At Swim Fins, safety is our number one priority when running classes and swim attire is a part of that. In preparation for their child’s first swim lesson, parents often wonder what kind of swimwear to purchase for their child that would both be helpful for their lesson as well as still be useful for recreational swimming, like at the beach. As such, we’ve compiled all our advice for choosing swimwear for your child from throughout the years below!

1. Comfort and Fit

One of the most important factors when choosing swimwear is the overall fit and comfort of the piece. One-piece swimsuits should have a snug fit in general. Suits with straps should be tight enough that they pull up no higher than your child’s earlobes. Ideally, look for suits with wide straps as opposed to string straps, and opt for a racerback or bladeback instead of tie back or u-backs. This is because the racerback or blade-back style of swim wear tends to fit smaller bodies better allowing your child to concentrate more on their swim lessons and less on the way their swimsuit feels and fits. For children who only wear swim bottoms, long and/or baggy swim shorts make swimming much more difficult. We recommend speedo or jammer style swimsuits instead of heavy swim bottoms that may hinder their ability to swim efficiently.

Another key element, especially with younger swimmers, is how easy the swimwear is to put on and take off. As wet swimwear tends to attach to the skin and make them harder to remove, zippers and snaps make the process much simpler if you or your child needs to remove their swimsuit quickly to use the bathroom. Do not use safety pins to tighten swimwear as this is a safety issue.

2. Go for Bright Colors

Swimwear comes in all sorts or colors, patterns and designs. However, as a general rule, the brighter the color, the better. This is to help with visibility and helps you pick out your child quickly when in crowded spaces such as the beach or a public pool. In a study by Alive Solutions, after being submerged 18 inches in water, the common colors of swimsuits tend to disappear, especially if there’s any type of movement in the water. We recommend avoiding colors such as black, blue, gray and white and instead opt for colors such as neon oranges, yellows, pinks, or greens. Of course, as Alive Solutions reminds us, brightly coloured swimsuits are not a substitute for constant supervision while your child is in the water. So if you’re swimming with your child, put your phone away, designate a Water Watcher and enjoy watching your children splash in the water!

3. Swim Accessories

No outfit is complete without the right accessories and swimwear is no exception! Longer hair should always be pulled back and out of the face during lessons, we suggest a swim cap for swimmers whose hair might be prone to tangling or covering the face when surfacing for a breath. Additionally, at Swim Fins Swim School, we require swimmers in our lessons to have some form of protective eyewear such as swim goggles or masks and can be purchased through our website here. A full list of our recommendations for what to bring to your first swim lesson can be found in this blog post.

We hope that all these tips have made swimwear purchasing much easier and not as overwhelming as it might have been before. See you at swim lessons soon! We currently have lessons year round at our pools in Richmond, Surrey, White Rock, Langley, Cloverdale, and Abbotsford. For more information on our programs, how to register, and much more, head over to our website! Come swim with Swim Fins: https://www.swimfins.ca/register