Brussels, 18th September 2025
The ‘Aquatic Literacy For All Children’ project, co-funded by the Erasmus+ Sport programme, presented its main results during the closing ceremony. The groundbreaking initiative, which involved a large-scale study across 7 European countries and testing the “Can Swim” level of 3,500 children, has provided invaluable insights into the state of aquatic literacy level among young Europeans.
Key Project Results :
- European benchmarks by age group: The project successfully developed age groups specific European benchmarks, providing countries with a clear understanding of their strengths and areas for improvement in teaching “Can Swim” to children.
- High motivation, enjoyment and confidence: The data revealed that European children exhibit high levels of motivation, enjoyment, and confidence when learning to swim, underlining the positive impact of early aquatic education.
- Risk perception challenges: Despite enthusiasm for learning to swim, the project also highlighted that many children struggle to perceive risks in swimming in pools or open water, raising awareness of the need to improve safety education.
- Desire to explore aquatic activities: The study confirmed that children across Europe show a strong desire to discover and engage in various aquatic activities, suggesting potential for engaging in aquatic physical activities throughout life.
The project’s findings serve as a vital resource for educators, policymakers, and sports professionals, offering a comprehensive understanding of the current state of aquatic literacy level in Europe. Please visit: https://alfac.eu for more information and access to the Pedagogical Toolkit”
