Learning to swim is an important life skill that not only promotes physical activity, but also instills confidence. At Bear Paddle, our central mission is to build confident swimmers, one story at a time.
But as you pack your child’s bag for their first swim lesson at Bear Paddle, you may be asking yourself: What should we pack? Do I need to buy goggles? (The short answer is no! We provide them for you!)
Before you rush out to buy the latest (and cutest) goggles for your child, let’s dive into the benefits and drawbacks of children using goggles as they learn to swim.
The Benefits:
Goggles can be a game changer for getting hesitant or scared swimmers in the water. Goggles offer kids the ability to see clearly and help them overcome initial fears as they learn to float and swim. They are able to better focus on the lesson without the discomfort and distraction that comes with getting water in their eyes.
The Disadvantages:
While goggles can absolutely boost confidence in the early days of swim lessons, excessive reliance on goggles can sometimes hinder a child’s ability to learn and grow. They may later protest that they just can’t do it without their goggles.
And though we are certainly thrilled at the progress kids make while using goggles, we also want to be sure that children can develop and use skills they may need in an emergency situation (where they most likely do not have goggles).
Finally, goggles can become their own distraction during lessons. If goggles are ill-fitting, uncomfortable, or a child just doesn’t know how to wear and tighten them, they can spend a significant amount of the lesson paying attention to their goggles rather than on the skills.
The Verdict:
The use of goggles in children’s swim lessons can be both beneficial and challenging. Our recommendation is to first try having a child start lessons without goggles. If they are confident and successful without the goggles, they will never develop a dependence. However, if after several lessons, they still are hesitant to put their eyes in the water, then yes, goggles can be a helpful tool to overcome this fear.
As to whether to rush out and buy goggles, the answer is no. At Bear Paddle, we keep sets of goggles free for kids to use. All they need to do is ask their teacher.
By striking a balance and incorporating our story-based lessons to keep kids engaged, we can ensure that children not only enjoy their swim lessons but also emerge as confident and competent swimmers, ready to navigate the waters safely, no matter what the situation.
If you’re looking to get started with swim lessons, we invite you to try a Complimentary Swim Lesson. This free lesson will allow us to evaluate your child’s swim skills, provide a level and class recommendation, and allow you the opportunity to see the school and see the lesson experience.