The Convenience and Benefits of Summer Backyard Swim Lessons

When it comes to private swimming lessons, most parents have no idea that options are offered that include backyard learning. Many parents think that swimming lessons must take place in a facility, however, that is not the case. Instructors will offer private lessons in their own home. They may even offer to come to your home if you have a swimming pool, in order to help your child learn how to swim.

Benefits of Backyard Swimming Lessons

There are many benefits associated with backyard swimming lessons. To begin, your child will receive one on one training. This means that your child will learn how to swim at their own pace and have the undivided attention of the instructor. In a group learning environment, many children can fall behind as the instructor must provide attention to each child, instead of one individual. With backyard swimming lessons, your child is able to focus on skills and learning at their own pace, which can lead to better training and overall understanding of each technique.

Backyard swimming lessons are also convenient. When it comes to lessons at a facility, you have to enroll your child for a set time frame and attend classes at a particular time. It can be difficult to meet these requirements and you have to travel to the lesson as well. With backyard swimming lessons, instructors operate on their own time. Because of this, sometimes you have more flexibility to schedule lessons so they meet your scheduling needs.

Overall, your child will be introduced to swimming techniques based on their age and current skill level. Children are able to learn at their own pace and do not feel pressured to move on to the next skill until they master what they are currently working on. In a class setting, children often feel they must move on to the next skill, even if they do not feel fully comfortable with what they have been working on. With individual lessons, the child will be able to work at their own pace and move on when they are ready. This type of learning leads to better mastering swimming skills and self confidence within your child.

If you are considering enrolling your child in swim classes, think about backyard swimming lessons. This may be an option that works better for you as it offers more leniency when it comes to scheduling and one on one learning.

At Zodiac Swim School, backyard swim lessons are available during the summer months via the director’s pool. The benefits of this option include, being able to pay as you go and not being locked into a schedule. Parents are free to schedule lessons around their work times. This convenience is a major reason why parents opt to enroll their kids into the backyard swimming program.

To learn more, contact our office today and inquire about the backyard swimming lessons. Help your child learn at their own pace by scheduling this one on one educational opportunity.

8 Fun Summer Sports for Children

When the summer months arrive, children are ready for a break from sitting in school and want to run around. There are many activities children can enjoy in the summer months including a multitude of sports. Sports for kids provide an outlet for energy as well as fun with friends and family. Summer camp programs offer sporting options such as archery, swimming, basketball and more to keep kids active and having fun. Check out the top eight sports that kids love during the summer months listed below.

Archery

A fun sport offered at summer camp is archery. Children will learn how to hold a bow and arrow properly, aiming to hit the center of the target. Camps offer archery to improve hand eye coordination as well as provide an alternative to standard sports games.

Soccer

Another fun sport kid’s love in the summer is soccer. This sport promotes team building skills as well as helps kids stay in shape with vigorous running. Soccer is relatively easy to pick up and summer camps offer games or tournaments on a regular basis to keep kids active.

Tennis

Tennis is a great sport to enjoy during the summer months as it keeps kids moving and competitive. Children will learn the basics of tennis at summer camp and can use the skills they learn to join a school team or continue the sport throughout the years for fun.

Baseball

The summer months signify the beginning of baseball season so naturally, summer camp will offer baseball as a sport to enjoy. Children will learn how to hit, field the ball and run the bases as they enjoy this quality game with new friends.

Basketball

Played indoors or outdoors, basketball is a quality sport that keeps kids in shape and having fun. Even young children can learn how to shoot and dribble, playing against each other in a little friendly competition on the courts once the skills are acquired.

Handball

A popular sport in Canada, handball is also a game that is commonly played during summer camp. Kids learn how to play on a team and practice passing the ball with their hands to try and throw the ball into the goal of the other team. The game takes practice and skill and is a fun way to enjoy the hot summer months.

Swimming

Because summer is so hot, swimming is often a popular sport enjoyed by children. Summer camps often provide options for swimming so kids can kick around in the water and cool off when the temperatures become too hot to bare. Swimming can be enjoyed in a relaxing manner or lessons are often offered.

Kickball

A mix between soccer of sorts and baseball, kickball is a fun game that kids like to play in the summer months. Instead of a baseball, a large soft ball is used and the batter kicks the ball as it is rolled to the plate. Run the bases just like baseball and hope you do not get tagged out as you would in dodgeball!

