Swimming goggles for toddlers

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The one activity during swimming lessons that we still need to crack is swimming underwater.  It’s not really very helpful that N still hates it given that there’s quite a few activities that are part of lessons that he hates and wants to avoid.

But liking going underwater, or at least enduring it, is proving hard for him to get over.  I’m not entirely sure what we can do apart from just giving him chance to do the activities once before I hear the ‘no more mummy’ and ‘that’s enough’ on repeat.

Given our lessons start with a through the legs swim, it doesn’t always  put N in the right frame of mind for the rest of the lesson.

Quite a few of the other toddlers have been wearing swimming goggles for a while to help them out, so I thought about trying goggles for him during any times we need to go underwater.  I wasn’t sure whether he disliked being underwater because he would shut his eyes and therefore not be able to see me, or for another reason?

Water Babies obviously sell swim goggles along with their other swim accessories, but asking around the other parents, it sounded like Aqua Sphere ones were popular as they had wider eye pieces (think more like science class goggles) which means they’re not as close to the eyes and in theory would be less irritating and have a wider field of vision.  So goggles duly bought, Saturday was the first time we got to try them out.

N had never been worried about me wearing goggles (he just laughs at me), although he initially said no to wearing them.  But sitting on the side of the pool he was happy to put them on.  I have to admit, goggles are hard enough putting on yourself without getting water in, but on toddlers it’s really difficult as you need to ensure they’re water tight, not annoying them and that they’re tight enough without hurting them.

He seemed pretty proud having them on, although I can’t say that one session showed any improvement in him going underwater.  I tried to explain that he’ll be able to see everything when his face is in the water, but I don’t think it really sunk in.

I’d read before buying them, that it’s not always a good idea getting young children used to only swimming in goggles, as they could start to believe they can only swim with them on (not good if they ever fall in water).  So I want to try and use them only for anything with specific underwater swimming, as he’s fine when it comes to jumping or ‘diving’ in and going under.  But actual swimming under water he refuses to do.

I think we might have to add them to his bath play and maybe under the shower which he also hates, in the hope that he might get used to having them under water.  Mind you, he does seem quite attached to them already, asking for ‘my glasses’ which is cute.

Have you tried goggles for your toddlers?  Or how have you encouraged them to like going underwater?