A clean pool is a safe pool, which is why chlorine is a necessary part of summer swim fun.  Without it, the pool your kids swim in would be a soup of slime and bacteria – ewww!  But chlorine has its downside. Chlorine can strip the natural oils from a child’s hair, making it dry and brittle. Plus, without those natural oils to protect the hair, the strong UV rays of summer can do even more damage. To make matters worse, children will often spend hours in the pool, only coming out for bathroom breaks and snacks. This means that their hair is literally being soaked in chlorine all day long. 

So, how does a mom or dad keep their kid’s hair healthy and protected without ruining their summer pool time fun? Here are a few simple tricks that can help.

A Quick Rinse Before (and After) Swimming Makes a Difference

It’s an obvious thing and so easy to do but asking your 5-year-old to stop and rinse their hair after the pool when their friends are all running off to play can be quite a challenge!  But if you can get them in the habit of doing it while they’re young, it’s something that will benefit them well into the future. 

Dry hair is surprisingly absorbent, so the purpose of presoaking your kid’s hair with fresh clean water before they go swimming allows the saturated hair to easily repel the chlorine and chemicals. And then rinsing hair with fresh water after swimming is just as important as a pre-swim rinse. Like the pre-rinse, it will help wash out the pool chemicals that are left behind on their hair after swimming. It will also help wash away any bacteria that may have been picked up while in the pool.   

Kids Swim Leave In Conditioner – Soooo Easy!

You can always tell the seasoned moms. They know all the simple tricks that make pool time easier for themselves and their kids. One secret weapon in every veteran pool mom’s arsenal is the summertime leave in conditioner. Not only does it protect the natural oils in the hair but actually conditions the hair while your child is out in the hot sun all day.  Look for products that use natural plant-based oils like coconut and aloe. These not only help nourish and detangle hair but also smell great. Our Sun & Swim™ Coco Cabana™ Spray is a 5-star reviewed product because it contains more than a dozen botanical ingredients that protect and condition.  There’s no parabens, sulfates or other harsh chemicals and it smells absolutely delicious!  We have both the full size 8oz spray and a convenient 3.3oz travel size to carry with you.

Fashion Update! - Kids Swim Caps

While not necessarily the most fashion forward, swim caps are one of the simplest ways to provide a barrier to chlorine and other pool chemicals getting into the hair. Generally, it’s easier when kids are very young (under the age of 7).  In addition to protecting the hair from chlorine damage, swim caps keep the hair out of your child’s face while swimming and can also make them more visible to lifeguards (and to boaters if swimming in a lake). If your child is sensitive to cold water, a swim cap can keep them warmer while swimming.  Depending on the design of the cap, some swim caps may help prevent swimmer’s ear.

Swim caps come in many different materials, latex, lycra, silicone and neoprene. They also come in many different shapes and sizes. You are going to have to experiment and let your child try on a variety to determine which he/she finds most comfortable and therefore, will be most likely to agree to wear. Some kid-friendly options are lycra and silicone as they tend to pull less and are easier to remove at the end of the day. For the very young ones, just finding cute kid friendly theme can take them from “no way!” to “oh yeah!”……..think panda bear, unicorn, sharks.

Kids Swim Shampoo & Conditioner

Finally, how you care for your children’s hair at home is just as important as what you do at the pool.  As soon as you get back home, you’ll want to shower/bath them using a clarifying shampoo made for eliminating the chemicals and impurities from the hair.  A high-quality natural kids swim shampoo will do this without stripping the hair or causing irritation.  Same thing for hair conditioning.  Look for extra moisturizing natural ingredients like natural oils, aloe, and jojoba to restore moisture, hydrate, and add shine for tangle free soft and silky hair hours after swimming.  Finish with a leave-in conditioning spray for extra moisturizing and protection when they go back outside. 

For over 20 years, Fairy Tales Hair Care has been trusted by moms to provide safe and natural hair care for children.  If you’ve never tried our products before, check out this cool little Sun & Swim™ Travel Kit that has all three of our products and sells for under $15.  As with all of our products, we guarantee your satisfaction.  Have a great summer!