As the summer heat rises, many families seek ways to stay cool and entertained. One of the best options is joining your local community pool! Beyond just a place to swim, community pools offer a host of benefits for both children and parents alike, and we love our local community pool so much that we wanted to share why we think this is a great option for so many people.
1. Swimming supports an active and healthy lifestyle, and frankly, many of us are far too sedentary these days. This includes children who game too much and watch a lot of TV. Swimming is a fantastic form of exercise that engages multiple muscle groups and promotes cardiovascular health, and we are outdoors, breathing in the fresh air and enjoying ambient sunshine that helps our bodies produce vitamin D… all good stuff! By regularly visiting the community pool, children can stay active and develop lifelong fitness habits, maybe consider taking up swimming as a sport, or pick up a summer job of being a lifeguard, which comes with other benefits like learning life-saving skills and starting to make a small income. Swimming is a fun way to burn off energy while staying cool during the hot summer months, get outdoors, be healthy, and just enjoy exercising their body in very satisfying activity. And pool volleyball is just so fun!
2. Social interaction with the rest of the community is a major perk of joining a town pool, because many community pools serve as a hub for social interaction, allowing children to make new friends from different streets in their own town they never would have met otherwise, or strengthen existing friendships when you invite school friends or neighbors to meet you for a fun-filled day at the pool. Our pool has a nearby eating area for picnics as well, so we can spend hours and hours, day after day having a great time there. There are also game rooms for times it drizzles or gets too hot, where all the kids play a variety of games together, such as ping pong, life-size Connect Four, air hockey, and other engaging games. For us parents, it’s an opportunity to connect with other families in the neighborhood and build a sense of community.
3. Skill development is a massive plus, because while swimming is a fabulous recreational activity, knowing how to swim is also an important life skill. My sons can generally swim around, or develop their skills swimming laps, trying out trick, practicing diving, learning new strokes (most community pools provide lessons as well), and more. All children can improve their swimming proficiency, water safety knowledge, and confidence in the water. Many pools offer swim lessons and programs tailored to different age groups and skill levels, providing structured learning opportunities. Our local community pool dedicates early morning to senior swimming, so seniors can swim without being splashed, take lessons to improve their swimming skills, and exercise as per instructions by their physical therapists. Community pools serve the entire community and everyone can improve their skills.
4. Mental and emotional well-being improves from the relaxing affect of being in the water, being part of nature and the outdoors, and unwinding and rejuvenating whenever the mood strikes. Water has a calming effect on the mind and body, and swimming can help reduce stress and anxiety after a busy day. Additionally, the sense of achievement from mastering new swimming skills can boost children’s self-esteem and resilience.
5. Family bonding time happens as we spend time together doing things we like, so visiting the community pool together creates cherished family memories. It’s a chance for parents to play and splash around with their kids, reinforcing family bonds and creating moments of joy and laughter that otherwise may not happen when we’re locked indoors, in front of screens, at work, or with other people outside the family. Having family time together and making it fun is a very impactful way to bring a family closer. Whether it’s racing down water slides, playing water games, or simply floating lazily in the pool, shared experiences strengthen familial relationships and hopefully sibling friendships.
6. Affordable entertainment! Community pools are usually very affordable, especially compared to other summer and outdoor activities, and don’t require more than swimsuits, towels, sunblocks and flip flips, maybe some goggles and sun hats. We have these things anyway, so really nothing extra other than the family membership fee for a summer of fun. Most community pools know that many people can’t come every day, so offer daily admission rates and reasonable fees for bringing friends for the day, and discounts for veterans and seniors. Families of varying budgets can enjoy a pool to swim without the exorbitant cost of actually building a pool in your own back yard and maintaining it year after year (never mind the safety issues that come with having a pool and the requirement of most towns to also build a fence to prevent wandering kids from spying your pool and sneaking into your backyard unattended). A community pool provides the benefits of having a pool nearby without the work and expense of having it on your own property (I just never would, and purposely choose homes that don’t have pools when I was house shopping- I prefer the community pool!)
Our wonderful Town of North Hempstead provides residents with a very clean, safe community pool that is well-staffed with lots of life guards. Their building also provides a space for some community events and they have a weekly pop-up farmer’s market with all local produce for sale, making our community pool truly a center of our community. If you are fortunate to have a community pool as well, support your town, make new friends, and join your local pool this summer. You’ll stay cool, foster healthy physical habits in your children, help the whole family improve their social skills while also building your family unit in a fun way. Your kids will become more confident in the water and create lasting memories and friendships, so dive into a summer of fun and adventure at your local community pool ♥️