Top Tips for Happy Cooler Weather Swimming!

The cooler weather has arrived! Our Top 10 Tips for happy Autumn and Winter swimming are:
1. Don’t put your child in a rash shirt – they are for sun protection, not warmth. They will only make you child colder in the water.
2. If you are a parent in the water, you may wish to remove your shirt before you get out of the water, because as soon as the air hits the wet fabric, you will feel the cold.
3. Have your towels easily accessible near the edge of the pool, so as soon as you get out of the water, they are ready to wrap.
4. Bring your dressing gown! This way you won’t be struggling to keep it on while you wrap your child. (A big old hoodie jumper is a great alternative if a dressing gown is just too much for you in public). A dressing gown, hoodie or hooded towel for the kids makes life much easier, and leave the child’s arms free as they move to the change rooms.
5. Take advantage of our hot showers – and bundle everyone into warm dry PJ’s or a track suit for the rest of the day.
6. Don’t forget head and feet – throw on a beanie or hat, and some ugg boots.
7. Give children a hot meal or drink (my children love warm milo as a great post swimming treat in winter) when you get home – they will sleep soundly that night, or even for their day sleep!
8. Remember – exercise is good for winter immunity for the following reasons:
Physical activity may help flush bacteria out of the lungs and airways. This may reduce your chance of getting a cold, flu, or other airborne illness.
Exercise causes changes in antibodies and white blood cells (the body’s immune system cells that fight disease). These antibodies or white blood cells circulate more rapidly, so they could detect illnesses earlier than they might have before.
The brief rise in body temperature during and right after exercise may prevent bacteria from growing. This temperature rise may help the body fight infection more effectively. (This is similar to what happens when you have a fever.)
Exercise slows down the release of stress-related hormones. Some stress increases the chance of illness. Lower stress hormones may protect against illness.
9. DO NOT stop attending lessons – you will simply be wasting the time and money spent so far teaching your child the valuable skill of swimming, and they will have to relearn some of their swimming skills again in the Spring.
10. Enjoy this time to slow down and be with your child/ren – either in the water, or poolside watching their progression of skills – come summer they will be even better swimmers!