Children love playing, exploring, and learning in water. Playing in the water is a fun and social activity and provides a wonderful environment for growing stronger and improving coordination and mobility. Often times, what begins as Aqua-therapy becomes a lifelong community-based activity for continued health, wellness, and social development.
 Water has many properties that make it an excellent therapeutic environment. Buoyancy reverses the effect of gravity, assists movement and provides support, while also providing a source of resistance for developing strength.
The anti-gravity effects of buoyancy decrease body weight, helping children and caregivers to move about more easily. This also lessens the stress on the musculoskeletal system which can be helpful for standing, walking, and playing.
Water pressure against our bodies helps us to feel where our bodies are in space. This is both calming and helpful in that it increases awareness of one's body in space and helps with learning how to move in ones environment. In addition, water pressure helps develop stronger muscles for breathing and helps with learning more controlled, rhythmic breathing patterns.
 Viscosity and Resistance help to support our bodies, improve muscle tone, and increase strength, balance and coordination. These properties slow motions down so children are better able to process and learn functional movement skills.
Water helps with Sensory Integration by providing a heightened sense of touch, vestibular and proprioceptive stimulation. In order for children to focus, learn and keep their moods stable, they need to process and appropriately filter sensory input. Whether a child needs calming or increased sensory awareness, both can be achieved in the water.
 Swimming stimulates social interactions by providing opportunities to interact, make friends and network with other families. Community activities like swimming promote participation in social activities, help children adjust to new environments, as well as develop problem-solving and interpersonal skills.
Swimming is truly an activity for all ages. With proper supervision, starting as early as 6 months, water provides a stimulating environment for play, exercise, and socialization that can be enjoyed throughout one’s lifetime.
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