The boys had their first swim lessons this morning where we continued to refine how we handle two kids at the pool...
- Bring a bag for each adult/child pair.
- Keep everything in the bag - one of Little Grab's Tevas disappeared during our parent/toddler pool cry-fest. Looking for a missing shoe with a screaming and struggling toddler in your arms makes you wish things were different. I'm assuming that keeping our stuff in a bag would have prevented the situation.
- Bring a book or toy if you need to entertain one child while focusing on the other.
- Bring at least some food and/or drinks so you don't have to wait in line with a hungry and cranky child.
- Keep the kids and your clothes for after swimming in their own plastic bag (I like the Ziploc Easy Zipper Storage Bags, Gallon Size
). It protects them from getting wet, makes them easy to find, and provides a place to put the wet swim clothes once you've changed out of them.
For each child
- Large bag for carrying items
- Towel - if where you are swimming doesn't provide them
- Full set of swim clothes
- Swim (body) suit or swim shorts and swim top (the full body outfit will protect your child from the sun and at some pools make you look like a caring parent)
- Swim diaper and swim pants for children who are not potty trained
- Goggles, floaties, or anything else you use to assist with swimming
- Swim toy, with your name on it (our kids like floating animals and things they can use for pouring)
- Hat
- Plastic bag containing the following items
- Full set of clothes to change into - shirt, shorts, underwear or diaper
- A few diaper wipes, if using diapers
- Sanitizer or some method for washing hands - if you want to be prepared for eating food right after swimming
For you
- Swim suit
- Cover up or dress or extra shirt
- Hat
- Sunglasses
- Large plastic bag with shirt, shorts, bra, and underwear - I mention each item because I have been known to forget an essential one
