Ducks in the water: the best water sports for children

Summer is the best time of year for your children to try new activities : today we will dive into the water and tell you which are the best water sports for children. To practice any of them, children must know how to swim as an essential requirement. Swimming is the essential primary sport to start experimenting with a water sport without danger, and also one of the best activities for these hot months: refreshing, very complete and that can be practiced from a very young age . It is important to remember that, within this type of activities, safety is essential. When doing a water sport, children should always be supervised by a responsible adult, it is recommended that they wear a life jacket and that they know and follow the specific safety rules for each type of sport. They should receive swimming lessons appropriate for their age and skill level, have good age-appropriate equipment , learn how to ask for help, and wear waterproof sun protection.

Benefits of water sports for children

In addition to being extremely fun and exciting, water sports have all these benefits for your children:

• Comprehensive development : they cover both the improvement of physical condition and mental health, social integration or emotional well-being. They feed their thirst for adventure, their tireless curiosity, experimentation with their body, teamwork, imagination or beneficial contact with nature.
• They strengthen the musculoskeletal system : they also increase strength, refine muscle tone, improve cardiovascular resistance, increase flexibility, coordination and balance, and promote an active lifestyle, avoiding a sedentary lifestyle, diabetes or childhood obesity. .
• They foster love and respect for the natural environment : water sports instill environmental awareness .
• Better mental health : Water sports are ideal for reducing anxiety and stress, secreting happiness hormones and enjoying the calming and therapeutic effect of water. Swimming is also beneficial for the quality of sleep and for preventing future disorders such as depression, as confirmed by different studies .
• They allow them to be outdoors : thanks to this type of activities they reduce the chances of having asthma, sleep apnea or cardiovascular problems, they improve their defenses, they acquire enough vitamin D, they breathe clean air and they can experiment with their 5 senses.

The most suitable water sports for children

Windsurfing

From 3 or 4 years old, children can start water sports such as windsurfing. For them it is a very exciting and beautiful sport to enjoy the sea. They must find the perfect balance on the board and learn to move downwind. It is a great sport to increase physical endurance, your cardiovascular capacity and strengthen your muscles.

Water skiing and wakeboarding

It is another of the water sports preferred by the most intrepid boys and girls : training begins on land so that they learn to bend their knees and always keep their arms extended. It is usually practiced as a nautical activity in summer camps , although you can also look for specialized schools and teachers in coastal areas. It combines physical demand, marine nature and a lot of fun, helping to burn fat, balance, reflexes, motor coordination and flexibility. It is good for muscles, bones or heart.

Dive

Diving or scuba diving should always be practiced under the supervision of a professional. As detailed on the Anales de Pediatría website, the minimum age limit for diving has been established at 8 years, being regulated by each autonomous community. The age for diving certification in the most important certification agencies is 10 to 12 years for Open Water Diver. Diving is key to developing psychomotor skills, toning muscles, increasing lung capacity, benefiting the heart and having a better circulation, and stimulate intellectual and emotional development.

Water polo

Spain is a world power in this Olympic sport. Water polo is a complete physical activity that adds the emotional, intellectual and developmental advantages of team sports , helping children improve their confidence, self-esteem or collaborative spirit, in addition to making great friends. Among the benefits of water polo , it is a great sport to work on cardiovascular endurance, agility and coordination.

Surf

Specialists emphasize that the best age to introduce a child to surfing is between 8 and 10 years old: flying over the waves on the board is a great way for children to develop strength, coordination and balance. There is specific material for them, such as special boards designed for children. Currently there are numerous surf schools in Spain. You can consult them on websites such as Surf Schools or the web map of the Spanish Surf Federation.

Kayak

It is recommended for ages 10 and up and always with adequate supervision, being an excellent activity to practice as a family, explore seas, rivers and lakes and soak up the magic of nature. It develops a lot of strength in the arms and trunk, improves coordination and is also ideal for chatting and enjoying the beauty of the landscape at the same time. Other interesting water sports are sailing - which also helps develop decision-making skills or spatial orientation -, paddle surfing, body surfing or snorkelling. There is a lot to choose from!