As parents, we always want what’s best for our children. This is what makes the new year a great time for resolutions involving new activities that will form the bedrock for healthy emotional, cognitive, social, and physical development.

One of the best ways to achieve these goals is to enroll kids in swimming lessons. This is where they’ll learn important safety skills, how to swim with confidence, and experience the nuances of friendship and sportsmanship both in and out of the pool.

At Nashville Swim Academy (NSA), we’ve created a comprehensive swim program that progresses incrementally from Parent and Me classes for infants to stroke technique development for kids 5 and up.

Our lessons are mindfully structured to provide the tools, building blocks, and experiences that support healthy self-esteem development so that young children grow into well-rounded adults.

We do not align with the methodologies used in Infant Swim Resource (ISR) lessons due to the negative association with the water this approach can create, but instead, we work diligently and in tandem with our little swimmers, teaching them valuable fundamentals step by step and supporting them as they take on each new challenge. This is how confident swimming develops, and how we set the stage for a lifelong love of the water.

Kids’ swimming classes at NSA are kept small so that everyone receives the individual attention they need. We group kids of similar age and skill levels together, helping to create a sense of belonging and camaraderie in every class.

As an award-winning program and multi-award-winning workplace culture, NSA is the premier learn-to-swim program in Nashville, Tennessee. Our instructors are highly-trained professionals who are passionate about what they do and believe that every interaction at the pool—before, during, and after lessons—matters. We maintain a positive environment and attitude at our facility and exercise an adaptive learning methodology that identifies the individual needs of each swimmer, providing personalized support and meaningful encouragement they can trust.

Building Confidence at a Steady Pace Through Swim

Resilience (bouncing back from setbacks), emotional regulation (managing feelings), and the willingness to try new things are all part of confidence building.

Child development experts agree that confidence grows when children face a challenge and experience the thrill of success through their efforts. Research from Harvard’s Center on the Developing Child shows that children build confidence when they face challenges with the support of caring adults who guide them through the process.

When children are given space to work through challenges with guidance and encouragement, their successes reinforce their self-belief. Swimming provides an effective setting for this process, combining physical movement, mental focus, and emotional resilience. It engages both the mind and body, stimulating brain function and coordination. 

Both a recreational endeavor and a sport, swimming is one of those rare activities that shapes social skills development, emotional wellness, and a healthy sense of self while enabling kids to refine their motor skills without putting excessive demands on little joints and developing bones. It also arms kids with skills they can take with them for the rest of their lives and a can-do attitude they’ll default to when faced with new challenges as they progress into adulthood.

Coordination and Cognitive Development

Multiple studies have shown that children who are enrolled in swim lessons at an early age demonstrate stronger motor development than their peers. A Norwegian Study found that babies introduced to “Baby and Me” classes from the ages of 2 to 7 months demonstrated better balance and better ability to grasp new concepts than non-swimmers. Those who continued with their classes also continued to outperform their peers.

At Griffith University in Australia, a large research project confirmed that children enrolled in swim programs from infancy through childhood were, on average, several months ahead in motor skill development and showed measurably advanced cognitive development.  It also found that children in swim lessons were more than a year ahead of their peers in social and emotional development, and 11 months ahead in oral expression.

Some of the reasons for these outcomes are attributed to consistency in processing instructions, continual movement sequencing, and engaged problem-solving as kids adapt to the way water changes how they keep their balance, whether upright or floating on their backs. The cumulative effects of these activities work to increase confidence, coordination, physical prowess, and academic performance—key outcomes parents seek when enrolling in swimming classes for kids. 

How to Get Kids More Comfortable With Water

Instructors at NSA support each swimmer’s confidence development by putting the FUN in swim FUNdamentals. By focusing on key skills such as buoyancy, movement, and breath control, we foster safe and successful skills advancement.

Our FUNdamentals classes begin at the Parent and Me level for infants 4 to 23 months, and continue on to our Terrific 2s, Beginner 3s, and Beginner 4 – 6s.

Once kids have mastered their fundamental skills, it’s time to move on to essential Safety skills. Here, classes are divided into Skill Builder 3s, Skill Builder 4 – 6s, and Skill Builder 7 – 11s.

Finally, we have our Technique levels that offer more experienced swimmers aged 5 – 10+ classes that build coordination and reinforce their ability to make quick and effective safety decisions in the water.

Stroke Technique 1 is designed for swimmers ages 6 and up who are ready to build more refined swimming skills, with a focus on improving body position, coordination, and consistency as swimmers develop stronger, more intentional stroke habits. Stroke Technique 2 supports swimmers as they continue to advance their freestyle and backstroke while learning the foundations of breaststroke and butterfly, while also introducing the pace clock and standing dives to build confidence with timing, transitions, and starts. Stroke Technique 3 is the highest level of our group lessons program and is designed for swimmers who are ready to refine technique, build strength, and develop all four competitive swimming strokes, preparing them to confidently transition into a competitive swim team environment while maintaining strong, safe swimming habits.

We also offer private swim lessons that parents can include to supplement group swim lessons while targeting techniques and skills their budding swimmer wants to perfect.

Early and Consistent Lessons Are Key

Consistent weekly swim lessons year-round allow kids to build skills gradually. At NSA, classes progress at a manageable pace for continual learning through repetition, support, encouragement, and positive reinforcement.

We take a holistic approach that recognizes individual emotional cues and comfort levels, providing instant feedback to our swimmers and helping them progress from safety and skills basics to technique mastery alongside a team of enthusiastic instructors who’ve seen hundreds of kids pass our program.

A Meaningful Resolution That Nurtures Confidence in the Water

Becoming a parent shifts our perspective on what’s important in life, directing our focus toward the experiences and activities that help our little ones develop into happy, confident, well-adjusted teens and adults. Find the right class for your child at Nashville Swim Academy and register today.