Tips and Safety

July 3, 2023 by Gavin

Empowering Families to Ensure Water Safety and Confidence

Introduction:

Learning to swim is a vital life skill that install’s confidence, promotes physical fitness, and ensures water safety.

However, the growing concerns surrounding the lack of access to swimming lessons and the increasing waiting lists in the UK have raised alarms about the potential impact on future generations.

In this blog post, we reinforce SwimFin, a simple yet effective solution designed to assist families in teaching their children how to swim, thus empowering them with invaluable skills and knowledge.

Addressing the Challenges:

The current swimming landscape in the UK presents several challenges, including a shortage of swimming teachers, pool closures, and rising costs. These factors contribute to an alarming waiting list of approximately 660,000 children eager to learn how to swim. The urgency to address this issue stems from the concern that without immediate action, an entire generation may miss out on the opportunity to develop essential swimming abilities and water safety awareness.

The SwimFin Solution:

SwimFin recognizes the pressing need for a solution that empowers parents and families to teach their children to swim effectively. SwimFin is a unique and innovative buoyancy aid that provides children with a safe and enjoyable swimming experience while building confidence in the water. It offers numerous advantages that make it an essential tool for every family seeking to nurture their child’s swimming skills.

1. Simple and Fun Learning:
SwimFins design is centred around simplicity and enjoyment. It is worn on the back, allowing children to move freely and naturally in the water. The vibrant and friendly appearance of SwimFin makes it an exciting accessory, capturing children’s attention and encouraging them to engage in water activities with enthusiasm.

2. Individualized Learning:
Every child learns at their own pace and in their unique way. SwimFin embraces this diversity by allowing children to explore and develop their swimming abilities based on their comfort levels. It provides the necessary buoyancy to support and enhance a child’s swimming technique while instilling a sense of independence and accomplishment.

3. Safety and Confidence:
SwimFin prioritizes water safety by acting as a buoyancy aid that promotes correct swimming positions and builds confidence in the water. Children can practice various strokes and movements while feeling secure, enabling them to develop the skills and self-assurance needed for a lifetime of enjoyable and safe swimming experiences.

Conclusion:

As the demand for swimming lessons continues to outpace availability, it is crucial for families to take an active role in teaching their children to swim. SwimFin offers a simple, fun, and effective solution to address the challenges associated with the shortage of swimming teachers, pool closures, and rising costs. By utilizing SwimFin, families can ensure that their children have access to water safety education and the opportunity to develop essential swimming skills. Together, let us empower the next generation with the ability to navigate the water confidently and embrace a lifelong love for swimming.

December 2, 2019 by Michelle Mccann

When is the right time to start swimming lessons?

Thinking about swimming lessons? Here is what you need to know…

With the sunny weather making way for autumn it seems the right time to transfer from outdoor pools to an indoor pool, and if your little one has never had swimming lessons before, now is a really great time to start.

This time of year can often prove difficult to find activities to occupy and entertain the kids, as the weather can be so unpredictable and unforgiving. Getting your children settled into swimming lessons for the autumn season will mean that they have an activity that will be full of energy and enjoyable, but won’t involve sitting on a bench in the rain, or fighting through the masses at soft play! And as a bonus they’ll be confident and skilled when the summer months come around again, to enjoy time in the outdoor lidos or swimming pools on holiday. Just pop a swimming costume, your towel and a SwimFin into your bag and you are good to go!

We’ve all heard that starting swimming lessons earlier, especially with the popularity of baby lessons, can be beneficial in many ways, but don’t let that put you off if your children are older. Whilst lessons will undoubtedly help with fears of water, you know your child best, and if baby lessons weren’t for your child, starting as they get older is certainly no bad thing.

There’s no age you will have ‘missed out’ on starting lessons, though the younger children start is often a favourite, for learning water safety as much as how to swim, there really is no wrong time. Children are fantastic at picking up new skills and with swimming will often be having so much fun they will hardly realise they’re learning and exercising too!

Why not see if there’s a class near you that can offer a trial lesson, to see if it’s right for your family. You’ll often find that whenever you start will be the best time to start lessons.

November 29, 2019 by Karin Joyce

Confident swimming with SwimFin starts with fun

We get a lot of questions about how to use SwimFin and our top tip to encourage confident swimming with SwimFin is to start with fun! That fun actually can begin on land as soon as you receive your SwimFin. Kids love role playing, of course, so as soon as your SwimFin arrives, encourage your child to open the packaging, feel it, free play with it to get used to the feel and texture of the SwimFin.

