Swimming: Managing the logistics

[Noomie]

Hiya,

Am wanting to take my DD and one mindee swimming. Everything appears to be OK, safe venue, risk assessment, etc.

Just wanting some advice - how do you manage changing? Easy to change children but then I need to get changed too. What would you do?

[Monkey26]

Get the kiddies warmed up and dressed first, sit them down with a little snack and juice, turn around and get changed myself - simples :) Even better if you can get one of those nice big family change rooms hehe! Have fun xx

[Noomie]

Seems so simple and the natural thing to do, of course. (Love the Meerkats btw!)

So OK to get changed in same change room? Did you talk to the parents about logistics to make them aware of what would need to happen?

[Monkey26]

That depends on the age of the children...

I think parents know and understand the logistics of taking children swimming so showering/changing is sort of an unwritten understanding?? To be on the safe side maybe you could put in your permission slip something along the lines of ... "i also understand that my childminder will be assisting my child during showering/changing and should the centre be busy there may be occassions where we have to share a changing cubicle"

Our centre is set up quite nicely, communal change with individual cubicles along one wall, so if the childs age and maturity is at a level i deem appropiate i will let them change in their own cubicle - they are always within hearing distance, i stay in the communal bit so can see if they exit and on these occassions i get changed quicker than you would ever believe!!!

xx

[The Juggler]

there is usually a play pen for v. little ones - I used to put dd in one.

[miffy]

I'd do a reccy at the pool first just to see what's available. I'd let the parents know what the arrangements are for changing etc too.

Miffy xx

[ruby]

the only thing i would say is to check the adult to child ratio at the pool you are going to

as in this area most pools have a one to one under 4 and one adult to two children four to eight

so if you had one under four and one over you would need another adult



Cathy

[Chatterbox Childcare]

I get changed in front of all of mine little ones. I take a snack for afterwards and they sit and wait for me once they are changed and sometimes I put my costume on before I go under my clothes but don't forget your underwear!