Apparently singer Mary J Blige has made it her mission to learn how to swim this year… so she can spending more time with her active friends.

The Grammy-award winning popster blames growing up in The Bronx, New York, as the reason for not being a beach or swimming pool babe. “New York is along way from the beach… but I really want to learn to swim in 2012. I think it’ll be fun,” she is reported as saying.

Many swimming pools offer adult swimming lessons, and there is little doubting that Mary J will be able to afford her own one-to-one swim coaching.

But the fact is it’s easier to learn to swim when you’re a child. It’s also a fun activity to do with your friends, and keeps you fit and healthy.

In addition, learning to swim allows children to enjoy a variety of other activities, such as sailing, kayaking and canyoning, and could also give them important life-saving skills.

One swimming instructor said that swimming should be compulsory for school children, just like English and maths.

He said:  “Learning to swim is a vital life saving skill. Along with their normal swimming, learning the strokes and techniques, they also learn survival skills in accordance with their level.”

This year, enrol your kids on a swimming course, and if they’re no that keen tell them that “learning to swim in on-trend. If Mary J Blige is doing it…”