Why do people make so much fuss over kids swimwear? It’s simple… Swimming lessons are one of the first things we arrange for our children – and with good reason. Swimming is not only a great sport, it’s also an essential life-saving skill. After all, swimming can prevent your kid from drowning.
Children need swimsuits to swim in, no matter what the weather, and where you are in the world. And when you shop, you’ll find swimming clothing available in various iterations. Here’s a selection of swimming facts:
Be careful of cheap and cheerful swimming clothing and beachwear for children that you’ll find that is discounted… there’s a reason that you need to buy top quality swimming gear that fit well and will last the kids or a baby, whether they’re going to be swimming in a pool or in the sea, playing on the beach or on your garden lawn whilst running through a sprinkler, or swimming in an indoor pool whilst on holiday.
We all know that when they’re in the pool or the sea, your children are even more susceptible to the sun’s rays, which reflect off the water. The idea is to protect your child’s body from the sun as much as possible. Concentrate on areas of the body that are most sensitive, like shoulders, arms and backs.
There’s a wide variety of swimming gear on offer for little ones (baby too), including something that offers sun protection. We’re talking about swimming clothing for boys and girls swim shorts that you can pair with a swim swimsuit. Look out for UPF50 stickers or labels to show these provide some protection.
Check out maake's swimming costume bases - Active Eco Lycra and Recycled Eco Lycra along with the Heavy Lycra 210 all have UPF50 certification (see details in Special Swim Fabrics below).
And remember: it’s not only the style of the swimming costume that will protect your kid or baby from the sun. Many a swimming costume brand offers pieces they make from specially treated fabric. The fabric used for boys and girls swim shirts, for example, also offers sun protection. This is equally important if you have a baby and are looking for suitable swimming gear.
After all, having fun in the water is what kids love best. As parents, we need to make sure the clothing they are wearing has the plush bonus of protecting them from harsh elements whilst swimming, keeping them cool in the heat, or warm on a Northern Hemisphere holiday.
As we mentioned above, swimming costume fabric has to tick a number of boxes. It needs to be:
- Comfortable
- Hard wearing
- Flexible so that the body can move whilst wearing it
- Lightweight
- Able to wick away moisture
- Resist fading
- Can withstand sun exposure, chlorine and salt water
- Stops water drag (see above).
Lycra is a favorite choice for kids swimwear, so read our excellent guide on What is Lycra? right here.
If you intend making your own swim outfits for your children or for your small business, make sure to read our guide on How to sew stretchy fabric.
Your kids are going to be running around or swimming constantly in their swimsuits, so when you shop, make sure their selected swimming products fit their bodies well. No sagging or loose fabric, as this will make them feel uncomfortable – and this includes boys and girls swim shirts and swim shorts too.
There are specific size charts for kids, which will make it easier for you to choose the right size for your child. (Take a look at our info on Sizing, below.)
Of course, the size does vary according to brands, so you need to measure your kid before you shop to make sure the garment will fit them snugly. If possible, choose a store or check online and then order from a store that has an exchange policy in case you choose the wrong size when you shop.
One question we want to answer emphatically now – should you choose a bigger size so that your kid can grow into the swimwear? We don’t recommend this.
But when you find a swimming costume that your kid is happy with, we suggest buying two when they are discounted – one in a larger size, for when the current one gets too small. You’ll thank us later!
With the above in mind, do make a point of taking your kid’s personality, likes and dislikes into account when you shop for colours, patterns and designs for swimming gear and accessories.
Once they reach an age where they have decided likes and dislikes, it’s a good idea to let them see what’s available on online stores to get an idea of what they prefer before you choose.
But don’t forget when you shop online: what we see on screen isn’t necessary what will arrive on pick up or delivery day. Computer screens show colour deceptively.
What are popular choices of swimming garments and accessories for kids available right now in every store? It really is kid-dependent: let your kid dictate what they would prefer to wear and then choose accordingly.
There’s a wide variety in every store to keep every kid happy, from feminine floral prints to more versatile stripes and tie-dye, colour-blocking, single shades, sea and beach themes, and everything in between.
As for styles, before you choose, check out what their friends are wearing. They may well want to have the same style or similar, so do this before you check out what’s available.
For all the information on colour and to give you some inspiration, check out our informative blog An Introduction to Colour Theory and the Color Wheel.
When you take your kid to swimming lessons, or on a pool play date, or on holiday to the sea, you don’t just take their swimsuits. And this happens whether they’re having indoor lessons around the Festive Season, or in an outdoor pool in the summer months. That bag is full of all sorts of other accessories and outerwear, too. Let’s take a look at necessary accessories to take with you in a bag or basket to the beach or the indoor pool. Remember: these make great gifts, in fact they make super gifts at any time of the year, too!
Ask yourself the following questions before you purchase at discounted swimwear as presents or necessities for kids at any time of the year:
Is the swimsuit easy for your kid to swim in? Make sure that the bathing suit is easy to move in. It needs to be a quality fabric, and if it’s a one-piece, the mid-section needs to have mobility.
