Learning how to swim at an early age can potentially make your children smarter than other children of the same age who do not know how to swim. A recent study in Australia done by a team at the Griffith University, analyzed the results of about 7,000 children under the age of five, to check the effects of swimming on cognition.
They found that kids who were exposed to swimming very early were far more advanced in thought process as well as physical capacity when compared to others their age.
Though it may be hard to believe that physicality and cognition can be assessed in a simplistic fashion, the team used general indicators in development, such as, the ability to walk, count, talk, and to use their imagination in their games as criteria to base their theory on.
Learning differences between swimmers and non-swimmers
From this data, as well as from other existing information, the team of researchers conducted a comparative analysis of the two. Results revealed that children who had learned how to swim by the age of five picked up on numerous vital skills (including language and directions) faster than other children of the same age group. In fact, in some cases, children who had taken up swimming early on were seen to be months, and even years, ahead of their counterparts.
Professor Robyn Jorgensen, who was the lead researcher on the project, hypothesized that swimming exposes children to numerous visual cues, detailed instructions, and various other experiences that stimulate learning. The result is a higher level of cognition, and perhaps quicker mental aging among kids who learn swimming earlier. However, it was also seen that spelling ability and dexterity with a ball were what these children lacked in.
Other results the study showed
In order to prevent the falsification of data (since gaining data from word-of-mouth may not be very accurate; especially since parents may exaggerate about their own children), 200 kids were made to undergo various tests to validate the theory. Reading, writing and counting abilities were measured in the tests, as were spatial abilities such as building blocks.
The study also brought to light the different pace at which children learn at different ages within the 0 – 5 category. For example, 3-year olds were about 15 months ahead in directional sense and 4-year olds were seen to be seven months ahead in grasping.