Overall, there are many sports for kids to enjoy during the summer months. At Zodiac Day Camp, we offer quality summer camp programs that feature sports to keep your kids busy and active this summer. Contact our office today to learn more about what we have available.

Basic Swimming Rescue Skills For Your Child

A Rescue Swimmer School candidate performs a body sweep to check for entanglements or injury in the pool at Naval Air Station Pensacola.

One of the most important life skills to learn is swimming. Drowning is ranked the fifth leading cause of unintentional injury death in the United States. This tragic ending can be prevented with the proper water safety instruction and skills, and it should be taught at a young age.

There are bodies of water all over the world such as  lakes, seas, rivers, oceans, dams and pools. Drowning comprises of about 10% of unintentional injuries per day in the United States, many of which lead to death. About 73% of people who drowned in 2012 alone were children aged 14 and under.  The good thing is that many of these accidental drowning can be prevented by following safety regulations, and also by being equipped with the necessary rescue skills. With this in mind, you would agree with me if I argued that it is vital for your child to learn some of the basic swimming rescue skills. Due to this fact, Toronto swimming lessons are tailored to equip kids with safety swimming skills.

By making sure that your child learns the basics of swimming reduces his or her chances of drowning. In many swimming programs, the first lesson involves teaching the kids some of the basics of swimming. This includes certain styles to prevent drowning such as treading water, doggie paddle, and crawl stroke. This will improve your child’s confidence when in the water which is very important. But, it should be noted that even the best swimmers can drown, therefore being overconfident is not an option.

Kids especially those who swim in beaches should be taught how to spot and evade strong currents. If possible they should avoid swimming completely when there are huge swells in the sea. The ‘rip currents’ are very fast and pose a lot of danger to the swimmers, especially to those who are beginners. There are certain signs that can tell you that you will be in for very strong currents in the next few minutes. The water around changes its color, the waves change patterns from time to time, and there occurs steady movement of debris in the sea. Once you spot these changes in the beach, you should consider getting out of the sea immediately. Fortunately, in some Toronto swimming lessons the kids are taught how to handle themselves when they go to their swimming programs.

If by bad luck you find yourself in strong currents, the first thing is to stay calm. Many people drown because they panic. Once you are calm, then think quickly of what to do next. If there are people around call for help. In the unfortunate event you find yourself alone, don’t fight with the currents. Make a 90 degree turn and move parallel to sea shore. Rip currents are majorly active in narrow channels therefore by swimming in a parallel direction, it gives you a better chance of landing where the waters are a bit calmer.

If you realize you are losing control of yourself when swimming the best thing is to let yourself float on water instead of fighting to stay on cause. In Toronto swimming lessons, treading water is an important technique taught to kids as a safety mechanism to prevent drowning. Fighting to stay above the water only depletes your energy thus decreasing your chances of survival. Simply turn upright and try sweeping water with your arms in order to stabilize yourself, then easily do the kicking motion with your legs to stay afloat, and then you can call for help.

Finally, kids should avoid the use of drugs at all cost. The use of drugs only impairs your judgment. You might think you are on the shallow end when actually you are on the deep end of the pool. Also, drug abuse gives an individual false confidence which can lead to accidental drowning.

Zodiac summer camp is one of the best summer camps in the area. It offers first class swimming programs along other amazing programs such as adventure sports, fashion design, robotics and jewelry art for kids. For more info visit their website www.zodiackids.ca

Benefits of Trampoline Sports for Kids

Children of any age typically enjoy using the trampoline for recreational purposes. While trampolines are usually associated with a casual day outside on a nice Sunday afternoon, others also utilize this device for improving their sports performance.

The trampoline itself is a sports device initially used for performances. Athletes and acrobats train regularly using trampolines, and they develop the necessary strength and muscle memory through constant practice. With trampoline use, the child can experience better fitness and body awareness, along with good cardiovascular health and higher spirits.

Trampoline sports in day camps are usually good options for a child to try out when they need some kind of physical activity. Better fitness also means that they will be able to reduce their chances for health risks associated with obesity and being overweight. Children with access to exercise equipment will be able to enjoy better lifestyles without having to worry about health problems caused by lack of movement.

