Regardless of whether you want your kid to learn to swim for safety reasons or for fun, there are a few things that you should expect in a proper swimming lesson. When enrolling your kid in a swim class, instructors will ask parents to be involved in ensuring a safe and fun experience for their kids. Depending on your child’s age, they might ask you to join them during certain activities. They may also ask you to get your kid high-quality swimming equipment for beginners.
Knowing which tools and equipment to give them is vital, especially if it’s their first swim class. Today, we’ll list down different swimming tools for kids and their different advantages.
What equipment do you need for swimming?
Regardless of what swim level or age group your kid belongs in, here is a list of things you need for swimming lessons!
Swimsuit
The first and most important swim lesson equipment your child needs is proper swimming attire. Students need swimsuits that fit snug so they can move properly and feel confident during their sessions. If their swimsuit is not the right size, they’re more likely to feel awkward and less enthusiastic to learn. To avoid distracting your kid from the lesson, you want to buy them swimsuits that won’t slide off their bodies as they enter the water.
Swim diapers
Swim diapers are required for kids who are not potty trained. Having your kid wear swim diapers ensures that the pool stays clean and sanitary for everyone’s enjoyment!
Armbands
Floaties or armbands are among the most common things you need for swimming, especially if you’re a beginner. They help your kids stay afloat without restricting their movement.
Instructors often recommend parents get floaties for their kids even if they’re already confident in the water. These devices are a good measure to ensure the safety of your child as they learn and develop their swimming skills.
Life vests
If your child needs to gain more confidence in the water, swim vests are an excellent floatation suit to go along with floaties.
You can use them to teach your kid to be more comfortable around the pool without worrying about their safety. Additionally, they provide greater buoyancy compared to floaties while still letting your kid move around in the water using their legs.
Kickboards
Floats or kickboards often help students do specific drills like kick sets. Some instructors don’t require kickboards to do kick sets, but if your kid belongs in a class for older age groups that tackle particular techniques, it can definitely be a helpful tool for their learning.
Buoys
Established swimmers often use pull buoys to isolate and strengthen swimming strokes. But just because they are often used for more complex lessons, it doesn’t mean that beginners can’t use them.
If your kid struggles with keeping their hips afloat, you can get them a pull buoy to help correct their form.
Earplugs
If your child loves the water, earplugs are a must to keep them comfortable. Silicone earplugs are a great way to keep them engaged in swim lessons without worrying about getting swimmer’s ear and other ear-related complications.
Swimming caps
Swimmers often use swim caps to prevent their hair from rubbing against their bodies as they swim, allowing them to move more fluidly underwater. Swim caps are mainly used for competitive and lap swimming in older swim levels. If your child has notably longer hair and is working on consecutive lap swimming, they may want a swim cap to keep hair away from their face.
Why swimming is a critical life skill
Apart from the benefit of teaching both kids and parents what to do during water-related emergencies, there are several other benefits of taking swimming lessons that make them a popular activity for American families.
Improves health
As parents, all we want is for our children to be healthy and happy. Looking for activities that keep their bodies healthy is a must. Swimming is one of the many activities that can greatly benefit the health and well-being of your child.
Develops a positive attitude to physical activity
Engaging your children in early physical activity can help build a lifelong interest in a healthy lifestyle. If you want your child to be active at an early age, you can enroll them in swim lessons. Most lessons start as young as six months, giving them a head start on future activities and staying healthy growing up.
With the help of a qualified instructor, kids can overcome their fear of water and develop a more optimistic attitude towards other physical activities.
Improves social skills
As children grow, they become exposed to other kids around them. By enrolling them in group swimming lessons, they can build valuable social skills that will help them engage with other people as they grow older.
Teaches health coping mechanisms
As parents, we want our kids to learn how to deal with stress properly and healthily. Introducing your child to activities that increase endorphins at a young age, such as swimming, lets them cope with stress well and makes them physically fit at the same time.
Make Pool Days More Fun and Safe for Your Kids!
There are various ways for parents and qualified swimming instructors to collaborate in making swimming a safe and fun activity for kids. By investing in the correct swimming tools for kids and enrolling your child in age-appropriate classes, they can learn the basics of swimming in a fun and safe environment.
To learn more about finding the perfect swim lessons for your kids, check out our blog here.