SwimFin is the top swimming aid for kids of all ages because of the look and freedom that SwimFin gives little sharks. Parents can feel confident about SwimFin thanks to our rigorous testing (we are certified as a toy and flotation device) and the partnership and endorsement by RLSS. Wearing SwimFin allows children to have a more realistic swimming position in the water (chin resting just on top of the water while being fully supported in an upright position) as well as unrestricted movement of their arms and legs which helps children to feel more secure and safe in the water. When children are having fun in the water, their swimming naturally improves at a rapid rate.

We encourage parents to watch our SwimFin fitting video to learn how to safely, securely and quickly fit your SwimFin. Then pop the SwimFin on your little shark in the house and let them run around as a land shark or a dancing dolphin! Better still, why not test the water in the bath or shower at home? This is all part of making SwimFin the first choice for your child. They feel comfortable and secure when they are wearing their SwimFin which solves the challenge of water wobbles before they even pop up! Schedule in plenty of land and bath practice before taking the plunge in your local pool or seaside venue and you will find that your child is ready for a fintastic time when the open water calls.

Let us know how you get on with your indoor SwimFin sessions and what difference it makes to your pool time! We think your little shark will get on swimmingly!

November 25, 2019 by Michelle Mccann

Finding The Right Swim School

So, you’ve decided to go for swimming lessons, that’s great! But how do you choose which lessons are right for you? There’s a few things that should be considered when choosing where your family should go for swimming lessons.

Firstly you need to check the age range they work with. If you’re only looking for lessons for your baby that’s great, but if you want somewhere your children will attend for a while as they grow, then check what lessons they offer as children get older.

Will you need to be in the pool with them or is it one on one. Most baby classes will need you to be in the water too, so this is something to think about. As children get older often it will just be them in the pool with the instructors, but think about the class sizes and how many instructors will be in a class with them. Make sure that you are comfortable with the ratios.

Consider timings when choosing lessons. If your family is not up with the lark then lessons first thing on a Saturday morning are unlikely to be for you. In the same way that after school lessons won’t be a winner if you know your child gets super tired and ready for bed by 4.30pm. Going to lessons should be exciting and enjoyable and not a chore, so make sure you choose the right time to fit in with your family.

Another thing to think about is location. You can get there in half an hour with no traffic, but if your class starts just after school finishes and the traffic will be heavy or you need to get two busses to get there then it might not be the right place for you.

If you have already signed up to a swim school we would love to hear your tips to pass onto our fans considering signing up this term!

September 30, 2019 by Michelle Mccann

SwimFin vs Armbands

We all remember having armbands as a child, RIGHT?

Whether you need a swimming aid for swimming lessons or on holiday there’s now so more choice in terms of floatation aids. So which would be best? An old classic or a newer style. Of course we know that SwimFin rocks but here is why we think so in our latest blog!

Ease of Fitting

Armbands were and still are notoriously difficult to put on. Whether it’s the time you have to spend blowing them up (and then deflating them after), or the struggle to wedge your child’s arm back through once they are blown up, they’re never straightforward and will always take at least a few minutes to put on. This is never ideal, taking time up in swimming lessons, or worse, delaying getting into the holiday pool, We’ve yet to find a child (or grown up for that matter!) who is always patient when getting armbands on.

With the SwimFin it saves time and patience! The simple straps fit easily around the child’s torso and are fully adjustable so they fit comfortably, none of that pressure from armbands which now remind the oldies amongst us of having their blood pressure taken!

Learning to Swim

It’s difficult to be able to learn the proper swimming strokes and techniques, even doggy paddle, when your arms have a restriction, not allowing children to move their arms correctly to help swim.

By wearing the SwimFin on their back, children feel supported, but it importantly also allows them to have full movement in their arms and to be able to learn to swim properly.

It Looks Cool!

Ok, so slightly blowing our own trumpet here but you cannot deny that children will find it really cool to be wearing a shark fin in the pool! Children of all ages will love the simplicity of the SwimFin, it’s shark fin design and vibrant colours will mean that children will still want to have fun wearing it for as long as they can!

September 19, 2019 by Karin Joyce

First Steps with your SwimFin

Many of our SwimFin fans, upon receiving their SwimFin delivery, wonder how to go about taking their first steps with their SwimFin. In order to make the transition smooth from the beginning, we have some recommendations that will help you and your little shark to be comfortable and confident from the start. We also encourage you to watch our First Steps video featuring SwimFin Head Shark, Kevin Moseley:

Unpackaging and Fitting your SwimFin:

First of all, remove all packaging. You will find, in the packaging, your SwimFin and two straps. Feed the straps through the SwimFin to prepare yourself for fitting the SwimFin on your child. When the SwimFin is positioned on your child and secure with the hook and loop straps, the SwimFin logo should read correctly (not upside down) and the SwimFin should be sitting on the back as on the back of a shark. We have seen several customers putting the SwimFin on backwards which will not affect the efficiency of the SwimFin but is simply not how it’s worn. Have a look at our SwimFin fitting video to see how quickly your child can be up and splashing. We do recommend that if your child has sensitive skin, wearing a UV swimming top will help to eliminate any skin irritation that might occur from wearing the SwimFin.