Aside from weight loss, there are more benefits that trampoline use can provide for the child. A trampoline utilizes the entire body for movement, and this means that overall body strength is improved when a person is using the device. With a trampoline, you can strengthen your core muscles better without adding unnecessary stress on other joints and bones on your body. Using a trampoline for exercise is also gentler on thigh, core and leg muscles, as they don’t need to exert as much effort as when they are carrying your weight. This means that there are less chances for bone diseases and muscle injuries.

Jumping on the trampoline also requires a certain amount of strength, agility, balance, and posture. Continually using the trampoline for long periods of time would lead the child to develop better abilities in these departments, and they will be able to enjoy the benefits of having better posture and agility in everyday life. The physical exertion needed also requires for a person to breathe properly, so they learn to exercise their lungs and have better respiratory functions by playing with the trampoline.

It is also considered as a good cardiovascular workout by many fitness professionals and athletes. Studies have shown that jumping on the trampoline provides better workout and cardio results than running, jumping and most sports on foot. This kind of exercise has also shown to provide the child with a better mood and a nicer disposition, since they have used energy on a fun activity.

Trampolines have been used to help patients recovering from illnesses and injuries. Since childhood is a delicate stage, playing with the trampoline can assist those with depressive tendencies or going through any emotional difficulties. The trampoline requires a person’s full focus without them realizing that they have used up their energy. For overactive kids, it is a good distraction and a way to burn off some energy while providing a fun experience.
Being airborne is a great feeling and jumping is already considered a good exercise on its own. When a child is outdoors at day camps with their trampoline sessions, they will also get some much-needed vitamin D.

 

Why is First Aid Training Important

We are living in a world where no one is completely safe. We cannot deny the fact that at some point in our lives we have been involved in situations that have called for our immediate actions. Accidents, food poisoning, electrocution, terror activities, choking, heart attacks just to name a few of them, are some possibilities that may happen at any time and therefore call for our preparedness. Having the knowledge of the course of action to take at these times can save a dying man or prevent a worse condition that was deemed to happen, such as paralysis. It’s therefore important to teach kids at a tender age these skills for their own benefits and also to help others. Kids are most prone to emergencies as their immune system is less developed as compared to adults.

Reasons for first aid training

• Every second counts– It would take less than six minutes for someone bleeding seriously to lose consciousness and die. Also some deep cuts, if not treated or cleaned earlier, may lead to infection. Therefore the earlier the pre- treatment is administered, the better. After all, the basis of first aid is prevention of the worst.

• Makes people feel more secure– There is the aspect of believing you are safe when you know that someone is looking after you. Maybe that’s why we are more comfortable in our homes as compared to when we are outside. The same case applies to first aid skills. You will feel safer knowing that in case of any accident, there is someone around you who can come to your aid.

• As a job requirement– There are certain jobs where first aid training is a strict requirement. These jobs may include kids summer camps where kids go for holiday vacations. There are a lot of childrens activities that go on in these camps, and truth be told, you can’t prevent kids from jumping all over the place; after all ‘that’s why they are on vacation’. The kids might hurt themselves and may require urgent attention from a qualified personnel.

• Disaster– When a natural calamity such as hurricanes, tornadoes and earthquakes strike, it’s not possible to access medical attention quickly. Therefore, it’s up to those who are better off to help those badly hit by administering urgent attention like bandaging their wounds to stop bleeding or natural resuscitation to help them keep on breathing as they await medical assistance.

• Helps to reduce pain– Not every injury requires a person to visit a health center. Some cuts which are not deep can be treated at home or temporarily before official treatment.

After having seen the importance of first aid training, it is also vital to ensure that all buildings or premises including our homes are well equipped with the first aid kits. The essentials of a first aid kit include adhesive bandages, gauze rolls, sterile gauze pads, elastic bandages for wrapping wrist, knee and elbow, sterile cotton balls, and of course latex and non-latex gloves.

In every workplace it’s key to have one or more trained first- aider; depending on the size of the premises. For instance, in day camps for kids you expect a large influx of kids and therefore one first- aider may not be enough. You may require to hire more than one depending on the size of population.

Finally, it’s of utmost importance for each and every one to embrace first aid training as an asset to use in the future as we don’t know what tomorrow holds for us.  

