FAQs

Your baby can start swimming with Swim Cubs from 2 months in our Bray hydrotherapy pool and 3 months in all our other pools. If your baby is small, we recommend buying a baby wetsuit to keep them extra snug. You can buy one from our online shop and we'll have it ready for collection at your first class.

Covid-19 Preventative Measures

We can’t wait to welcome you and your bear cubs back to our Swim Cubs classes. The safety of you, your children and our team is our number one priority.  Here are some of the key points of our Happy Cubs Covid-19 preventative measures.

Cleaning and disinfection measures

• All Happy Cubs meeter greeters will wear face masks at the front desk.
• Hand sanitisers will be provided in each area. Handwashing facilities will be available.
• All areas/touch points of the facility will be cleaned regularly by our team.
• All teaching equipment used during class will be disinfected before and after each class.
• Pool changing rooms will be cleaned and disinfected regularly.
• Leave your buggy at home. Buggies aren’t allowed into any venues to increase floor hygiene.
• Bins will be provided in each area. Please dispose of any tissues, nappies or other rubbish items in the bins provided. Please do not leave anything behind in the facility as lost & found items must be disposed of immediately.
• Lost property cannot be held by the Swim Cubs team. Anything left behind at a venue must be immediately disposed of by our team.

Personal hygiene measures

• Our team and members will wash or sanitize their hands upon arrival and when leaving classes.
• Please cover any coughs and sneezes with the inside of your elbow or into a tissue. Used tissues must be thrown in the bin immediately and hands washed thoroughly.
• No food or eating is allowed at classes or into the venue.
• Please feed your baby milk after you leave the venue.
• Customers should shower before and after class at home, and not at the pool.
• Refilling your water bottle at venue water dispensers, if any, should be avoided.
• All changing areas, sink taps and door handles will be cleaned by our meeter greeter in between each class, however, antibacterial wipes will be provided in changing rooms for members to wipe down your own changing area, if needed.

Social distancing measures

• Members should arrive 10 mins before their class. We can’t guarantee changing room availability if you arrive late for your class.
• Members queue outside the pool/venue entrance using 2m markers on the ground. Your meeter greeter will guide everyone into the venue one at a time.
• We will use a one way system throughout the venue and during class to avoid group clusters.
• Social distancing of 2m per person will be closely monitored, with specific criteria for each area.
• Only one parent/carer per child allowed in class.
• No spectators will be allowed to reduce the number of people in the venue.
• Limited time will be taken in changing areas.
• Bring no more than one bag with them for changing.
• Wear swimwear under your clothes to the pool, where possible.
• Swim Cubs teachers will deliver lessons from the pool deck.
• Our make-up class option will be paused to ensure class numbers remain consistent.

Important

For the protection of our team and members:

• Do not come to your class if you’re feeling unwell or have any symptoms of Covid-19 (see below).
• Do not come to class if you have travelled abroad within the past 14 days.
• Do not come to class if you have been in contact with someone who has tested positive for Covid-19 within the last 14 days.
• By arriving at your class you are declaring that you and your child are symptom free, and you haven’t travelled abroad or been in contact with anyone with Covid-19 within the past 14 days.
• In the event that you develop symptoms during class, you will go home immediately to follow Government guidelines.

Covid-19 Symptom Checker

Covid-19 symptoms may include:

• Fever
• Dry cough
• Tiredness
• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
• Aches and pains
• Sore throat
• Loss of taste and smell

Siblings

For parents/carers with siblings in back-to-back Swim Cubs classes, follow the below changing guidelines:

• The same parent can stay in the pool for both classes.
• The other parent/sibling must wait 10 mins before the next class before they can enter the venue to get changed.
• Both parents can do a changeover on the poolside in between classes.
• If both parents are doing a different class with each sibling, you will follow the general changing room advice with no changeover on the poolside.

