Parents' Thoughts towards Their Children Participation in Swimming Course as a Leisure Time Activity: A Qualitative Research

While sports, and especially swimming, are particularly important for the physical, mental and psychological development of children, parents also have significant role in orienting their children towards sports. The aim of this study was to identify the views of parents regarding their children’s participation to swimming courses, and to propose a number of recommendations based on these views. The study was based on a descriptive study method, and used a phenomenological design. The study participants included seven parents whose children took swimming courses at the Inonu University Indoor Swimming Pool in 2015 and 2016, and who voluntarily accepted to take part in the study. In this study, parent opinions were grouped under six main themes, which included: leisure time activities, the types of sports the children participate to, the goals of children in participating to swimming, the effects of swimming on children’s development and health, parent participation to swimming, and swimming facility.