5 Tips to Show Children Swimming is Fun

Kids will enjoy swimming more if you build their confidence and help them overcome any fear of water that they may have. It isn’t always easy to teach a child that water is fun especially when it is their first experience but the best place to start is finding a suitable swimming program that will incorporate as many fun activities as possible. As you read on, you will find insights on fun activities to incorporate into your swimming program to allow little ones to enjoy their time in the water.

Here are 5 simple tips to help introduce your child to Swimming.

1. Safety measures

• Teach children about safety measures in their early stages of swimming. This will build their confidence and security.
• Make sure that your child understands that they should always ask permission before going to swim if young always accompanied by an adult.
• Be sure they wear lifejackets or safety devices in the water at all times.
• Teach them to paddle both feet while holding onto the walls of the pool. This will help them if they find themselves deep in the water to prevent drowning.

2. Easy games

Simple games will make swimming more fun for kids. Use water  toys to play different games with them such as:

• Chase and play

Encourages kids to move about in the water. The game involves a child moving in the water and tagging another who then moves about to tag another in the proximity.

 

• Talk to the fish

Involves blowing water bubbles and listening to pretend fish responses. This helps the children to control their breathing which is an essential step to swimming independently. Encourage your child to blow bubbles while his/her face is submerged in the water. When you do so yourself, you’ll need to come out of the water smiling as you don’t want to scare the kid.

• A ride

While holding your child by their armpits and walking backwards in the water shout “motorboat go fast…go fast…slow…” This will develop their kicking strength in the water.

3. Test the water

• An effective and easy way to teach your child security in the water is by swimming with them. Actually you should be the first one to get into the water so that they can follow. When you are with them, you induce a sense of belonging and security and allowing them to swim freely and have fun.

4. Splashing

• Splashing is enjoyable for beginners especially little ones who just can’t help but spray everyone around them with water.  This is actually part of the learning experience by teaching them how to kick and move in the water.
• You can also help by showing them how to float with his/her stomach on the pool water and head on your shoulder. In this position they can begin kicking and splashing giving them better balance in the water. In Toronto, swimming lessons for kids integrate these balancing and kicking aspects with safety measures.

5. Taking a jump

• First of all this should be done in the shallow end of the pool. It’s so important for your child to feel safe and trust that the teacher or parent will catch them. When they jump into the water and begin to kick it allows the process of staying above water and strengthening those swimming muscles.

Zodiac swim school in Toronto is one of the largest private swim schools in Canada.  It offers top-notch swimming lessons that will help develop aquatic skills and self- confidence to your children.   

 

The Dangers Of Swimming Everyone Should be Aware Of

Summer is just around the corner and many folks–especially kids–are itching to get out of the house or the classroom to go swimming. Many parents are thinking about the best swimming programs for kids. While swimming is a fun activity that improves wellness and physical fitness, there are some dangers that parents should be aware of. Signing up for swimming programs will help to lessen the danger for children as they how to properly swim and respect the water. Please think closely about the following:

Dry drowning

We often think that drowning occurs when someone is physically in the water. Dramatic movies and TV shows add to that assumption. However, there is an equally treacherous and much less well-known situation called “dry drowning” or “secondary drowning.” It can occur a significant amount of time after a person has left the pool or the beach. A swimmer usually breathes water into his or her lungs. As the fluid builds up, it can cause respiratory problems. The most common symptom is difficulty breathing. While this condition often clears up on its own, it can cause death if untreated.

Dry drowning can happen to anyone, but it commonly occurs in children because of their lack of experience in the water. Enrolling children in swimming programs is one way to reduce the chance of this happening. In addition, keeping an eye on kids in the bathtub and other shallow pools of water is a good idea as well.

Pool Hazards

While swimming programs for kids may teach children the basics of maneuvering around a pool with skill, not all focus on the hazards that may be found in and around the pool itself. Slippery floors and ladders could cause falls resulting in head injuries. It’s important that everyone knows that while pools are a fun place to hang out, it is important to be cautious for the sake of the other swimmers. Walking and entering the pool slowly can go a long way to improve safety.

Another particularly dangerous hazard is the pool drain. The suction caused by the device can be so strong that a person can be pulled under the water and unable to return to the surface. This is much more common in children than in adults. Lifeguards at public pools are usually trained to recognize this event, but it’s still important to keep an eye on your child. If you have a pool at home, make sure that children cannot access it unsupervised.