Swimwear

• You can buy swimwear on our online website shop at happycubs.ie before your class. Cash will not be accepted for any Happy Cubs purchase at pools to avoid person to person contact.
• You can collect your new swimwear order from your meeter greeter at the front desk on arrival at the pool. Your meeter greeter will explain how you can do this safely at the time.
• For your safety, spare nappies cannot be handed out or lent to a member to wear. Please always double check you have packed your swimwear in your bag before you leave your home. In the event that you have forgotten your swimwear, you will be unable to join your class.

Designated Compliance Officer

Happy Cubs designated Covid-19 Compliance Officer is Jane Walker (owner and operations manager). Please don’t hesitate to  contact Jane at jane@happycubs.ie if you have any questions in relation to our Covid-19 Preventative Measures.   Your safety is our priority.

Our guidance is taken from the Irish Government, Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC), World Health Organisation (WHO), The Health Service Executive (HSE), Swim Ireland (SI) and the Swimming Teachers Association (STA).

To abide by social distancing guidelines, we've updated our make-up class policy temporarily and regret we cannot offer you another class during the term in the event that you miss your class.

Pre-Covid19:  

You can do up to two make up classes per term in another pool location/day. Just log into your account and you can choose from the available dates.

Check out our stage information page here. Or drop us an email with your bear cub's age and ability and we'll recommend the best stage.

Yes, drop us an email hello@happycubs.ie and we'll pop you on our waiting list.

Yes, one grown up must be in the water with every bear cub.

Only one parent/adult per child can attend the class with your bear cub.  This is to reduce the number of people at the class venue for social distancing as part of our Covid19 Prevention Policy.

To reduce the number of people in our venues for social distancing, spectators are not allowed to watch classes. Only one parent/carer per child will be allowed into your class venue.

Pre-Covid19:  Yes, all of our pools have family viewing areas to the side of the pool. It can get pretty warm poolside so make sure they don’t wear their winter woollies.

Yes, you don't need to be able to swim to attend our classes. All of our classes are taught in the shallow end of the pool so you can keep your two feet on the ground. Let your teacher know if you’re not a swimmer and she'll make sure you feel comfortable at all times.

Please do not bring your baby or toddler swimming if they have any of the following illnesses:

• ear infection
• vomiting
• diarrhea
• chickenpox
• impetigo
• conjunctivitis
• a bad cold

Always ask your doctor if it’s ok to return to swimming classes after an illness.

If your child has been vomiting and/or had diarrhoea, your child must be clear of all symptoms for at least 48 hours before attending a lesson.

HSE guidelines state that "Yes. It is perfectly safe for children to start swimming from birth before having their vaccinations. The diseases children are vaccinated against are not carried in water. You can take your child swimming at any time."

Arrive 10 minutes before your class to check in, get to know the facility, and get ready for class. Giving yourself plenty of time will help you both feel relaxed during your lesson.

We recommend adults wear their swimwear under their clothes to the pool for a quicker easier changing experience.

Please contact your healthcare provider for advice in relation to any healthcare or medical conditions to ensure it is safe for you or your bear cub to swim before you attending your Swim Cubs class and swimming.

Your healthcare is individual to you so it's best if you contact your doctor or healthcare provider if you are concerned about your healthcare at any time before, during or after your Swim Cubs term.

Ideally you should leave 30 minutes from a milk feed before taking your baby into the water. An hour for older babies or toddlers on solid food.

This will help keep little tummies happy during swimming. Of course, it is not always possible to plan when your baby or toddler is hungry so don’t worry. If your bear cub is hungry just before class, give them a little milk or light snack.

The most essential items for your little cub is their swim nappies.  We have a strict double nappy system to ensure double protection against any poop leaking into the pool.  The double nappy system consists of two nappies, a reusable or disposable swim nappy under a reusable neoprene nappy. You can buy swimwear from our online shop.

If your toddler is toilet trained (very confident) they can just wear their regular swimwear.

Bray is our smallest pool, so there are a max of 5 bear cubs in each class. Our Blackrock pool holds a max of 8 bear cubs per class, and our Loughlinstown pool holds a max of 10 bear cubs per class as this is our largest pool with lots of space.

You know your baby best, and sometimes they might need a little feed during class to make them happy. Feel free to hop out and feed your baby at the side of the pool or wherever you both feel comfortable.