As Singapore’s leading swimming lessons provider, we’ve nurtured countless beginners from their first splash to confident swimmers. The right swim gear plays a crucial role in this transformation, boosting safety, comfort, and progress in the water. This guide is designed to help you select the finest swim gear for your little ones as they embark on their swimming journey, ensuring they feel supported and free to explore their potential in the water.
The right swimwear can significantly impact your child’s comfort, warmth, and ability to move freely in the water. Here’s how to make the best choice for your budding swimmer
Table of Contents
1. Swimwear: Striking the Balance Between Comfort and Functionality
Thermal Suits: A Warm Welcome to the water
During the initial learning stages, keeping your child warm and comfortable is paramount. Thermal suits stand out as the optimal choice, offering:
Flexibility: A slightly loose fit is crucial for maintaining agility and allowing for natural, unrestricted movement through the water.
Appropriate Coverage: Feature sleeves before elbow that allow full arm movement and lengths that extend just above the knee ensure mobility without compromising on warmth, ideal for the learning swimmers.
Thickness for Warmth: The right thickness of minimum 2mm keeps the chill at bay, ensuring your child’s focus remains on the joy of swimming.
Two-Piece Suits: tailoring to Individual Preferences
Understanding that every child and their preferences are different, some may find a two-piece suit more to their liking.
For Boys: Mix-and-match tops with briefs or jammers tailored for young swimmers.
For Girls: A selection between two-piece or sleek one-piece suits, each designed for different coverage levels and support.
Whether opting for a thermal suit or a two-piece design, the goal is to choose swimwear that enhances your child’s swimming experience, keeping them warm, comfortable, and focused on the joy of swimming.
2. Goggles: Enhancing Underwater Vision and Curiosity
Selecting the right goggles supports your child’s curiosity and ensures their comfort and safety. Children are explorers by nature, often tempted to gaze towards the sun, especially during water play. To protect their sensitive eyes and make their swimming adventures more enjoyable, consider goggles with a protective tint.
Credit: Oasis Swim
Adjustability and Comfort: Opt for goggles with a rubber strap for the ultimate blend of adjustability and comfort. This type of strap can easily adapt to fit your child’s head as they grow, ensuring a perfect fit for many swim seasons.
UV Protection: Tinted lenses can be a game-changer for outdoor adventures. They reduce glare and protect against UV rays, allowing your child to perform swimming techniques without discomfort.
Water-Tight Seal: A proper seal is key, so look for goggles that fit snugly, preventing leaks and discomfort, making every dive a pleasure.
3. Swim Caps: Protecting Hair with Style and Substance
Swim caps, available in silicone, latex, Lycra, polyester, and more, play a crucial role in safeguarding your child’s hair against chlorine damage and minimising drag in the water. For those starting their swimming journey, we highly recommend silicone caps. Here’s why:
Credit: Oasis Swim
Fabric Caps: Usually made of Lycra or polyester are a good choice if comfort is your main priority. The soft fabric will not pull or catch your hair, and give an easy fit. However, the caps are made of fabric therefore your hair will get completely wet.
Latex Caps: Known for their snug fit and one-size-fits-all flexibility due to high elasticity, latex caps, however, are thinner and more prone to tears, particularly for swimmers with long hair. Additionally, People with sensitive skin are not recommended to use as it is more likely to cause allergic reactions.
Silicone Caps: The best of both worlds, offering durability, comfort, and sensitivity-friendly material, ideal for regular use. If you swim everyday or infrequently and want a cap that can survive long, silicone is the way to go. It’s an excellent option for swimmers of all levels.
For beginners, silicone caps are our top recommendation, ensuring a comfortable, protective, and enjoyable swimming experience right from the start.
4. Training Aids: Tools to Enhance the Learning Experience
Planning beach trips or pool days? Don’t be daunted by the vast array of swim accessories. We’ve handpicked top swimming aids for kids to enhance their skills and enjoyment in the water.
EVA foam stands out for swim floats, offering buoyancy, durability, and water resistance for stable support. Its design and color variety boost safety and appeal, while its eco-friendly nature marks it as a sustainable choice. Unlike common PVC and vinyl, EVA foam maintains its shape and performance, making it crucial to choose a float suited to the swimmer’s age, skill level, and learning objectives.
Credit: Oasis Swim
Kicking Board
A well-designed kicking board float should accommodate swimmers of all sizes and ages, providing the perfect buoyancy for those learning to swim. Choose a kicking board with an arrow shape and without any cutouts for improved buoyancy and a more comfortable grip. Using these boards enables students to build upper body strength and maintain proper alignment in the water during their swim workout.
Credit: Oasis Swim
Hand Paddles Float
A fantastic tool for kids, particularly beginners, to vary their training, enhance their technique, and build upper-body strength.
Available in a variety of shapes and designs, beginners should seek out paddles with easy-to-use straps, such as wristbands, for a great starting option.
Credit: Oasis Swim
Backfloat
Ideal for kids who are comfortable in the water, enhancing freestyle and other movements. Look for a back float with a double safety buckle for extra security and adjustable buoyancy, designed to fit snugly yet comfortably.This float encourages a natural swimming position, making it perfect for more confident young swimmers.
Choosing the right swim gear is essential for nurturing beginners into confident, joyful swimmers. As a swimming school, we’ve seen first hand how essential it is to have the appropriate equipment to learn swimming. With this guide, you’ll be well-equipped to choose the suitable equipment for your child’s needs.
