“We are singing the same songs again”. “We are doing the same activity again”. “This is getting repetitive”
We know you may have thought this at some point!
However, as a parent, you have probably read the same book to your child over and over again until you have memorized the book. Repetition is something that doesn’t seem to bother children the way it bothers adults. Did you know that children actually find comfort in the familiar and as their brains are developing, doing the same thing over and over again helps them learn and master the task.
As adults we tend to lose the tolerance for repetition. We like things to be fresh and new all the time. Throwing a ball, brushing your teeth - no problem for adults, but for children those skills only come from practicing.
So, while you are sitting and watching from the pool deck or participating in a baby class you might wonder why every lesson seems (almost) the same. We know and understand that becoming a competent and secure swimmer, children need to practice the same skills over and over again. We are working on building muscle memory. We are practicing key skills that will eventually become instinctual and a natural habit.
In swim lessons, as in life, doing something one or two times isn’t enough practice to make it a habit.
The Aquabubs philosophy of teaching encourages children to learn valuable skills under the guise of playing, which enables children to better retain a skill. Your child might think he or she is diving for rings, but she’s also learning breath control and coordination. Your child is sitting on the mat as we walk around in a circle, but he is also learning balancing skills and improving core strength. Each game and activity we do during the class and we repeat weekly, is focussing on key skills.
So, while you see your child doing something again and again, you can rest assured that he’s practicing something that will stay with him for life. These are the extraordinary results we strive for every day.