When the SwimFin is fit on your child, the straps should be fairly tight which will prevent unnecessary movement of the SwimFin on your child’s back. SwimFin should only be worn on the back, NEVER on the front.

Getting in the water:

Once your child has their SwimFin on, the best way to proceed whether in the pool or in open water, is to get yourself in first and hold your child close to you to get used to the temperature of the water. If your child is reluctant to enter the water, even with you holding them, sit them on the side of the pool and get yourself in the water. Allow them to kick and splash with their feet while getting used to the idea of getting in the water. When they are ready, either hold them close to your body and lower into the water with them or hold their hands and support them as they float in the water in front of you. The most important things to remember is to remain positive at all times, smile and be confident in yourself and go slow.

It’s not a race to get them swimming as quickly as possible. If you take your time and proceed when your child is ready they will acclimatise far faster and will be more secure and confident in the water. This progression may take several sessions! Never put your child in a position that makes them uncomfortable or fearful and refrain from being negative or cross with your child. If they have worries and are old enough to communicate them to you, listen to them and proceed at their pace. All children experience water wobbles from time to time. What you don’t want is for them to have a negative experience and to become unwilling to get in the water in the future.

Progression from those first swimming sessions:

Once your child is comfortable in the water with you, work to get them holding your hands and encourage them to kick their legs. They will be in a fully vertical position but by holding their hands and encouraging them to kick or pedal their legs you can move them about gently in the water. The SwimFin will fully support your child in the water but they will sit a bit lower in the water than you may have experienced with arm bands, flotation vest or swim rings. Your child’s chin should rest on the top of the water and they will comfortably bob in the water.

If they are confident enough, let go of their hands! Always remain within touching distance of your child at this stage. If they are unsure, try holding just one hand. One of the benefits of SwimFin is the full-range motion of your little shark’s arms and legs. Once they are happy to be in the water without direct support from you they will be able to move their arms and legs freely in the water. Encourage your child to paddle their arms and legs and move around in the water. They can also practice leaning forward slightly to move forward more efficiently. Again, they will be fully supported when they are vertical in the water. It is only when your child becomes horizontal on the top of the water and their SwimFin is fully out of the water that they are no longer being directly supported by their SwimFin and are instead, swimming on their own!

Another challenge to try is to have your child lean onto their back while being supported by you. The SwimFin will fully support your child while on their back and acts as a sort of rudder in the water. Encourage your child to spread their arms and legs in a starfish shape to maintain balance on the surface of the water. This is a great exercise to perfect before working on back stroke. Of course, SwimFin is suitable for all 4 swimming strokes including backstroke!

Safety First, Last and ALWAYS:

SwimFin allows young, learner swimmers to feel safe and secure in the water. However, no swimming aid should be relied upon to keep your child safe without your immediate and direct supervision. It only takes seconds for a drowning to occur, especially with young children. Until your child is fully confident in the water a parent needs to be within arms reach at all times. Never allow the SwimFin to be your life guard. If you cannot be in the water with your child, your child should not be in the water at these early stages. If your child is confident and you have been in the water with your child and know they are capable of paddling, moving and righting themselves then you may not need to be directly with them in the water at all times. However, you must maintain your supervision of your child in the water and never allow them out of your sight.

Periodically check your SwimFin on your child throughout their swimming session. Straps can sometimes slip so it is good to check their tightness periodically. Also, do not allow your child to stay in the water too long and get tired. Accidents are far more likely to happen at this stage. When your swimming session is done, get in the habit of caring for your SwimFin by rinsing the SwimFin and straps in cool tap water and remove the straps to dry flat. If the straps are continually left on the SwimFin after swimming sessions and are not rinsed and allowed to dry properly, the strength of the hook and loop strap can diminish. If cared for properly, your SwimFin and its straps will last for years. If you do need different or larger straps as your child grows, you can always order additional straps from our SwimFin Shop.

Now get out there, strap on a SwimFin and start splashing about. We know you’re going to love the benefits of SwimFin!

March 20, 2018 by Karin Joyce

Planning a Great and Safe Family Holiday

Sun, swimming pools and going to the beach: planning a great and safe family holiday.

