For many parents, wintertime means keeping the kids out of the pool. Commercial pool management may have noticed a drop in both attendance and temperature lately. Offering up your indoor facility for weekly after school games may increase your number of swimmers this winter.
Give kids something to do
The winter can be difficult for many people, especially parents. Their children will likely want to play outside, which requires supervision. There are plenty of organizations that offer after school games for kids during the winter. This ensures that the children are able to expel their energy after a day at school, allowing parents to focus on dinner and other important tasks.
With this in mind, why not think about hosting a series of games at your indoor pool? You can take advantage of the many weeks of winter by first offering swimming classes to ensure that all participants are able to swim well enough. Several weeks in, your staff can begin to incorporate games that will be sure to engage the young swimmers. You can feature team or individual competitions depending on the size of your pool and the staff members available.
If you’re considering this idea, you’ll want to address the myth regarding colds in the winter with the community. Health Magazine reported that colds and the flu are brought on by viruses, not contracted by going out in the cold. ABC News cited an assistant professor of pediatrics at the Indiana University School of Medicine, Rachel Vreeman, M.D., regarding wet hair during the winter.
“Scientists have studied this really well,” stated Vreeman. “They’ve put cold viruses in the noses of two groups of people. One group was then exposed to cold/wet conditions, and people who were chilled were no more likely to get sick than those who weren’t.”
Swimming indoors during the winter is no more likely to cause colds than exercising outdoors. Pointing this out may lead parents to reassess whether they should keep their children at home. On the other hand, parents who already send their kids to after school programs may want to take up this creative new opportunity.
Winter doesn’t have to be a slow season for your indoor facility. With preparation and creativity, you can make your site a gathering place for fun activities after school.
