Our team does it and some kids love it. We have a season theme (like “decades”) Friday night spirit activities aligned with the theme (that often but not always involve making something you can wear like a tie die or funny hat) and each week a different dress up charge.

My kids have never been that into it and typically don’t participate which is totally fine - the team is usually only dressed up for the walk into the pool anyway. Other kids clearly enjoy it though and go all out. Best part is actually the coaches outfits, which are hysterical, and set the tone for summer swim silliness and joy. Love watching out head coach giving very serious pep talks while dressed u like a giraffe…

Swim team themes are great, imo. They allow everyone to get involved and take the focus off of racing in a good way (my kid gets nervous before a meet and themes help focus on fun).

As a former rep, keys to making it work
— announced at beginning of season and don’t change. That way parents can plan ahead and the calendar feels easy: need something for meets and that is it. No unexpected days. Where it feels crazy at my kids’ school is when we find out the week of and it can pop up whenever.
— has to be for A and B meets so team feels equal (if just themes for A meets, B meet kids think they are missing out on fun). Can be same theme or different, depending on your pool culture
— Coaches have to lead charge and dress up and be silly
— as mentioned earlier, have some “easy” themes. Pajama party, Backwards Day (walk in backwards, wear warm up clothes backwards), and other themes people likely can do easily. Team colors theme (green out or whatever) is a stand by that most people can do. You know the culture of your team and how elaborate you can get.
- if the team has money in the budget, have the swim team buy temporary tattoos and face paint each week so those who didn’t dress up can feel included. Kids also love decorating each other while waiting to swim.

Anonymous wrote:If you plan on doing this long term, or if your kids will do HS swim or go to HS football games...

Get a tub now. Buy stuff at the dollar tree (diff color beads, grass skirt, leis.) Pick up some of the face/body paint at wal mart.
Some $1 USA glasses or hair bands.

Save them and use year to year.

I don't re-buy every year. We re-use. Sometimes the kids re-freshen, but you will end up having "dress-up" for the rest of your kids school lives, even if not for swim team.

+1
Our swim team does this and it's fun as long as the themes are something you would have around. Tropical, white out, 4th of July, camo, etc.

Our team does this but the sponsor provides a lot of the accessories on-deck. Silly hats, sunglasses, leis, neon t-shirts, etc.

Anonymous wrote:This is my kids’ favorite part of swim team. As long as the themes remain consistent year to year, it’s very minimal effort. It’s when they go and change the theme last minute that it becomes a PITA

What are the themes your team does?

This is my kids’ favorite part of swim team. As long as the themes remain consistent year to year, it’s very minimal effort. It’s when they go and change the theme last minute that it becomes a PITA

Anonymous wrote:

Pro tip from a parent of college kids: keep a dress up closet. Between dress up days and Halloween costumes, my kids use ours a ton. We had neon, USA, tropical, and all the Halloween costumes in the basement and stuff was worn over and over a lot.

I didn't see this from when I posted, but yes, it will come in so handy in the future

Our team does not do this.

If you plan on doing this long term, or if your kids will do HS swim or go to HS football games...

Get a tub now. Buy stuff at the dollar tree (diff color beads, grass skirt, leis.) Pick up some of the face/body paint at wal mart.
Some $1 USA glasses or hair bands.

Save them and use year to year.

I don't re-buy every year. We re-use. Sometimes the kids re-freshen, but you will end up having "dress-up" for the rest of your kids school lives, even if not for swim team.

Our team does this, but only about half the team participates. It isn’t a critical part of summer swim.

Honestly that sounds really effortful for busy families.

Keep it low-key please. A lot of schools go out of their way to clutter the school year with ridiculous make-work, which makes some kids feel badly when their parents can't help them participate. Let's not bring that to summer swim.

“Holidays” is also a fun theme that requires little buying. Kids have holiday sweaters, halowewn costume, red for Valentine’s Day.

And togas (everyone has a top sheet on their bed).

Also, always say nothing scary since little kids involved.

At our pool it is really important. Themes seem to be part of swim culture and a lot of the high schools dress up for varsity meets too. It is a throwback tradition. My kids love it. Thrift stores are great resources and age group trip can be a fun bonding experience (all the 12 year old girls bought outfits for the prom theme -less than $10 a piece - and had a ton of fun trying on stuff). I also recommend having themes announced at the beginning of the season so kids can plan ahead.

Our team also tried to do a few themes that require no buying (team colors, sports jerseys, red/white/blue come to mind).

Pro tip from a parent of college kids: keep a dress up closet. Between dress up days and Halloween costumes, my kids use ours a ton. We had neon, USA, tropical, and all the Halloween costumes in the basement and stuff was worn over and over a lot.

Why would you do this. Stop with the make-work.

I’m curious if your team does the dressing up of different themes throughout the summer season, how often, and if there are certain themes that do better than others?

We might bring that to our pool next summer and want to hear the good and the bad. Thx!