Swimming Equipment

Floatation Devices

August 14, 2018 by Jamie Stehbens

Our parents ask us many different questions about swimming and water safety, so for the next few weeks we’re going to use the blog to answer some of them.

This week’s parent question is: “What are the recommended floatation devices when children are swimming unaided by parents?”

There are a variety of floatation devices on the market today, and each work in a different way. They are designed to keep children afloat so they can become confident in the water while they are exploring. It is important to note that flotation aids are not safety devices, and they are not designed to prevent drowning. While they can help children to float, they can’t help them to breathe. Children must be supervised at all times when they are around the water. This means that children must be within an arms length of a competent supervisor.

Children can drown if flotation aids are faulty, used incorrectly, or do not fit properly. Children who are inexperienced, or who may be scared or overconfident around water can unexpectedly get into trouble and panic. This can happen very quickly and quietly. You should always follow the manufacturer’s instructions for safe use. Before use, make sure that you check your flotation aids for holes, tears and leaks. If any of these are present, do not use them. Always follow the warnings and instructions for assembly and use.

The different types of flotation devices include vests, armbands, rings or seats. When choosing swimming and flotation aids for your child follow the manufacturer’s age and weight recommendations. Choose a design, size and fit that suits the development of your child. For example, flotation aids designed for younger children may not be suitable if your child is above average height and size for their age group, and vice versa. You can purchase some of these devices from our swim shop.

“Floaty Free Time”

If you choose to use these floatation devices, it is important to have some “Floaty Free Time”. Floaties can give your child a false sense of security that makes them overconfident. Or they can become scared of swimming without floaties, which can hinder their progress in swimming lessons. Set aside some time when you use floaties as “Floaty Free Time”, and let them explore and experience the water within your reach.

If you have a question you would like answered, feel free to get in touch with us via our Facebook page or email. You can also ask one of our friendly staff members for advice. For more articles like this one, pop on over to our News and Facebook pages.

Dressing for Swimming Lessons

July 25, 2018 by Jamie Stehbens

Parents often wonder about the best way to dress their children for sporting activities. Each sport is different. For example, the correct outfit for football is very different to the correct outfit for dancing, soccer and athletics. Many parents new to learn to swim ask us questions like “what should my child wear to swimming?” and “what do all of the other children wear?”. There are many different options for swimwear and accessories for swimming lessons. Here are our suggestions for swimming attire for lessons.

Swim Nappy

Young swimmers who aren’t yet toilet trained must wear a swim nappy. Swim nappies make life easier for parents attending lessons. They work just like a regular nappy and are designed to be submerged under water. Regular nappies will fill with water and swell up. They also become heavy and will weigh a child down during lessons. Swim nappies are designed to contain ‘accidents’ until the nappy is changed. They also help us with water filtration and the cleanliness of our swimming pool.

Single use nappies can be purchased from our swim shop for $2.50 and thrown in the bin after each use. We also have reusable swimming nappies for $25.00. These have a plastic lining and cloth outside. These reusable nappies can be emptied, washed out and reused each swimming lesson.

Swimwear

Swimwear should be comfortable, but try not to dress your swimmer in too much clothing. Board shorts are better suited for the beach rather than swimming lessons. This is because lots of material tends to get in the way and weigh swimmers down, making it harder for them to swim. The same applies for swim shirts. They are great for sun safety when you are swimming outdoors, but they are not needed when your child is doing their swimming lessons indoors. If swim shirts are too loose, they make it hard for children to move their arms effectively. As a general rule, tighter swimwear is better for children when they are learning to move through the water at swimming lessons. For the girls, 1 or 2 piece swimwear is suitable. For the boys, underpants shaped swimwear or bike pant length swimwear works well.

Caps

We recommend that caps should be worn in swimming lessons when your child’s hair is long enough to get in their eyes. You can buy two different styles of cap from our swim shop. One is rubber, and the other is lycra.

