Goggles
love them or hate them!
I have become somewhat of a ‘goggle expert’ over the years teaching little swimmers, and I thought it time to part some advice on all things goggle related!
SHOULD MY CHILD WAER GOGGLES DURING THEIR SWIMMING LESSONS?
This is a question parents often ask me. The answer is yes… and no!
I always introduce wearing goggles in swimming lessons at an early age, some as young as 1.5yrs / 2yrs old so they can become familiar with how they feel on their face and what it looks like for them to see out of. At this age, they won’t be ‘functional’; they’ll be loose fitting so they don’t hurt their eyes, and it’s just to get them started off.
TOP TIP: You can also try this at bath time and sprinkle some water over their heads. They’ll start to realise that the water isn’t going into their eyes anymore.
As your little ones get older and they start to put their face in the water and swim, goggles help them to see more clearly and prevent irritation to the eyes.After all they make swimming more comfortable for children who don’t enjoy the sensation of water in their eyes. Therefore, it’s safe to say goggles are an invaluable learning aid for swimming lessons. So, starting off with goggles is a good idea so children get used to them, and they also help build confidence and encourage children to explore underwater.
WHY YOU SHOULD LEARN TO SWIM WITHOUT GOGGLES
Getting children to learn to swim without goggles is also important. The goal is not just to help children be happy and comfortable, the goal is to help them be safer. Encouraging your kids not to wear goggles all the time in the water is really important.
Having your children learn to swim with and without goggles helps prevent them from panicking if they do fall in the water without them. Trying a few swims without goggles will ensure that your child has the confidence to swim without them. I often encourage little ones to take their goggles off during playtime, diving for sinky toys, jumping in etc so they get to experience some time underwater without wearing goggles too.
So, the answer is to have a variety of swims – with and without goggles on!
HOW TO CHOOSE SWIMMING GOGGLES FOR YOUR LITTLE ONE?
When buying swimming goggles for children learning to swim, there are a few key things to look for to ensure that your child has a good experience.
First, fit is crucial. Goggles that don't fit properly can be uncomfortable and may even leak, which can be frustrating and distracting for children who are still learning to swim. To ensure a good fit, try on several different pairs of goggles with your child and adjust the straps to get the right fit. Look for goggles that have a soft silicone, comfortable seal around the eyes and a secure, adjustable strap that your child can easily adjust on their own.
TOP TIP: A double strap is better as it doesn’t slide down your little one’s head to the base of their neck, making it loose fitting and uncomfortable on their ears. Makes for constant need to be ‘put back on again’ every few minutes.
Next, consider the type of lens. We live on a sunny Caribbean Island, so having goggles with a tinted lens and UV protection is a must! It will help block out the suns glare, and they’ll be able to see underwater more clearly, avoiding steps and sharp pool corners.
Additionally, look for goggles with an anti-fog coating. Although swimming outdoors here, it’s often humid and warm, which can cause goggles to fog up quickly. An anti-fog coating can help prevent this, keeping your child's vision clear and unobstructed.
Another important factor to consider is durability. Children can be hard on their goggles, so it's important to choose a pair that is well-made and built to last. Avoid goggles with flimsy straps or poorly-sealed eyecups, as these are more likely to break or leak.
TOP TIP: Don’t leave your kids goggles outside poolside as the heat will dry up the soft silicone eye pieces, making them brittle and likely to crack and be useless.
Lastly, we’ve all seen the fabulous goggles with amazing fun designs around the eye pieces, these look awesome and any kid would want this! But honestly, they don’t work and the kids won’t be able to use them in their lessons very well as they leak and the strap slides down their head. Looks cool but sadly isn’t ideal!
CAN MY LITTLE SWIMMER WEAR SNORKEL MASK IN THEIR LESSON?
Short answer is No! Although super fun and I encourage them to wear a snorkel mask to play in the pool for snorkel practice, for lessons these won’t work as I teach children to ‘hum’ bubbles from their nose, rather than blow bubbles from their mouths, and a snorkel mask prevents this as it covers their nose. Just save masks for playtime, even better attach the snorkel tube and add some fins and get them swimming around in the pool pretending they’re snorkelling with fish in the sea!
In summary, goggles for your little one are a must, try them on before buying, choose ones with comfy, well fitted eye pieces’, tinted lens and UV protection and they’ll love them!
TOP TIP: I have goggles for sale and can easily bring a pair to your lesson so no need to even go out shopping. Just let me know ahead of your little one’s lesson and I’ll bring poolside with me.
