Taking Toddlers Swimming: Our Top Tips

August 12, 2019

Our subtropical pool paradise is one of the most popular ways for families to spend time at Trabolgan Holiday Village, and we’ve got something for everyone to enjoy. With a Wavemaker and water slide, as well as a toddler area and a poolside cafe, the whole family will enjoy spending a day in the pool together.

If you haven’t taken your child swimming before, it can be a daunting prospect. There are several things to think about, but going swimming with a baby or child can be very rewarding if you prepare yourself in advance. Here is our guide to taking your child swimming for the first time, and you can read on to find out more about the benefits of swimming and why it’s a great thing to do with your family.

Step By Step: Going Swimming With Your Child

Taking your child swimming is a great thing to do for their fitness and their health, but it doesn’t always feel like the simplest way to entertain them! Going swimming with a baby or toddler can be an overwhelming idea for new parents, but getting started early can improve water confidence and make learning to swim an easier process. Babies can be taken swimming from just a couple of weeks old, as long as they are healthy and well.

Read on for our simple guide to taking your baby or child swimming, and you’ll see that preparation is the key to a successful swimming trip.

Consider taking a swimming class with your child. Baby and child swimming classes are a great way to get your child used to being in the water, as well as making friends and sharing the swimming experience with others. You will find a variety of baby and child swimming sessions and courses in your area, and many classes include underwater swimming, which has been shown to improve water safety awareness in small children and make learning to swim easier. Not all swimming instructors or swim schools will take the same approach, so it is worth doing your research or going along for a trial session before signing up. Regular swimming sessions taken from a very young age can be the best way to encourage water confidence and learning to swim
Find the right session. Most swimming pools run several different sessions throughout the week and getting it right will prevent unhappy children and stress for parents! It is advisable to choose a quiet session the first time you take a child swimming, so avoid turning up at the same time as a fun session for older children is beginning, and check when the pool is closed for school sessions and adults-only swims to avoid disappointment. It can also be difficult to time swimming sessions around your child’s naps and mealtimes in the beginning, and it is often worth looking around at a number of different swimming pools to find the best match for you. Don’t forget that a pool should be heated to at least 28 degrees Celsius for children, but this can still feel quite cool and you may wish to look for a warmer pool for regular swimming all year round.
Take snacks. Preparation is the key to a successful swimming trip and it is a good idea to pack snacks in order to prevent a changing room meltdown! Swimming is very tiring for young children, and they may burn off a lot of energy which leaves them feeling ravenous as soon as they leave the pool. The drying and dressing routine will be significantly less stressful for both of you if you have snacks to hand, and something that can replace some lost energy, such as a banana, is a great choice.
Research swimming nappies. Most swimming pools have guidance on the best type of nappy to use when taking your baby or small child swimming, and you may find that a double nappy is the best solution. A disposable or reusable swimming nappy with a neoprene cover or wrap will help to ensure that any accidents are contained and easy to manage. This should keep your child comfortable and avoid any embarrassing situations that could result in an evacuation of the pool!
Model confidence. As with most things in life, your child will look to you for guidance in how to behave when you take them swimming for the first time. If you are confident in the water, your child will understand that swimming is fun rather than scary, and will enjoy the new experience. If you are afraid of water, or cannot swim yourself, one of the very best things you can do to encourage your children to enjoy swimming is to address this. Take your time to find a swimming teacher who will help you to build your confidence and model to your children that swimming, as well as being a useful life skill, is a great way to get fit and have fun.

Other things to remember include change for a locker and warm clothes for afterwards. You may find that your child is exhausted by the experience of going swimming, so he or she may sleep for longer than usual!

The Benefits Of Swimming For Children

Exercise is great for all of us, and especially for children, and swimming is a good option, with plenty of positive benefits. These include:

Better health. Swimming is a fantastic sport for physical and mental health, releasing endorphins and benefiting your heart and your circulation at the same time.
Developing confidence. Swimming is a fun and sociable sport, especially when children are encouraged to begin at an early age. Swimming can help to build body confidence and joining a class or team can also enable team skills and healthy competition.
Improving balance. Swimming is ideal for improving balance, since it requires the body to form a streamlined shape. Regular swimming can help to develop good balance, which is helpful in many other sports and in everyday life.
Building stamina. Swimming is a great way to build up your stamina, increasing lung capacity and helping muscles to develop in a healthy way. This will allow you to gradually increase distance and speed, and increase overall fitness levels.
Staying safe. Learning to swim is a life-saving skill that could help to protect your child throughout his or her life. Taking swimming lessons from an early age is a good way to increase water confidence, and you can build on this at any age.
Making friends and having fun. Joining a swimming club or team is a great way to meet new friends, and several exciting activities require the ability to swim. Once your child can swim confidently, you can explore options such as surfing, sailing and diving that will open up a whole new world of opportunity.
Exercising all year round. From sea swimming in the summer to visiting your local pool on a rainy day in winter, swimming is a great activity to take part in all year round. It requires a great deal of energy, so is ideal in the cooler weather when it is harder to get your children outdoors to exercise, and it’s also the perfect way to spend some quality time with the kids when you’re away on holiday.

Enjoy Our Swimming Pool Paradise at Trabolgan

Here at Trabolgan Holiday Village, it’s easy to make the most of swimming in our subtropical pool paradise. You can splash around with the children while you look out on incredible views of the Atlantic, and little ones will love the Toddlers’ Pool, with its fun jungle theme and warm water. Older children will love the Wavemaker and waterslide, and adults are also guaranteed a great time. When you want to make the most of some time out, you can visit our excellent gym, and don’t forget to make time for a trip to the relaxing sauna and steam room with Spa Bath.

When you’ve all worked up an appetite in the water, it’s time to visit Waves Ice Cream Parlour for a refreshment break – and we also sell swimming essentials such as goggles, swimwear and inflatables, so there’s no need to panic if you’ve forgotten something!

Book A Break In Ireland With Your Family

Here at Trabolgan Holiday Village, we have been busy updating our luxurious self catering accommodation, and we know you will love your holiday home from home. We offer midweek and weekend breaks to suit all tastes and budgets, and we will be happy to talk to you about your options.

Don’t forget that you can make the most of all of the facilities and benefits of Trabolgan from the comfort of your own caravan when you book to visit our touring caravan site. Call our reservations team on +353 (0) 21 4661551 or visit us online now.