It wasn’t a dramatic moment when I realized something had changed. A group of kids pressed their faces against the fence during a hot afternoon…
Families who have spent enough afternoons sitting on damp benches watching restless bodies finally move with purpose often notice a strikingly similar shift in behavior…
Children’s fear seldom manifests itself dramatically, but in the vicinity of pools, it manifests itself in remarkably similar ways: stiff shoulders, eyes fixed on the…
The parking lots outside the community pools are more crowded on weeknights than they were in the past. Not with birthday parties or competitive teams,…
There was no loud announcement of the shift. It took place early in the morning, when the rest of the school was dark and the…
In a scene that has become remarkably familiar in recent years, children shuffle toward the pool with towels trailing the floor and goggles bouncing against…
Children who are shy usually show up early, stand near their parents, and watch the water with an interest that seems remarkably universal, as though…
First come the sounds of a children’s swim lesson: small hands rhythmically slapping water, instructions reverberating off tile, and a sharp squeal that could be…
One of the few locations where kids can run around freely without being told to stop, slow down, or pay attention to their footing is…
It’s common for adults to discuss creativity as though it requires teaching. worksheets, exercises, and enrichment activities. Water play is at the top of the…