We love all our swimmers at MIT Recreation, but our young swimmers have a special place in our hearts. From a few months old to a few years, these splashing toddlers are tomorrow’s star swimmers. We love seeing them and their parents play and learn in the water!

Keeping this energetic, giggling fleet of youngsters safe in our pools is paramount to MIT Recreation, and we know it is to all our parents of young swimmers too. So here are 3 things all parents and guardians need to know about little swimmers and the pool!

1.) Dress for Success – the Double Swim Diaper

First things first. If you have taken your young swimmer into the water before, you know already – the average diaper just isn’t going to cut it. No worries though, local retailers have caught on to this fact and provide a plethora of frilly, adorable swim diapers for you to choose from! But are these really good enough for a day of play in the pool? Probably not. In fact, at MIT Recreation, we require everyone to double-up their diaper duty:

Why two diapers?? Isn’t this a bit much? We wish it wasn’t – but the sad reality is, even with this special combo of disposable & water resistant vinyl, you still only get about 2-5 minutes of leak-proof performance. And if you don’t get the setup just right (with vinyl completely covering disposable), there can be an…erhm…‘fountain’ effect. So two diapers it is! But remember that frequent checks will still be needed.

2.) Skip the Floaties – They are only Toys

We are not big fans of floaties at MIT Recreation. Look closely at the packaging for these slippery, pop-able arm floats and you will notice warnings not to use them as flotation devices. They certainly look like they could be – aren’t they designed to help young swimmers? Turns out, they are no more help than a pool noodle or any other toy float.

(Pool Noodles are available for instructional purposes)

But the danger is that floaties can seem a lot safer than a noodle. Watch a pair of them shoot off the arms of a child as they jump into the pool though, and you will never trust them again. We 100% don’t. To help your child stay safely afloat in the pool we recommend only approved, certified flotation devices. This includes well-fitting life jackets or puddle jumpers.

Always remember of course, that no flotation device can replace the need to always keep a close eye on your little swimmer.

3.) All Hands On Deck – All Eyes on the Pool

Little swimmers can splash in our pools, assured that our lifeguards are vigilantly watching the commotion to keep everyone safe. But in a pool with many swimmers, the more people keeping a watchful eye, the more potential danger averted.

All our guards act to prevent accidents before they happen – not just react once they do. Observational parents and guardians can also help. Being so well tuned to your own child’s behavior can sometimes allow you to spot trouble before anyone else. Put your unique knowledge to great use and help us protect your young swimmers.

If you have any concerns or questions about safety and our pools, you can contact us, or talk to any deck manager or guard on duty. We hope to see you and your little swimmers soon!

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