Learn to swim – an essential life skill
Learn to swim – an essential life skill
Insufficient school swimming lessons throughout Switzerland: a worrying development
A recent SRF article sheds light on an alarming fact: more and more people in Switzerland cannot swim. Swimming lessons in schools are often inadequate, which means that many children and adults do not have the opportunity to learn basic swimming skills.
And yet swimming is not just a leisure activity, but also a vital skill that can save lives.
There are many reasons for this development: swimming lessons are not offered everywhere, there is a lack of sufficiently trained teachers and swimming pools are only available to a limited extent in many places.
But what can we do to counteract this problem?
What parents can do to support their children
- Start early: Get your children used to the water as early as possible. Playful activities in the water create confidence and the basis for learning to swim.
- Use private lessons: If swimming lessons at school are not enough, privately arranged swimming lessons can be a valuable addition.
- Practise regularly: Take your children to the swimming pool or open water regularly. Practice makes perfect. Children learn faster when they have fun.
- Be a role model: Children learn skills best by imitation. Demonstrate through your own behaviour that swimming is not only important, but also fun.
Learning to swim as an adult – it’s never too late!
For adults who have not yet learnt to swim, there are many good reasons to take this step anyway. Swimming is an important skill for staying safe in the water and preventing risks. At the same time, it offers numerous health benefits. It helps to improve fitness, strengthen muscles and promote relaxation. Swimming can also boost self-confidence. Those who can swim have more opportunities to try out leisure activities such as water sports or enjoy carefree days by the sea or lake. It’s never too late to learn this valuable skill and open up a new world of possibilities.
Here are some tips:
- Overcoming fears: Many non-swimmers are afraid of the water. Specialised courses for adults offer support to overcome these fears step by step.
- Focus on safety: Learning to swim not only gives you more self-confidence in the water, but also safety in critical situations.
- Learn together: Perhaps you know friends or acquaintances who also don’t know how to swim. It’s often more fun together.
- Take courses: Look for professional courses that specialise in adults. With the right support, you can make rapid progress.
Our offer: swimming courses for all ages and levels
We are actively committed to reducing the risk of drowning accidents with our wide range of courses and great dedication. At Schildkrötli Swimmers GmbH, we offer swimming courses for all age groups – from babies to children and adults. We recognise that each person is individual and tailor our courses accordingly.
- Courses for children: We use fun and playful methods to teach children basic swimming skills.
- Courses for adults: Whether you are a beginner, returning swimmer or experienced swimmer – we will help you to feel safe in the water.
- Special courses: Our experienced instructors cater to the individual needs and situations of people and adapt the swimming course to their wishes with a great deal of patience and understanding. Our programme includes special courses that are ideal for young and/or anxious children, such as our pre-stage course 1 & pre-stage course 2, which introduces children to the water in a playful and gentle way. We also offer the SwimSafe course, which focuses on water safety and teaches children the important basics for a safe approach to the water.
