Suche
Mein Konto
Swimming ability in children: Germany strong in international comparison!
The “Aquatic Literacy For All Children” project examines the swimming abilities of 3,500 children in Europe and identifies the need for action.
Swimming ability in children: Germany strong in international comparison!
Today's closing ceremony of the Aquatic Literacy For All Children project, held in Brussels, marks the successful completion of a comprehensive study carried out in seven European countries. Funded by the Erasmus+ Sport program, the project aims to determine the current level of swimming ability in children aged 6 to 12 years. In total, the swimming skills of over 3,500 children were analyzed to develop European reference values by age group and to identify differences in swimming instruction across countries. These results could provide crucial impetus for future programs and measures to improve swimming skills in Europe, such as German Sports University Cologne reported.
The study, led by Dr. Sebastian Fischer from the University of Kassel, also included data from countries such as Belgium, France, Lithuania, Norway, Poland and Portugal. In Germany, the surveys were carried out in several cities, including Cologne, Kassel and Flensburg. The study took into account both basic swimming skills such as diving, breathing, floating and locomotion as well as more complex requirements such as specific swimming courses. Psychosocial and cognitive aspects, including motivation and risk awareness, were also analyzed. These findings are of great importance for educators, policy makers and sports professionals to further promote water literacy in Europe.
Swimming skills and risk perception
The first results of the study show that Germany performs well in international comparison when it comes to swimming ability. Older children demonstrate higher levels of basic and complex swimming skills. However, it was found that 49% of children in Germany underestimate dangers in swimming pools and 44% have similar difficulties in open water. This underlines the need to improve the communication of security-related content. Boys tend to underestimate dangers more than girls, revealing gender differences in risk perception, such as University of Kassel supplemented.
A significant factor that influences swimming ability is the social background of children. Parents' level of education and swimming ability, as well as socioeconomic status, play an important role, especially for younger children. Here the influence of origin is an astonishing 33%. However, in older children this influence decreases, indicating possible development in swimming skills. The results of the study make it clear that structural measures in schools can help counteract the declining trend in swimming ability in Germany.
Future outlook and further results
The full results of the Europe-wide study will be published in Brussels in autumn 2025. The comprehensive analysis of swimming skills is designed to help strengthen water literacy in children and ensure they can use water safely and confidently. The children's great interest in various water activities could be used as a motivation for further improvement Press portal.