Our colourful range of mermaid tails guarantee hours of fun and whilst they are a fancy dress item and look incredibly pretty and provide amazing photo opportunities, it is absolutely imperative that parents are aware of the increased risk they place on their child if they plan to use these in water.
Parents need to consider their child’s age and swimming ability before any use in water.
Swimming in a Mermaid Tail is appropriate for children aged 7 years or older with adult supervision.
Anyone wearing a mermaid tail, or anything that would restrict your arms or legs in any way, must be trained in tail safety.
Important safety tips:
1) ALWAYS SWIM WITH ADULT SUPERVISION. There should NEVER be a time in which a child is left unattended in or even near the water, whether wearing a mermaid tail or not. It is absolutely imperative that children are supervised the ENTIRE time they are near water.
2) MAKE SURE YOUR CHILD IS SWIM READY. A child needs to prove that they are a strong swimmer before wearing a mermaid tail in the water. Certain qualifications are essential, such as being able to float on your back easily, rolling over and floating on your stomach with your face in the water - then being able to roll over to your back again comfortably. This simple act is required for a child to be able to manoeuvre in a tail safely.
Your child also should be able to swim a lap or two around the pool without needing to touch the bottom; and be able to tread water for at least one minute.
3) COMMON SENSE MATTERS. If your child normally swims near the edge of the pool without a mermaid tail, they should stay near the edge with one. If a child normally swims in deeper water - and is supervised - then with mermaid tail practice and safety training, they should be able to swim in the deeper water with a tail.
However, never go where a child will not be supervised. And never go into open water where there is a current wearing a mermaid tail until that child has had years of training and has passed numerous safety courses.
4) KNOW HOW TO GET OUT OF YOUR TAIL IN WATER. It is extremely important that your child knows how to get out of their Mermaid Tail while swimming. This skill must be practiced over and over and mastered; first out of the water, then mastered in shallow water before ever going deeper.
Getting out of a mermaid tail is accomplished by wiggling your feet until at least one of them is out of the monofin, and pushing the tail down from the waist with your hands. Once one foot is free, you can use that foot and your hands to help release the other. Then simply swim out of your tail.
5) MOST IMPORTANTLY - DO NOT PANIC! In any water sport, it is essential that you do not panic. Teach your child (who is already a strong swimmer and has had Mermaid Tail Safety Training by now) what to do to prevent panicking in the water. Roll onto your back. Spread your arms wide, and take slow, deep breaths until the child is back in control and is able to safely manoeuvre themselves out of their tail and/or out of the water completely.
And for safety while out of the water, do not put your monofin on away from the pool, causing you to have to hop across the pool deck and possibly fall and injure yourself or others. Your monofin should be put on right before entering the water at the edge of the pool. And your entire Mermaid Tail should be removed in the water before leaving the pool.
WE WILL SAY IT AGAIN: Children should be ALWAYS be directly supervised by a responsible adult at ALL times while near water and especially while wearing either tails or fins.
NEVER leave your child unattended, even in a shallow paddling pool.
***Swimming in a Mermaid Tail is appropriate for children aged 7 years or older with adult supervision. Also for children at Swim and Survive Stage 6 (can swim 50 metres freestyle, float on front and back, scull on back and tread water) but must be in water ONLY with adult supervision.
These products should only be used in controlled environments - no moving water - and only with supervision. DO NOT even think about using in rivers, lakes etc. DO NOT PUT YOUR CHILD IN DANGER!
Lessons and Birthday parties are now available under direct supervision from a trained instructor in aquatic centres. These are great places for your child to safely swim, supervised, being trained, and having a blast!
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