With the 2020 summer Olympics kicking off next month, we wanted to share relevant information about one sport, swimming.
Olympic Games are international sports events held every four years with winter and summer games held every two years apart. The Olympics has three types which are summer games, winter games, and the Paralympic games. The 2020 Olympics which was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic will be held in Tokyo, Japan, and scheduled to start from 23 July to 8 August 2021 with 33 different sports competitions.
One of the most-watched and favorite Olympic games is the swimming competition with famous athletes like Michael Phelps and Katie Ledecky to name a few. Michael Phelps is regarded as the most successful and most decorated Olympian of all time with a record of 28 gold medals. Kathleen Ledecky on the other hand has won five Olympic gold medals and 15 world championship gold medals with multiple world records under her belt.
Competitive swimmers put in hours of training not just in the pool but also both physically and mentally in preparation for the race day. Swimming has a variety of strokes namely freestyle, breaststroke, backstroke, and butterfly. Freestyle and butterfly races are some of the most highly anticipated events in the Olympics.
Now, kids mostly enjoy being in the water for fun and adventure. If you have kids that enjoy swimming and are getting good at it, you can see a future Michael Phelps or Kathleen Ledecky in the making then go ahead and give the boost of support they need.
The AAP recommends children start learning water safety skills and swimming lessons around age one. You can't expect your kids to learn backstroke right away but they can have fun by learning how to blow bubbles, kick and eventually learn how to float on their back and other aquatic skills.
Dressing for swimming lessons
There are many swimwear options out there and because of that most parents often wonder what is the right and best way to dress their children for the sporting activity.
Swim Diapers
Wearing a swim diaper is important when children start taking swimming lessons especially if they are not yet potty-trained. Swim diapers are designed to be worn in the water while keeping solid things when they poop.
Swimwear
Provide your kids with high-quality swimwear for their comfort. Swim shirts are great for sun protection when you are swimming in the outdoor pool though tighter swimsuits are much preferred when they are learning to move through the water at swimming lessons.
Head Cap
A head cap is recommended to be worn in swimming lessons when your child has long hair that can get in their eyes. They usually come in standard size and are stretched to fit over the swimmer's head.
Goggles
These goggles are an essential item in any swimmer's equipment bag but not much during the early stages of the swimming lessons. There will be days when your children will not be using Goggles but it is better to be ready. We love the frogglez goggles. They have a comfortable mesh headband that’s adjustable for your child’s needs.