Don’t let water safety go cold: why kids should keep swimming year-round

As the cooler months approach, many families consider taking a break from swimming lessons. But stepping away - even for a season - can come at a cost. At YMCA South Australia, we’re urging families to think twice before hitting pause on their child’s swimming journey.

A recent study from Royal Life Saving Australia has revealed 48% of children are now leaving primary school without meeting national swimming and water safety benchmarks. It's a statistic that highlights a growing gap in water safety education, particularly for a country so connected to the water.

Why children should keep swimming over winter

Skills in the water need regular practice to stay sharp and front of mind. Without consistent reinforcement, children quickly lose not just technique, but confidence, and that can put them at real risk when it matters most.

A few missed months may not seem like much, but for young swimmers, it can mean:

• Forgetting water safety and survival skills

• Losing confidence in deeper or unfamiliar water

• Falling behind peers who continue regular lessons

And when summer returns, so does the risk; beaches, pools, and rivers can easily become hazardous, and without regular practice, children may not be equipped to navigate them safely.

Keeping up water safety skills

Swimming lessons at the YMCA have a focus on teaching safety and survival skills. Younger children learn to stay calm, float and tread water, and as they grow and develop, they are taught more advanced skills including safely helping others. Throughout the year children participate in safety weeks with a focus on practical survival scenarios such as beach and river survival skills, and swimming while clothed.

YMCA swimming lessons are designed to help children build skills progressively and retain them over time. Delivered by qualified swimming teachers supported by our national swimming and water safety curriculum, our program ensures each child stays on track to meet critical benchmarks, regardless of the season.