Pool chlorine can wear out your child’s swimsuit – another reason to look for quality fabric that is resistant to chemicals and is long-lasting. Choose a nylon or Poly/spandex fabric with a polyester lining for swimming products and swim trunks that resist both chlorine and saltwater.
Wet swimsuits are likely to be heavy and uncomfortable, especially when it’s cold outside on holiday. Kids love to spend hours in the water, so the fabric used to make the swimming costume should dry fast. Don’t forget: after use, rinse the swimsuit, dry and store away till next time.
Water reflects the sun, so your child’s skin is extremely vulnerable whilst swimming. Swimsuits for children made of fabric with a UPF50 rating will block 98% of the sun’s harsh rays. To get the best sun protection, make sure you also apply sunscreen to your child’s skin. Remember: even when the sun isn’t shining, harsh UV rays are still likely to harm your child’s skin.
It’s great choosing swimsuits for kids that tick all the boxes, but make sure that when your kid gets out of the water, you need a protective cover-up and a pair of shoes.
For these important swimming accessories, comfort is most important and if the fabric has sun protection, that’s a big plus. Of course, as we mentioned earlier, a holiday in a ski resort requires a completely different type of cover-up – something warm and cosy, much like nightwear or a dressing gown and light footwear. Cover-ups and nightwear always make great gifts, too.
For summer, we make many swim cover-ups out of polyester and spandex. But whichever type of accessories you choose, do check the labels carefully to see how effective they will be.
For trends in kids swimwear and accessories like cover-ups, take a look at Australian brands: they are very conscious of protecting their kids’ skin from the sun and come up with innovative garments, footwear and accessories for them to wear that not only do the trick, but look great as well. This applies to nightwear for summer and winter, too.
Ill-fitting full girls swimsuits, nightwear and accessories will make swimming uncomfortable and unenjoyable for children. Remember this when you select swimwear at any time of the year or when there are discounts for a present or for necessity. So make sure kids swimming clothing and cover-ups fit well. First step is to measure your child:
Christmas gifting just got really easy! Check out these size guidelines for swimsuits, swim clothing and accessories that make perfect presents year-round. Note: Some brands offer size guidelines based on age, while others offer sizing from extra-small (XS) to extra-large. Rule of thumb if you’re buying Christmas gifts is to make sure the swimwear will still fit when summer comes.
(The list includes junior boys and girls, bathing suits for 12 year olds and other large products to fit kids as they grow up to be teens.)
Children often have very decided opinions about what type of swimsuit and accessories they want to wear, depending on their personality and the latest trends, as well as where they plan to go swimming – on a holiday in the Southern hemisphere, or at home when the weather is warm. But there are those kids who don’t care at all about swimsuits. Here we offer some popular choices for presents or nightwear for any time of the year:
Baby swimwear: This depends on whether the baby is still wearing nappies. For instance, if your baby girl is still wearing nappies instead of knickers, you would need to find swimming nappies available, which baby can wear on its own or under babies’ swimwear. When wet, these nappies do not swell. Manufacturers also design them with special elastic side guards and side flaps that are easy to remove. Baby boys can wear cute board shorts, and for baby girls, choose a pair of knickers or the bottoms of bikinis, even if you have to pay for the entire bikini. If your kid is going to be having swimming lessons when it’s cold outside, wetsuits are an ideal product for babies.
Toddler swimsuit boy and girl 3 to 5 years: It’s time to invest in swimming trunks for the boys and a one-piece swimming costume for the girls, especially if they’re learning to swim. These products are important if the child’s skin is fair and sensitive to the sun.
Kids aged 5 years and upwards:Swimwear for children comes in various styles, colours and patterns. Girls’ swimsuits are easier, as there are so many styles to choose from when you choose, including 1- and 2-piece costumes for girls, whilst boys have to stick to shorts, briefs or trunks. Also note: young teens will need costumes with a bra inside. And as we mentioned in a previous point: swimming shirts for children may be ideal if your kid’s skin is sun-sensitive. Also, if you need a warm cover-up for a winter holiday, double up and shop for nightwear.
According to Statistica:
Although swimwear for children are considered a saturated market, they can be very lucrative for small niche businesses. The secret to success? Make sure you do extensive research about fabric, design and what children want. And be sure you don’t make the garment too expensive and outprice yourself. Also, don’t be afraid to sell these as great presents for any occasion. Many kids go on holiday to warmer countries over the Festive Season and other holidays, and swimwear makes excellent presents at this time, as do cover-ups that can double as nightwear.
We have an exceptional 15,000+ exclusive designs and patterns to inspire you for kids swimming outfits as presents or necessities in our Design Library on our site. Check it out.
Independent designers have designed every single pattern. When you include one of these designs for printing and shipping in your cart, we pay the designer.
Alternatively, you can design your own fabric for gifting or business products. Follow the link below and see how easy it is to upload your own creation before printing and shipping the fabric or products.
Choose a fabric Design your own fabric
For more information One Piece UV Protection Swimsuit, please get in touch with us!