Research indicates: YES
LEARNING to swim could make children smarter, Queensland researchers believe.
A Griffith University research project will survey more than 10,000 youngsters aged up to five to find out if swimming advances physical, social, intellectual and language development.
Professor Robyn Jorgensen said anecdotal evidence found swimmers tended to be more confident than same-age, non-swimming peers.
She said the study was in its second year and is measuring the development of youngsters learning to swim against international milestones of child development..
"The preliminary data is coming back quite positive," she said.
"Children in swimming schools appear to be more advanced in terms of their development." .
Ms Jorgensen said the research will also monitor young swimmers at 60 swim schools across Australia and cross reference the results with the earlier surveys..
"Then we'll take a smaller sample of children and test them against the milestones," she said.
She said the swim teaching industry had ordered the research..
"When they're working with young kids, they've noticed the ones who have been in swimming longer are more advanced," she said..
Ms Jorgensen said this study was the largest of its kind in 30 years. The study will be run for four years..
http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/sink-or-swim-does-swimming-make-you-smarter-research-indicates-yes/story-e6frfku0-1225946698740