A few rays of sunshine have started breaking through the awful winter weather and the adverts have started on TV, so it must be time to start thinking about the summer holiday!

We all have high hopes for our summer holidays whether they are to be spent in the UK or abroad, but every year we read and watch accounts of ‘holidays gone bad’, when something seemingly easy to avoid ruins families’ holidays, sometimes with more serious consequences.

Sadly 50 British citizens drowned on holiday during 2016, with many more having experiences which ruined their holiday or even left them with lifechanging injuries. One of the reasons for this is that, pools and beaches at holiday resorts are often not managed in the same way as your local facilities, including lifeguard services not being provided or lifeguards not being trained to UK standards.

So how can we make sure that we have a dream family holiday and still enjoy all the fun of the pool and beach?

The best advice is to start afresh when you arrive at your holiday venue, making no assumptions about what safety provision may be in place. Take a look around for whatever guidance is provided and set some simple family rules (for children and adults), to make sure that whenever your family is around water everyone knows what to do.

Top 3 Tips

Be your family’s lifeguard

Before you even leave home, try and choose a holiday company that provides lifeguard facilities at their venues. Whether there are lifeguards at your resort or not, you can keep a closer eye on your family than anyone else. Make sure no-one in your family swims alone, and watch everybody like their lives depend on it (because they do).

Keep children safe

As well as keeping children under constant supervision, make sure that they wear their swimming/safety aid all the time, when they are around the water. To stop them wriggling out of it at every opportunity, choose an aid which doesn’t restrict their movement and that they are happy/comfortable wearing in the water and on land (such as a SwimFin).

Swim now, drink later

Don’t mix alcohol and swimming. Alcohol is a factor in 20% of drownings in the UK.

Holiday Pool Safety

This may sound a bit obvious (and dull), but it’s a good idea to follow the pool rules and opening times, and here’s two reasons why:

Firstly, holiday pools often have very shallow areas making jumping and diving in a quick way to end up in the local hospital.

Secondly, whilst an empty moonlit pool may also look perfect for a midnight swim, some holiday pools are chemically treated overnight when they are closed, meaning your new suntan could be peeling off sooner than you thought or even worse.

If you’ve splashed out on a private holiday apartment with a pool or hot tub (lucky you), make sure that pool fences and gates keeping children out are closed after every use, or that apartment doors are kept closed if there is no fence in place (it only takes one mistake to result in a child drowning).

Beach Safety

Playing and swimming in the sea is an essential holiday experience, but even the most tranquil of beaches can catch you out. There are too many things that you may find at different beaches around the world list here, so here’s a few tips on how to keep your family safe:

Swim in a lifeguarded area (often marked with red and yellow flags) and remember to continue being your family’s lifeguard at all times
Look for signs at the entrance to the beach warning of local hazards such as rip currents and information about the tides
Don’t use inflatables if the wind is blowing out to sea

Follow these simple tips and you’re sure to have a fantastic and fun holiday, with lots of fun in the water.

Thank you to Michael Dunn, head of the Royal Life Saving Society UK- RLSS UK, for sharing this valuable article with us. SwimFin is proud to partner with RLSS UK for the second year in a row.

August 10, 2017 by Karin Joyce

SwimFin is a must-have for the Beach

SwimFin is wonderful in the pool but is also a must-have for the beach! Why is SwimFin so perfect for the beach? Here are just a few reasons why:

SwimFin is easy to pack and even easier to put on as soon as you arrive at the beach!
Unlike arm bands or vests/floats, SwimFin doesn’t impede movement as it is securely attached to the back. Children’s arms and legs are free to move, run, jump, splash and twirl without restriction.
SwimFin keeps your child safe in and out of the water and allows for some brilliant beach role play. Land Shark anyone?
SwimFin will allow your child to be safe around rock pools and along the shore in the event that they fall in or the water/tide comes in quickly. We always need to remain vigilant around the water and be aware of tides and dangers but your child will be safe in the water if an emergency arises.
SwimFin comes in 9 brilliant and BRIGHT colours which keeps your child easily visible on busy beaches and in the water.

We’re so pleased to share with you a blog post from Haven, Britain’s favourite caravan holiday parks, that features SwimFin as one of the Top 5 Beach Gadgets You Need to Own. We definitely agree that if you’re heading to the beach in the U.K. or internationally, you need to pick up a SwimFin for your Little Sharks. Pop on over to our SwimFin shop to order your favourite colour today!

We’re off to the beach now! In our bags: sunscreen, bucket & spade, picnic blanket & wind break and, of course, a SwimFin! Stay safe SwimFin fans.