Janis P.
My toddler loves to tell everyone “I going swimming!” for days in advance, and always demands to be put her swim nappy on well in advance of any contact with water…actually, well in advance of even leaving the house. Once we get to the pool, she is (like her mother) a bit fussy about water temperature and is the type to dip one toe into the water before deeming it “too cold” even when it’s as warm as a bath. For the first 10 minutes she clings onto me for dear life and tries desperately not to get her hair wet, lest she lose her “lovely curls”.
Baby E, on the other hand, is such a little water baby. He gets totally overexcited and splashes around like a maniac, completely soaking everyone and everything in a 5 m radius. When we are at the pool on our own, I sometimes sit him in a little inflatable ring so we can do laps together. Sounds silly and obviously looks pretty ridiculous, but what better way to get back in shape than to swim laps while pushing a baby along the lane in an inflatable ring? E thinks it’s hilarious, though maybe he’s only laughing at the fact I’m still wearing a maternity swimsuit 11 months on.
Children are completely fascinated by water and as a parent it really is a magical experience taking them swimming, whether it is to swimming lessons, your local paddling pool, or an impromptu watery sing-along session with a friend. There are plenty of indoor pools, outdoor pools, and paddling pools to choose from, and some even have water slides and wave machines for older kids.
To read about some of our favourite pools, click here, or browse all the pools on our website here.
Some of the pools are pretty cold, so I would invest in a swimsuit with a bit of insulation, and at the paddling pool, a long sleeve sun suit is a must. You can also get some nifty flotation aids for your little one – for babies you can try an inflatable swimming ring, and for toddlers and older children you can get inflatable water wings or even a specially designed swimsuit with buoyancy inserts until they gain confidence in the water.
We’d love to hear your comments and stories about swimming with babies and children, and please let us know about your favourite pools, lidos and paddling pools! Please add your comments below…
And remember, this summer if you review your favourite child friendly swimming pool, lido or paddling pool, or any other family friendly spot, we’ll enter your name in our prize draw to win a well deserved pampering session with Nicky Weston.
– Janis
originally published on ReallyKidFriendly.com July 21st 2009 (106 reads)
