Kids love summer! It's a season where they get to tumble in the grass and have fun with friends. But for parents, summer may not be so fun. You have to take your kids to summer camp, vacations, and other summer engagements. And when the heat gets too much, what's the next port of call? Take the kids to the beach or pool.

Juggling all these activities and events could take its toll on your kid's natural hair and your patience. Especially if your child has curly hair that has a complete mind of its own and can be a pain to maintain. But not to worry, that's what we're here for. At Fairy Tales Hair Care, we've provided a solution to help you enjoy summer just as much as — if not more than — your kids do. Call us your slightly younger Fairy Tales Godmother if you will!

Oh, by the way, if this article was helpful you'll want to check out our most popular summer hair care article here:

Mom's Buyers Guide for Kids Swim Shampoo

Chlorine Vs. Saltwater. Yes, There’s a Difference

How can you protect your toddler's hair from swimming dangers? By testing the waters. Whether it's a chlorinated pool or the ocean laden with salt, you should know how it can affect your kid's natural hair and what you can do about it. We went ahead to test the waters for you, and the results are in.

Starting with chlorine. Chlorine can significantly damage your kid's curly hair. It has an oxidative effect on metals in pool water, creating a residue that latches onto hair proteins and strips the hair of its moisture and natural oils. While salty water isn't as harmful as chlorinated water, it isn't any good, either. The salt can dry up your toddler's hair, leaving it brittle and straw-like in a condition known as Swimmer's hair. 

How Can I Prevent the Inevitable Damage?

There are several ways to protect your kid's curly hair from swimming hair damage. But the trick is finding a method that works perfectly for your little bean. You can decide to go full ammo and tuck your child's curls in a silicone swim cap, but let's face it — it won't be easy to get your toddler to wear one or keep it on for more than 5 minutes. Also, these swim caps aren't aesthetically pleasing and can scrunch up your kid's curly hair, leading to a detangling disaster.

Every little girl wants to feel like a mermaid princess, having her curls flow down her back and trickle down her face while she swims. A swim cap would be a great hindrance to that magical moment. And the boys? They love to fling their wet ringlets every which way while playing in the pool. Wearing a swim cap is not an option for them either. So what should you do instead? Turn to protective styling and quality kids' swim products to protect your kid's curls.

We recommend fully saturating your toddler's tresses with a kid's leave-in product before your child takes that plunge in the pool. Be careful to only use kids' swim products that can coat, moisturize, and nourish your child's hair, like our Coco Cabana™ Leave-in Conditioning Spray. It is packed with natural ingredients like coconut oil and banana leaf extract that will deeply hydrate and protect your child's strands.

After generously applying the product, you can tuck your kid's curly hair in a protective style (twisting, braiding, etc.) or let those luscious locks fly. Whatever you decide to go with, don't forget to coat your child's curls with kids' swim products for ultimate protection.

Swim Time Is Over; What Do I Do With This Mane?

Now, your kids are out of the water, and you don't know the next step to take. Don't worry; your Fairy Tales Godmother has a trick or two up her sleeve. It's not enough to protect and care for your child's hair pre-swim. Post-swim care is just as essential (if not more than) pre-swim care. Why? After swimming, your kid's curly hair is now covered in harsh chemicals from the chlorinated pool or saltwater. If you don't detox your child's hair properly, these chemicals can damage the hair.

Here's how to care for your kid's curly hair post-swim:

• Once your child is out of the pool or ocean, wash the hair with a kids' swim shampoo to detox the hair. We recommend going in with our Sun & Swim™ Lifeguard™ Kids' Clarifying Shampoo. It chelates (removes) chlorine, sea salts, and minerals that can harm and dry out your kid's curly hair.
• Consider pairing the shampoo with our kids' swim conditioner, Curly-Q™ Kids Conditioner for Curly Hair. This richly fragrant kids' curly hair conditioner is formulated with natural ingredients like quinoa, murumuru, and avocado butter. It gently hydrates and defines curls while making the hair more manageable, reducing frizz, and adding shine and life to dull, dry hair.
• After rinsing off the conditioner, follow up with our Coco Cabana™ Leave-in Conditioning Spray to further moisturize and hydrate your toddler's locks.
• For the last bit, use our Curly-Q™ Kids Styling Spray Gel for Curly Hair to achieve a smooth, shiny look after styling.

Have fun, enjoy and stay safe!

Risa Barash,
Founder & Owner of the entire Fairy Tales Hair Care Family