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Swimming Facts & Worksheets

Swimming, as defined as a locomotion or movement, is the ability or act of self-propulsion of a person through water. Swimming is usually done for recreation, sport, exercise, or survival.

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Swimming, as defined as a locomotion or movement, is the ability or act of self-propulsion of a person through water. Swimming is usually done for recreation, sport, exercise, or survival. Swimming is done through the coordination of the limbs and the body.

See the fact file below for more information on the swimming or alternatively, you can download our 24-page Swimming worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

HISTORY

  • The earliest records of swimming dates back to the Stone Age paintings from around 7,000 years ago, these are cave paintings that depict the act of swimming.
  • The earliest records of swimming ever written dates back to 2000 BC.
  • Some of these earliest records could be found or read in the Epic of Gilgamesh, the Iliad, the Odyssey, the Bible—specifically in Ezekiel 47:5, Acts 27:42, Isaiah 25:11—and Beowulf.
  • The greatest swimmers of history, according to Romans, were the coastal tribes living in the Low Countries in Europe.
  • According to an account by the Roman senator and historian, Tacitus, the men of the Batavi tribe could cross the Rhine without losing formation.

SWIMMING AS RECREATION

  • Most people swim for the purpose of recreation.
  • In fact, swimming consistently ranks as one of the physical activities people are most probable to engage in or be a part of.
  • Recreational swimming can also be used for the benefit of physical exercise, relaxation, or rehabilitation.
  • Swimming is an accessible activity due to the support of the water and the lower physical impact the body may experience.
  • In fact, when mastered or practiced enough, swimming is much easier for people who are unable to undertake intense physical activities such as running.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF SWIMMING

  • Swimming mainly exercises the cardiovascular system, and is considered to be an aerobic exercise.
  • Swimming as an exercise usually requires swimming lengths for a length of time.
  • Swimming requires a constant supply of oxygen carried to the muscles.
  • However, there are short sprints in swimming where the muscles work without the need of oxygen or anaerobically.
  • Swimming is also an exercise used to tone and strengthen muscles.
  • Swimming is beneficial for people suffering from arthritis and affected joints, and prevents the symptoms from getting worse.
  • Furthermore, swimming is beneficial in improving health for people with cardiovascular problems and chronic illnesses.
  • Swimming reduces the harmful effects of stress.
  • Swimming is an activity that helps to improve a person’s mood. It is proven to positively impact mental health, especially the mental health of pregnant women and mothers.

SWIMMING AS A SPORT

  • Swimming is also considered as a competitive sport where participants compete to be the fastest to swim over a given distance in a limited time.
  • There are different levels of competition athletes compete in when swimming competitively, from 50 m to 1500 m in length.
  • Swimming has been an Olympic sport since 1896.
  • Internationally, swimming competitions are governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation (FINA).
  • FINA events or competitions usually use pools that are 25 or 50 meters in length while in the United States, a pool 25 yards in length is commonly used for competition.
  • Aside from standard swimming, there are other water-related sporting disciplines such open water swimming, diving, synchronized swimming, water polo, triathlon, and the modern pentathlon.

RISKS OF SWIMMING

  • There are several risks and hazards that could occur during swimming, such as:
  • Panic — an inexperienced swimmer or a non-swimmer could be mentally overwhelmed by the time they are immersed in the water. Panic causes them to not calmly calculate their motion, and could lead to sinking and drowning.
  • A panicking swimmer could die from difficulty in breathing or hyperventilation. This could occur even in shallow water.
  • Exhaustion — eventually, a swimmer could fail to maintain consistent motion to swim, and this often leads to death through drowning.
  • Adults are better swimmers as they have fully developed and extended lungs, generally giving them positive or at least neutral buoyancy. Adults can float in still water with little effort.
  • A small child has to move more consistently in order to float as their small body has negative buoyancy.
  • Hypothermia — happens when a person loses critical core temperature due to the coldness of the water. This can lead to unconsciousness or heart failure.
  • Dehydration — could still happen due to prolonged exposure to hypertonic salt water.
  • Salt water aspiration syndrome — could happen from inhaling salt water. The inhaled saltwater creates foam in the lungs that restricts breathing, causing a loss of physical control. This could kill a person directly without actual drowning.
  • Blunt trauma — happens when a person swims against a rapidly moving flood or river water causing impact to the body or head. The impact can kill a swimmer immediately.

Swimming Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about the swimming across 24 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Swimming worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the swimming, as defined as a locomotion or movement, is the ability or act of self-propulsion of a person through water. Swimming is usually done for recreation, sport, exercise, or survival. Swimming is done through the coordination of the limbs and the body.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Swimming Facts
  • Swimming Through Time
  • Yes or No?
  • Risk or Benefit
  • Swimming Stroke Search
  • Swimming Stroke Sketch
  • Do’s and Don’ts
  • Can or Cannot Swim
  • Water Activities Scramble
  • Summer Activities
  • My Swimming Experience

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Link will appear as Swimming Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, July 22, 2021

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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