Disease Outbreaks

There is a commonly held, but incorrect belief that “chlorine kills everything.” As a result, pools are sometimes seen as the cleanest place around. Unfortunately, chlorine cannot kill off every single pathogen that ends up in the water, and the pool’s filtration system may not get rid of it quickly enough.

It’s possible to be infected by E. coli by spending time in pools that are not cleaned as much as they should. To prevent you are anyone from your family getting sick in a pool:

• Avoid drinking pool water
• Shower before and after swimming
• Do not urinate in a pool, and report anyone who does to a lifeguard

In addition, consider attending or enrolling your children in swimming programs at pools that supplement chlorine with other disinfectants.

Overexertion

When kids are having fun, they’re reluctant to admit that they’re tired. Sometimes swimming seems less physically demanding than running or cycling, but it is a sport and sometimes you need to take a break. Swimmers who are too tired can become sloppy and lose their form. This puts them at risk for drowning. Swimmers should always have someone else watching them who can recommend when it’s time to take a break.

Despite the warnings above, swimming is a safe and fun activity. Just keep these points in mind and have a great summer!

For more information on swimming lessons for children, contact Zodiac Kids. Options are offered for children of all ages to become better swimmers.

Different Swimming Strokes And Their Benefits

Swimming is a technique which allows anyone to stay afloat on water or to glide through using the limbs. The density of human body is relatively the same as water density, that is, 0.98. Hence, the body can support its own weight in water during swimming.

While you can manage to move around by simply thrashing your hands and feet in water for a while, you will soon realize that it not only takes a lot of effort to move a small distance and it makes you tired. Worse, it even makes your muscles ache badly once you are out of the water.

In order to be able to swim properly, you ought to learn different swimming strokes and their benefits. Toronto swimming lessons provides full range of swimming classes. It is never too late to take up swimming lessons, but it is always advisable to start at an early age. You will find many classes that help learn and even have fun. Red Cross Swim Kids is one such program that provides swimming lessons to kids of 5 years or more.

Breaststroke

Breaststroke is a basic swimming stroke technique. This will probably be the first technique taught if you register for Toronto Swimming Lessons or Red Cross Swim Kids classes, that is, if you are a beginner. In this technique, the swimmer is face down in water on his or her chest. This looks a lot similar to a frog swimming which requires the arms and legs to move inwards and then outwards. This is considered to be the easiest of all strokes as the head stays above water most part of the time and can be very comfortable in slow speed. However, if you need to gain speed, then this stroke requires a lot of endurance.

Freestyle

Freestyle too is face down and flat on your stomach, however the feet need to be straight and flutter to keep your body afloat. The arms on the other hand are used alternatively where you keep them straight in front of you above the water and rotate it till your hips and back. This technique is the fastest and the most efficient of all strokes. You can cover long distances using this stroke. However, since the head is submerged in water and is required to rotate sideways to be able to breath, this technique requires some practice to master it. Toronto Swimming lessons provide a stroke improvement program that is just for specialized aquatic programmers.

Butterfly

This stroke is considered to be the most difficult of all strokes and requires good strength and stamina. Even in this stroke you are required to rotate your arms, but they need to move in sync together. In this stroke, your arms do majority of work and pull your body forward while your legs move in a wave like motion. If you are looking for an intense workout, this swimming technique can prove to be the best exercise. It helps in speeding up your metabolism, and burns fat at a faster rate than any other strokes.

Backstroke

As the name suggests, this stroke, unlike any other, requires you to lie face up in water and swim on your back. The arms are rotated similar to freestyle in alternate motion and the legs too move alternatively in a motion called flutter kick. You can opt for this stroke when you want to relax after an intense regime. This stroke certainly strengthens your back and proves to be useful for those you face backache issues.

No matter which swimming technique you select, keep in mind that it always proves to be beneficial to include it in your fitness regime – be it for relaxation or intense workout.

It is never too late! Are you afraid to get into water or dealing with body pains that forbids you to exercise? Or even if you want to send your children to learn and have fun at the same time. Zodiac Kids can provide a number of training techniques for all ages when it comes to swimming programs.

The Social Impact of a Child’s Addiction to Gadgets

 

Within the last decade, technology has become a primary part of everyone’s life. Not only in the communication sphere, but the rapid digital revolution has completely changed the educational and learning scenario.

