📝 Step 1: The Basics
Child’s name
School and location
Class day, time and length
Water temperature (ask the school)
Indoor air temperature (ask the school)
How my child usually feels in the water
🎒 Step 2: Before We Leave Home
Pack two towels. One for the deck and one kept dry for the walk out.
Bring a hooded towel or robe. Easy to wrap around a damp child right away.
Pack warm, loose clothes. Layers that go on easily over damp skin, plus dry socks and a hat.
Check what swimwear the school allows. Ask about a rash guard or thermal swimwear for a child who gets cold.
Plan a warm car. Warm it up before we leave class if we can.
👀 Step 3: Signs My Child Is Getting Cold
Shivering or shaking hands. Even small shivers count.
Chattering teeth and goosebumps. Skin may look mottled or pale.
Pale or bluish lips. Tell the instructor right away.
Quiet, clingy or not wanting to join in. Young children often show cold as a change in mood.
Less coordination than usual. A cold child tires sooner and learns less.
🏊 Step 4: If My Child Is Cold in Class
Tell the instructor. Do not wait for the lesson to finish.
Get out and dry off. If the school allows it, dry the hair and head first.
Wrap up and add a warm layer. Dry towel or robe, hat and warm clothes.
Hold a baby or toddler close. Skin to skin or snug against me with a dry towel over us.
Rejoin only when warm and comfortable. Ask the instructor whether it makes sense.
🧺 Step 5: Warming Up After Class
Dry well, hair first. Then the rest of the body.
Change out of the wet swimsuit right away. Do not wait until we are home.
Put on warm, dry layers. Hat and socks too.
Offer a warm drink to an older child. Skip it for babies and young toddlers.
Keep watching on the way out. Hold hands through the door and the parking lot.
📈 Step 6: Weekly Comfort Log
Look for a pattern. If your child is chilled most weeks, show this log to the instructor and the school.
❓ Step 7: Questions to Ask the School
What are the water and indoor air temperatures? Ask how they are checked.
How long are classes for my child’s age? Ask whether shorter classes are offered for the youngest swimmers.
Can a cold child sit out and warm up? Ask where and who watches the child.
Is thermal swimwear allowed? Ask about rash guards and wetsuits.
Where can we dry off and change? Ask about towels, heated areas and changing rooms.
Answers I want to remember
Person I spoke to
✅ Step 8: Our Family Plan
What we pack every week
Who watches for signs of chill
Adults who need a copy
Changes after the first month
If my child cannot stop shivering, is very sleepy, confused or unusually clumsy, or I am worried, I get medical help. I call 911 or my local emergency number if I think it is an emergency. Warmth does not replace close, undistracted supervision, barriers around pools or a properly fitted U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket near open water. Lessons do not make a child drown-proof, at any age.
