There have been arguments as to whether goggles are useful for those learning to swim. With proponents for both sides, parents may wonder: should my child learn to swim without goggles? Here’s the rationale behind each.
Learning With Goggles
One of the main reasons for swimming with goggles is for protection. A lot of pools are sanitized with chlorine or salt, both of which can dry and irritate your eyes. This is why eyes may become red, blurry, and itchy after swimming without the right gear. In addition of this, goggles may also protect you from other unwanted elements which may have fallen into the pool, such a dirt particles or bodily fluids.
Aside from protection, properly sized goggles can help your child focus in class. Rather than getting distracted by eye discomfort, or the constant need to wipe off their eyes, they can focus on locking down the right technique. This gives them the ability to progress faster, learning essential skills at a faster rate.
Learning Without Goggles
The main reason behind learning to swim without goggles is preparation for unexpected situations. If a child knew how to swim with goggles, but fell into water without the proper swimming gear, struggling to swim would be a possibility. Learning to swim without goggles allows children to become comfortable with opening their eyes underwater, helping to ensure that they do not panic in such circumstances. While it may be uncomfortable for them, it properly equips for possible life-saving skills.
The Noodies Swim school believes in the importance of being prepared for any situation. We encourage our students to swim with goggles, so as to protect their eyes and to help them learn. We also, however, strongly believe in preparing our students for unexpected situations, such as accidentally falling into the pool. Therefore, we also have classes without goggles to familiarize and equip them to open their eyes underwater.
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