However, one cannot deny the adverse impact of technology especially with our young people. Even children from 2-5 years of age are getting exposure to digital gadgets. Kids are spending vast amounts of time playing around video-games, watching TV and surfing devices. Texting, chatting and spending times in social media have taken up their recreational times. Children are alarmingly withdrawing from outdoor games and physical activities as they prefer to spend that time around a computer. The decline of social interaction is making them incapable of face-to-face communication, and also creates an emotional distance with friends and parents.

Addiction towards gadgets is giving rise to problems like sleeplessness, lack of concentration, anxiety and mood disorders. Continuous usage of gadgets and internet are snatching away the thinking capacity of a child. The inter-connectivity between childhood and imagination is a thing of the past now.

Nowadays, every dot of information is available in the internet and kids are left with little to imagine and fantasize. Continuous access to gadgets is eroding a child’s normal quest and curiosity and they are no longer seeking an elderly person’s guidance and knowledge. It can also be said that gadgets are eroding the inter-personal skills of a child and often they are irritated with the presence of another person during their time of surfing the gadgets. Another disadvantage is that digital gadgets are deterring the kids to indulge into their creative and artistic pursuits.

Though it is widely admitted fact that technical devices are meant for keeping closer connectivity among people, irrespective of geographical barriers, in reality it often brings about apathy among people and the worst sufferer are the kids.

One of the worst impact, the kids are facing as a result of technology addiction is Cyber bullying. Harassment, humiliation, threats have entered into the virtual world also. Infact sending degrading messages, pictures and videos have become simple, quick and immediate by means of the 24*7 online access.

The emotional and physical consequences of bullying on children are horrific; their self confidence and self esteem get lowered down. Many kids end up emotionally and psychologically distressed and some kids are even turning to fatal tendencies. Depression, anger, fears, shame are just a few of the many outcomes of cyber bullying and experiencing bullying in childhood proves to be a huge evil in course of a child’s normal growth potentiality.  

Therefore, it is needless to say that unregulated use of technology and gadgets by children can really take a toll on their mental and physical well-being. Parents must be aware of these problems and should try to keep their children away from the gadgets during their play days as much as possible. Taking them to summer day camps or a swimming school for kids will help divert their attention away from gadgets and the internet, enhance their skills, and make them more productive and responsible individuals.

In day camps, children will learn so many things while having fun at the same time. In a swimming school for kids, they will not only have fun but they will also acquire swimming skills that will help boost their physical, mental, and emotional well-being.

Are Swimming Lessons the Way to Go?

Swimming is an important life skill that everyone should have an opportunity to learn. Not only it is great for our health but it could one day save a life too. Swimming is one of the best forms of exercise as it works every muscle group in the body without causing stress on bones and joints. There are so many benefits of learning to swim as it is not only enjoyable but one of the best recreational activities.

Here are some other amazing benefits of swimming lessons:

Swimming lessons provide the best platform for learning and exercise. A swimming workout is a great total body workout as it strengthens everything from the core to the legs and to the arms. Swimming is also a fantastic cardiovascular alternative to running. Basically, muscles have to work harder to perform aerobic activity with the water resistance making them more flexible, stronger and increase in length.

Swimming lessons are the best choice for an individual who wants to excel in swimming. These swimming classes instill a competitive streak in learners as they strive to achieve more and compete amongst their peers. This proves to be highly effective and make children more competitive in the academic environment.

Swimming lessons are generally held in groups of similar age and ability. Therefore, learners get a chance to mix with each other and it also creates a platform for other social skills. In each swimming lesson, the overall safety of the learner is of prime importance. It also help build up health and endurance as they learn to swim long distances, Moreover, kids can learn lifesaving skills like swimming with clothes on and swimming rescue and survival.

In swimming lessons, the swim coach always tries to maintain the students comfort level with them. When teaching one-on-one lessons, they try and customize the instruction keeping in mind the undisturbed focus of the learner. 

Swimming lessons also provide you with cleanliness and proper hygiene in the swimming pool.  It is recommended that you should opt for private swim lessons instead of learning from relatives or peers as they provide a better environment, safety, and involvement in other recreational activities.

When it comes to Toronto swimming lessons, one of the best places to go to is Zodiac Day Camp as they offer a variety of swimming programs and even private swimming lessons.