For various practical reasons of course!
Parents, if your child is resistant to wearing a cap, this will hopefully help persuade them. If they are still unsure, why not hand it over to our trusty awesome swimming teachers, who are all very experienced in persuading hesitant swimmers to take the plunge with a cap on.
Swimming caps help you swim faster – All you have to do is look at any professional swimmer to know that swimming caps minimise drag in the water and aid in streamline swimming. Or as we tell the kids; ‘it help you to swim as fast as a speedboat!’
Swimming caps protect hair from chlorine – Chlorine is a disinfectant that is used to keep swimming pools clean and free of germs. However, it can also be harsh on hair, causing it to become dry, brittle, and (for very frequent swimmers) sometimes discoloured. Swimming caps help to protect hair from chlorine by creating a barrier between the hair and the water.
They keep hair out of the face – Swimming caps also keep hair away from the face and eyes, which will help children see clearly and concentrate without the distraction and irritation of hair getting in the way. Tucked away hair also helps goggles to suction better onto the face, minimising leakage and swimmers fiddling with their goggles. Bonus!
They stop hair getting weighed down with water – For those blessed with thick, curly and long hair, it can get very heavy when wet. Swimming caps make swimming easier and faster (with less drag) because your hair doesn’t get fully soaked. Caps also make drying your hair after swimming a lot quicker!
Swimming caps help to keep the pool clean – Hair sheds naturally, and swimming caps help stop that hair ending up in the swimming pool filters, resulting in a lot less mess for our pool maintenance teams.
They prevent hair from getting tangled – Long hair can easily become tangled in the pool, which can be uncomfortable and painful for children (and parents) to sort out later. Swimming caps keep hair tucked away and prevent tangles in the first place.
Swimming hats can help reduce the risk of ear infections – Kids who wear swimming caps that cover their ears benefit from a layer of protection against water entering their ear canals. Whilst some children won’t like the sensation of their ears being covered because it makes their hearing a little duller, it’s worth trying, especially if they’re prone to ear trouble or have grommets. Swimmers’ ear plugs for children have come on a long way and can be very helpful if your child suffers from any of the above ear issues. Have a chat with your doctor if you feel you need them.
In summary, swimming caps for kids are important and it isn’t difficult to help children get them on quickly and gently.
We find at Cindy’s Swim School that because all our pupils wear swimming hats, and it is non-negotiable, we don’t encounter much resistance to the idea. By making the caps a reward for their swimming achievements, different coloured caps carry kudos and are an incentive to swim well. We’d recommend to all parents, on holiday and at home, that you make wearing a swimming hat the norm, and not an optional extra.
Afew tips to get your swimmer excited about wearing their swimming cap:
Now you know that swimming caps are amazing, the next step is knowing how to put one on quickly and efficiently. Below we show you our handy tricks, so that you never struggle with a swimming cap again!
With the wide variety of swim caps out there today, anyone can find a swim cap they like in style and comfort. The collection of colors, print designs, and styles of swim cap are wide. You can choose from the traditional simple swim cap with a funny, cute, or a bold print, swim hats with strap, fancy swim hat with flowers or bows, swim hat shaped like ski masks, and much more. Many different materials are available to choose from, lycra, spandex, silicone, latex, and even neoprene.
When it’s come to choose a swim cap for a child it is better to go with a simple and comfortable. Since most regular swim caps are very uncool and the silicone swim hats are extremely uncomfortable, the BEST solution for your child to wear at the pool is Nammu swim bandanna.
Nammu is a cool trendy and stylish swimming hat, shape as fitted bandana, tie in the back for extra comfort and easy adjusting. Nammu swim cap made out of spandex and nylon UV protective fabric and feel soft and comfortable on the head.