Keeping Your Older Kids Engaged While Focusing on Play-Based Learning

At Goldfish Swim School, we understand the importance of keeping kiddos engaged, active and excited to learn – it’s the exact reason why we developed our proven curriculum, The Science of SwimPlay®! Whether your kiddo is using play-based learning to develop their shape and color knowledge, to learn how to be a good friend, or to create something from scratch, making learning fun is essential to the growth and development of ALL children – not just babies and toddlers!

Benefits of Play-Based Learning

When we think of learning, it’s easy to think about a structured classroom with routines and lessons. However, research has shown that the key to learning is play! Play provides a natural way to engage children in active learning, helping them to develop physical and cognitive skills while having a whole lot of fun! 

One of the biggest benefits of play-based learning is that it helps to maximize children’s attention spans. Did you know that children’s attention spans are typically just 3 to 5 minutes for every year of their age?! For example, a 6-year-old child may only be able to give their attention to something for 18-30 minutes. This is when play becomes especially helpful! It helps to break up the monotony of traditional learning, keeping kids engaged and focused. By introducing fun, meaningful activities or games that tie into the lesson, we can keep kids interested longer and help them retain more information. 

Play is also a huge component of brain development! For younger kids, play allows them to explore the world around them, practice new skills and build connections. As kids grow older, play helps them problem-solve, build resilience and strengthen social skills!

Dr. Molly’s Thoughts

Dr. Molly O’Shea, board-certified pediatrician, notes that when children play independently – through puzzles, crafts, or mechanical toys – they’re often experimenting with their imagination and ideas. They’re learning to problem-solve, create, and understand how things work. She mentions that this process of trial and error is a huge leap in building resilience, developing fine motor skills and fostering creativity. She also points out the importance of unstructured play with peers – like recess or free time in a classroom (or family swims!). Through this play-based learning, kids can learn how to negotiate rules, manage conflict and build friendships. These social skills are crucial for emotional development and can help kids succeed in all aspects of life. 

Play isn’t just about having fun! It’s a powerful tool that kids can take with them for the rest of their lives.

How We’re Focusing on Play

We recognize that every child is unique and that their learning needs evolve as they grow, though one thing we always prioritize is having fun. While our older swimmers are working on more complex swim skills and techniques, we continue using games and interactive learning to make lessons fun and effective. 

Our instructors have been trained to get creative with their play-based learning methods! They use fun, play-based teaching methods to help our swimmers learn things like swim strokes and breathing techniques. For example, our swim instructors love to use the example of ‘making a rainbow’ as they work through the backstroke. By picturing that your arms are drawing a rainbow on the ceiling, swimmers can better engage and visualize the proper technique as they learn this new stroke. 

We understand that kids learn best when we connect swim lessons to something they already are familiar with. Whether that be role-playing, themed activities or games that mirror real-world scenarios, we use play to make learning feel less like learning and more like playing with friends! We also know that play can look different for kiddos! Some could be making fish faces while learning to take a big breath to go under water for the first time (a big feat!) while others are playing sharks and minnows at the end of their Swim Force practice to further develop their teamwork skills, critical thinking and patience! 

We believe that play-based learning is a vital part of children’s growth, no matter their age or skill level. Whether your kiddo is at the beginning of their swim journey or is working on winning the next Swim Force Meet, incorporating play helps kids remain engaged, excited, and ready to take on the next thing! 

When you’re ready to get your kiddo involved in play-based learning, find a Goldfish Swim School location near you!