balham/tooting swimming pools Post Reply

[ten_green_bottles]

Does anyone know if the pools in Balham and tooting are warm enough for an 11 month old? I can't find any info on their website to see if they have a small pool for babies so wondering if the big pool would be ok

[LMC1]

Hi. There is a teaching pool at Tooting which is lovely and warm and pretty shallow, but its opening hours are more restricted than the large pool, so you need to check the website. The main pool at Tooting is pretty chilly, so I would not recommend it for a very little one, unless s/he has a baby wetsuit (I picked one up at a charity shop and it has meant we can stay in the water longer) Balham is warmer than the tooting large pool but cooler than the teaching pool. i would say it was OK for an 11 month old, but maybe not for more than about 20 mins? Overall I would suggest the Tooting teaching pool if the times are convenient. Hope this helps.

[ten_green_bottles]

thanks LMC1 I shall give the tooting teaching pool a go

[LauraBrown]

If that doesn't work, the Latchmere main pool is lovely and warm. I take my 4 month old there every Saturday and he managed 45 mins to an hour. There is also a beach style shallow entry and the famous elephant slide which might be good for an 11 month old. A bit more of a trek but there is a bus from Tooting if you are around here.

[boonkoh]

Are these outdoor pools? And are there any indoor swimming pools in South London?

[Mrs Contractor Mum]

Boonkoh - these are all indoor pools. There are lots of indoor swimming pools in south west London notably, Tooting Leisure Centre, Balham Leisure Centre, Latchmere, Clahpham Leisure Centre, Merton and Wimbledon plus a few private pools for children classes such as Trinity Dippers and one in Wandsworth. The Virgin Active clubs have indoor pools too.

In the summer when sometimes it is warm enough to swim outside, there are Tooting Lido or Brockwell Park pools.