Keeping Warm in Non-Heated Swimming Pools

Seen this glum look in the pool? Or worst still, have you seen your child shiver with clattering teeth or watch their lips turn blue?

I've seen so many of the children I teach shiver in the last few weeks. The weather's been awfully dreadful in the last month or so and if this year is like all the others, the monsoon should linger around until the end of January.

Unless you're with one of those swim schools with gorgeous heated pools, you may end up being almost as cold as your child. Besides holding you bub close (assuming you're in a class that requires a parent in the pool), here are some great tips from my very lovely parents!

Tip #1: Set a Limit for Pool Time

As much as it's tons of fun to stay in the water lost in fun activities and play time, the longer you stay in, the more body heat you'll lose. Set a time for your child to be in the pool and get them out, showered and dried up when the time is up.

For example, your child may have a 45 minute lesson followed by 15 minutes of play as a reward. And, it's out of the pool until next time! I'm not saying the timing should be such, but you know your kid best. ;)

After all, moderation and giving your kids something to look forward to (i.e., the next time they get to splash around) also helps keep them excited about swimming.

Tip #2: Invest in a Good One-Piece Wetsuit

I'm not talking about rashguards that are long sleeved and made of the same material as your a-typical swim suit. Those help protect your skin (to a certain degree) from harmful UV rays. It really doesn't keep you very warm (unless of course you found one that incorporates heat-tech).

I'm talking about 3mm Neoprene wetsuits that are sometimes used for scuba diving. Or, at least that's what keeps us coaches warm with our many hours of lessons a day. If it works for us, it will definitely work for your child's class.

Feedback I'm received from some of my clients is that it's not an easy find in Singapore. You may want to check out places like the Arena shop, Ocean Paradise, or, if all else fails (or for easy accessibility), you can just check out the one-piece wetsuits here. If you feel that onesies are hard to put on, there's also the option of wetsuit jackets.

Have a baby under 1 that you want to get in the pool? Check out the infant onesie here. Its adjustable straps allow this wetsuit to grow with your baby (recommended for bubs 0-12 months).

And... If you're thinking that's not enough, here's our last tip that's the winner of the three for this article!

Tip #3: Layer On!

This is a brilliant idea shared with me by one of my clients when I first started lessons with his daughter. If you're afraid of your child being uncomfortably cold in the swimming pool, layer it on!

His daughter wears three seperate layers on any typical swimming day. Air pockets in between the layers help trap heat and keep your child warm. It would be heavier than just wearing a swimsuit but it hasn't stopped my students from learning how to swim. In fact, your child's buoyancy might even increase because of the neoprene.

Here's how you do it!

Layer 1: Swim Suit - Your typical swimwear