Often when new parents enroll their children in swimming lessons they buy them some new goggles in preparation before the classes begin. Only to have me tell them that we will not be using goggles during our swimming lessons AND goggles should NOT be worn by the child when in the pool outside of swim class!
So why is this?
The logic behind this is simple, and once I explain it, parents always respond with:
"Oh yeah, that makes total sense!"
Simply put, it is because if a child falls in the pool, during an emergency or an accident, they are not going to be conveniently wearing goggles! So they should learn to swim without goggles to be better prepared in the event that this were to happen. After all, the main reason for swimming lessons is to prevent drowning.
If a child learns to swim with goggles. They have a higher probability of drowning than a child that learns to swim without goggles.
See, the problem with teaching kids to swim with goggles is that when they learn with the goggles they don't know what to do when they don't have them on. I know, it seems silly. Logically, we know that swimming is the same whether you have goggles on or not. But kids are not exactly logical creatures, are they?
I have seen it firsthand more times than I can count. I get to a new lesson and Mommy or Daddy is prepping the kid to get in the pool. Swim diaper? Check. Bathing suit? Check. Then they go to put goggles on their child and I have to stop them short. They then inform me that the child has had lessons before and they learned wearing goggles.
Now, I know I have my work cut out for me.
I proceed to explain why I don't let kids wear goggles during swimming lessons.
"Oh, that makes total sense!"
We begin the class, only to find that the kid (who knows how to swim well enough if they have goggles) throws an absolute fit if they go underwater or get water on their eyes in any way. And sadly, the last thing that they do is put their face in to swim to safety. In order for a child to swim, they need to be in the proper swimming position which is horizontal, with their face in the water.
After being so used to not having water in their eyes, when they suddenly do, their main concern is to do anything possible to keep their face out of the water, which can spell disaster for new swimmers. You see, as a new swimmer it is very difficult to swim while keeping your head out of the water, and this is even more true for young children! So the child attempting to keep their head out of the water usually results in what we lifeguards called the "active drowning" position - a situation where the child panics, flails around, and attempts to keep their head out of the water by uselessly splashing and thrashing in a standing position.
They attempt to stand up because they are trying to end the experience of having water on their eyes. Then when their feet don't meet with the floor because they can't reach- they panic and assume the active drowning position rather than simply dealing with the temporary discomfort of putting their face in the water to make it to the side of the pool.
When is it OK for Children to Swim With Goggles?
Now that you understand why I am such an advocate for learning to swim without goggles, we will jump into the do's and don'ts of goggle wearing and when it is and isn't appropriate. Keep in mind that these are general rules of thumb and all children are different.
I always, always teach what I call the "essential swimming" skills without goggles. The essential swimming skills include, but are not limited to, being able to turn around and swim back to the wall after jumping or being dropped in and being able to get a breath, either by lifting their head or by rolling over. The essential swimming skills include everything they need to master before they are ready to start learning how to swim the strokes.
Once they start learning to swim the strokes, I still do not introduce them to the goggles! I have made the mistake in the past of introducing them too soon, especially with the younger children. At some point, they break or can't find them and the child absolutely refuses to swim or have their face in. Keep in mind, this is with a child that is advanced enough to start learning the strokes!
This is why I make it a point to have them continue to learn the basics of all the strokes and not until they are proficient and able to start swimming laps do I allow them to wear goggles - at which point they need them to be able to swim straight and do things such as turns.
So Why Do Some Instructors and Swim Schools Teach the Kids With Goggles?
In a lot of the photos of swimming lessons online, all the children are wearing goggles. Unfortunately some instructors and swim schools actually advise or even require parents to buy goggles for the kids before they start the lessons. Why would they do this?
For one of two reasons. The first one being that maybe they just don't know any better, or realize the danger of it; if that is the case please educate your swim instructors and have them read this article.
The second and more likely reason is that it is WAY easier to teach a child to swim with goggles on. Yes, they prefer to take the easy way out than to teach them properly and let the kids get comfortable in the water without goggles first. Teaching children to swim with goggles involves less tears, and makes for smoother first time going under the water experiences. So this makes the instructors look like they are doing a great job.
When in reality, they react horribly without the goggles (remember this is how they would fall in the pool) and it results in the child actively drowning rather than swimming. This doesn't even have to occur when the child falls in the pool, they could forget to put the goggles on their eyes and jump in with them on their forehead, then they panic and don't remember that they learned how to turn and swim back to the wall.
But What if the Chlorine is Bothering Their Eyes?
To this, I ask: What is more important? Eyes being temporarily bothered, or ensuring your child learns to swim properly and be safe in and around water? I think we all know the answer here! The chlorine does not do any lasting damage, it is temporary discomfort only.
If you have a private pool. I recommend telling your pool company to put as little chlorine as possible, since not many people will be using the pool, the chlorine content does not need to be as high as it would be in a public pool. If it is only strong on the day that the pool company comes, then just don't swim on those days or do less swim time.
If you are doing private swimming lessons in your pool, try to coordinate the days the pool company comes and the swim instructor comes to be on separate days, as kids will use the chlorine as an excuse to not do swim class or to be allowed to wear the goggles. It's best to just not introduce them to goggles until they are advanced enough to need them. That way, they won't even know to ask for them.
The chlorine bothering their eyes really does not matter- when the kids are playing and having fun in the pool they don't even care about their eyes bothering them. Which is how you know they are only complaining as an excuse!
The only time I have let kids use the goggles due to chlorine, before they were ready to was when I tested the water myself and I could feel the stinging right away. The pool guy had just left as I was pulling into the house, so the chlorine was actually really strong. We did half the class without the goggles then the other half with them, and then never wore them again. I keep a handy pair of kids goggles in my swim bag for situations such as this, or more commonly, for when the advanced kids forget, break or lose theirs.
What if My Younger Child Sees the Older One Wearing Them and Wants to Wear Them Too?
This does happen, and you still must not let them wear goggles until they are at a high enough level. What I tell parents to do, is to just tell the younger child that they do not make goggles small enough for them. You can also not let the older one wear them when the little one is around. It's up to you how you handle that in your house, but whatever you do, don't let them wear goggles before they are advanced, experienced and comfortable enough in the water without them.
Skipping the goggles in swimming lessons for young kids boils down to one core principle: safety always comes first. While it might seem counterintuitive, the idea is to prepare children to swim confidently and securely without relying on goggles as a crutch. Goggles, if introduced too early, can unintentionally hinder a child's ability to swim effectively, especially when unexpected situations arise.
The key takeaway is that to tailor the approach to each child's readiness and proficiency in the essential swimming skills. Rather than prioritizing temporary discomfort like chlorine irritation, the focus remains firmly on building a strong, confident swimmer. So, let your child develop a solid foundation in the water without goggles until they're advanced, experienced, and truly comfortable swimming without them.
The ultimate aim is to empower them with the skills and confidence needed to enjoy the water safely.
Written by Cat V.
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