Rubber swim caps are mostly worn by older swimmers and slide on over the child’s head. They usually come in a standard size and stretch to fit over the swimmer’s head. Hair can be tucked up inside the cap, so it doesn’t drag down behind the swimmer, or get in their eyes during the lesson. Rubber caps can pull longer hair as they are placed on the head if you try and rush putting it on. These caps are great for keeping hair or ears dry (when combined with earplugs/earbands) and come in many different brands and colours. We have a wide variety of rubber swim caps for sale at the swim shop.

Lycra swim caps are often easier to slide onto smaller heads as they tend to slide on more easily. These caps don’t keep hair dry, and they tend to stretch and lose their elasticity with age. They are quite easy to put on and don’t pull hair as they go on. They should be washed and hung out to dry after the lesson to keep them in good condition.

Goggles

There are many different types and styles of goggles available at our swim shop. Goggles are an essential item in any swimmer’s equipment bag. They have an important place in learn to swim, however, they should not be relied upon heavily in the early stages of learning to swim. It’s important to remember that if children fall in the pool, they may not be wearing their goggles. Children should continuously practise some swimming without goggles in their lesson or during play time. We’ve answered some common questions about goggles in a previous article, which you can read here.

What should I wear if I’m participating in swimming lessons with my child?

We tell parents who are participating in our babies lessons to wear whatever they feel comfortable in, as well as a loose fitting shirt. In our babies program, we teach the children to reach and grab for an adult or a wall. A loose fitting shirt is easy for babies to grab onto and learn this important skill.

For more articles like this one, pop on over to our News and Facebook pages.

Goggles

June 20, 2018 by Jamie Stehbens

We have parents frequently ask us questions about googles. These questions include: “Does my child need goggles?“, “When is then best age to start wearing goggles?“, “Why do you do exercises without goggles?“, and “What do I look for when buying goggles?“. Goggles are an essential item in any swimmer’s equipment bag. They have an important place in learning to swim and even more so when swimmers start training more seriously. However, goggles should not be relied upon heavily in the early stages of learning to swim. Here are some important things you should know:

Goggles can be a real blessing for swimming instructors

Goggles can help instructors working with timid swimmers who are scared or reluctant to put their face under water for two reasons. It can give swimmers a little more confidence because they can see clearly, and frightened beginners often dislike water on their face. Goggles will protect their eyes from the water, and can make lessons a little bit easier.

Goggles can be a real pain for swimming instructors

They are a pain if they are ill-fitting, or if they leak and require adjusting after each lap. Wouldn’t you rather your child’s instructor spend time on teaching important swimming and water safety skills, instead of frequently adjusting goggles? There are a few things to consider when you are purchasing goggles for your child. You’ll need goggles that suit their face shape, the size of their head, and are easily adjustable as they grow. Goggle manufacturers place recommended ages on their goggles to help guide you. It is best to try on a few different sets of goggles to find the most suitable set for your child. We stock a wide range of goggles in different styles and fits at our swim shop. Our friendly staff will help you pick a pair that your child will love!

Googles are not essential in the early stages of learning to swim.

For infants and babies, the amount of time spent underwater will be limited at the start of their learn to swim journey. As young swimmers grow, they develop better swimming skills, and spend more time under water as their breath control improves. At this point, goggles may be required if eye irritation occurs. Seek advice from your instructors but don’t become reliant on goggles. We find that children start to wear goggles when they start swimming without their parents.

Goggle free time is important in swimming lessons.

This will help to promote water safety skills. It is important to remember though that if your child has an aquatic emergency, like falling into a pool, there is a chance that they will not be wearing goggles at the time. If your child is reliant on goggles, they could panic if they fall into water without goggles. Swimmers need to understand that water is blurry if you aren’t wearing goggles, but you can still navigate your way to safety without them. If young swimmers only know how to swim or put their face under water if they are wearing goggles, do they really know how to swim or put their face under water?

Goggles can be great for water play and exploration.

By allowing swimmers to play and explore under water you are encouraging them to build their breath control. Goggles can make under water play exciting because they can see everything clearly. It also allows swimmers to grow in confidence and ability outside of formal swimming lessons.

Keep these things in mind when you are attending swimming lessons with your child. Remember, although goggles can aid in the learning process they should not be relied upon in every swimming situation. Sometimes swimmers should go without for the sake of learning water safety, and their true capabilities in the water.