Learning to swim in Thuringia: Is the rush too big for the courses?

Learning to swim in Thuringia: Is the rush too big for the courses?

In the region, swimming lessons are booming for children, and especially according to the backstars that the Corona pandemic left. Especially in Thuringia, work is being made to make the learning to swim again an integral part of childhood. According to mdr , registrations for swimming courses in many cities have reached a new record. The swimming courses are heavily frequented, but there are still free places that parents can use.

in the Galaxsea leisure pool, popular with the small water rats, up to 32 different children's courses per week took place in 2022, with over 320 enthusiastic participants. Also in 2024 remarkable 707 children were trained in seahorse courses, plus 245 kindergarten children. The expectation for 2025 remains optimistic, with a similar high load as in previous years.

courses in the entire region

in Leinefelde (Eichsfeld), for example, the courses in the Leine-Bad are currently booked up, while courses in the Vitalpark-Therme in Heilbad Heiligenstadt also have a high level of interest. This will enjoy the parents who can register their children online ten weeks before the start of the course. There are additional swimming courses during the holidays in the Nordhausen bathhouse, but many places were quickly occupied and waiting lists had to be set up.

The demand for swimming courses is enormous, especially in southern Thuringia. In the outdoor pool "Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn" in Zella-Mehlis there are still a few places available in the summer swimming courses, as the bath manager Thomas Thimet reported. The time won on the water helps the children to learn swimming in a playful way. The water guard in the Schönbrunn outdoor pool is also active and offers two summer courses that were also quickly booked.

not just a local phenomenon

The situation does not only refer to Thuringia. There are similar challenges in Bavaria, for example. One example is six -year -old Moritz from Augsburg, who, together with his brother Franz, had to wait for a place in a swimming course for a year. The courses are offered in the DLRG Augsburg, and the two boys are happy that they can romp in the water with their flight dogs. The crowds can also be seen from the swimming badge: In 2022, a total of 12,800 swimming badges were awarded in Bavaria, which is a strong increase in comparison to 2018, so ZDF reports that 44,755 children received the bronze badge, and even the golden and silver awards recorded an increase.

The DLRG emphasizes that despite the increased number of badges, the number of swimmers has not increased, which is a concrete sign of how important it is to promote swimming lessons. The increased registrations are seen as a catch -up effect of the pandemic, which, however, must be given enough space in the future so that all children can learn to swim safely.