first “baptism” in the pool, the coach gives some necessary theoretical lessons to the parents. In the water, parents and babies can do lessons, lasting half an hour each time, always following the coach’s instructions. Learning is done in a very enjoyable way, in the form of a game, so that no one feels pressured.

Born swimmers

Babies can start swimming lessons from the age of 6 months to the age of 3 years. Initially, they need some time to get used to the new experience. However, compared to older children, newborns can enter the water more easily, because they were only a few months ago in the wet environment of the womb. For this reason, they make reflexive swimming movements in the water and when diving, they hold their breath without drowning. With the help of a coach, they can learn to swim unaided from the age of 16 months.

Contributes to smooth development

The beneficial effects of water on the human body are well known. In babies, it strengthens their defense system, which is not fully developed, and helps a lot in their motor, muscular and mental development. The composition of water, the buoyancy, the resistance it exerts on the body, offers them a pleasant environment and the opportunity to activate their senses from a very early age. They learn to control their body, to change postures and positions. In addition, water relaxes them, because it regulates their muscle tone and they sleep more peacefully. Based on international scientific studies, babies who swim, when they grow up, have greater self-confidence and become more social and independent. Also, by learning to exercise from a young age, they usually continue for the rest of their lives. However, parents also benefit, because they develop stronger emotional bonds with their babies.

Before you start, make sure that:

a. The coach is specialized, follows all safety rules and will teach you lifeguarding lessons.
b. The pool is 1.40-1.50 m deep and is preferably closed so that you can continue the program in the winter.
c. The pool is heated with a constant temperature.
d. The water is renewed very frequently and cleaned thoroughly (preferably with ozone instead of chlorine, which may cause skin or respiratory problems in children).
e. The locker rooms are kept clean and heated in the winter.

What do parents say?

"If I have another child, I will definitely enroll him in a baby swimming program. I am excited. My baby is always happy and I can't wait to go to the lessons," comments Ms. Georgia Dimoulea, mother of little Andreas, continues, “We started baby swimming lessons last November, when the baby was only 6 months old. Today he is 22 months old and we will definitely continue for quite some time. It is a very good opportunity to live some moments just for us, as I feel guilty because I do not dedicate as much time to him as I would like. When I saw him for the first time diving into the pool, I cannot describe to you the surprise and satisfaction I felt. I compare my child with others of the same age who do not swim, and I notice that he is less nervous, more sociable and happy. Suffice it to say that after the lesson, Andreas relaxes so much that he does not wake up at night, which makes me happy to sleep too. With the exercises and playing in the water, he exercises, relaxes, has fun, learns to share and claim things. I have also noticed that he gets sick less than others "children who don't do baby swimming"

What does the pediatrician say?

According to Ms. Loretta Thomaidou, pediatrician-developmentalist, swimming helps the child mentally and physically. The benefits are even greater when he is familiar with water from infancy. Swimming exercises his entire body without straining and strengthens his immune system. At the same time, the child is “hardened” and becomes independent from an early age, as he is transferred from the safety of the family to a more open social environment. He also benefits emotionally, because he is given the opportunity to play, relax and bond more with his parents. However, safety rules in swimming pools must be met, such as being thoroughly cleaned and the coach being specialized.

The WELEDA company was created in Switzerland (1921) by a group of doctors and pharmacists. Regardless of the trends of each era, for almost eight decades, that is, since the first day of its operation, WELEDA has been operating in "harmony with man and nature" by applying BIODYNAMIC FARMING in the development of the plants it uses for the manufacture of cosmetics and medicines. In the context of searching for innovative ideas, social work and supporting important professional efforts of accomplished young professionals, WELEDA supports the work of baby swimming Pisces.

Baby swimming is a program of learning and developing skills in water, in the form of a game. The program is aimed at parents and infants aged 5-6 months to 4 years. The program takes place at the Egnatia Palace Hotel in the spa area in a heated pool where basic cleaning is done with bromine. The lessons take place once a week in groups of three or four for half an hour (based on scientific research).

The benefits of baby swimming are unique!!!

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 members of our team, our little friends, will have the opportunity to play, have fun and be trained in baby swimming with the newest methods from the most specialized staff in Greece regarding baby swimming. At an age when the child can do very little, baby swimming comes to fill this gap but also to fill it with lots of laughter, learning and joy.
Parents will be able to enjoy pleasant moments and a very constructive time with their children, in a spotless and fully equipped space. We are aimed at parents who are looking for the best for the education and entertainment of their children, who would like to share with other parents the same experiences and successes of their children.
Program director – information: Chrysochoidou Christina
Training Manager: Nikolas Hatzigiakoumis – Physical Education Teacher, Swimming and infant swimming coach, lifeguard, water ski coach, personal and family trainer, holder of first aid, diving, seminar and infant swimming diplomas from the Official Australian Educational Association (AUSTSWIM).