Miller Swim School blog

Thursday, April 06, 2023 by sarah

Swimming in the Winter? Yes, Please!

We know that Winter typically isn't a season you would associate with Swim Lessons, but we, at Miller, believe there is truly no better time to start! Here are a few of our responses to reasons for taking a break, that we commonly hear during the winter months.

  1. Cold Weather and Wet Hair Don’t Mix.

Did you know we keep our water 90+ degrees year-round? It feels refreshing in the Summer and like a warm bathtub in the Winter! Furthermore, our locker rooms are heated so that when little ones get out of the pool, they don’t get chilled while showering and drying off. We also provide hair dryers for kids to use after lessons so no need to leave our facility with wet hair! Parents are encouraged to bring a stocking hat for their kiddos and obviously a jacket if its cold, but there is no need to leave the facility in a wet suit or with wet hair! Stay warm and dry outside and inside!

  1. A few weeks off won’t affect their progress… surely...  

After months of commitment and hard work at lessons, surely a few weeks off won’t affect your swimmers progress, right? Unfortunately, the start/stop/start/stop routine makes for some pretty inconsistent swimmers. Skills and confidence gained over a few months are quickly lost with no practice. Furthermore, bad habits are developed in the “off” season resulting in more setbacks when constructive instruction begins again. Our recommendation is to stick with swimming, even in the off months. These few extra weeks can give a child the extra boost they need to get over a hump, or a skill they have been stuck on for some time. It also allows children a physical activity to do when the weather gets too cold to play outside, enabling them to exercise and learn a valuable skill!

  1. We need to save money.

Budgeting for the holidays can leave us all feeling fairly overwhelmed. We completely understand the desire to save a few dollars during the holiday season. Before you cancel your lessons for these winter months, you might take this into consideration…Unfortunately, your students will regress in the time they take off which can make you actually feel like all that time and money you’ve invested in swim lessons is lost. Furthermore, most of our Winter months are Pro-Rated, which means you have a discounted tuition rate as is! You might also consider asking for Swimming Lessons as a Christmas gift for you or your kiddos. What better Christmas gift than the gift of life through water safety!

  1. We don’t really need to swim in the Winter, its mainly a Summer sport.

Drowning knows NO SEASON. A drowning or near drowning incident can occur any time, any place with as little as 1” of water and most often happens when we least expect it. We ask you to consider spending the cold winter months (when not many outdoor activities are even available) in swim class, building up a strong water safety base BEFORE summer even arrives. Hop in the warm pool this winter with your babies and watch them as they flourish in the pool next summer due to the months of exposure to swimming and safety skills! Winter is an ideal time to start or continue swim lessons!