Tell Butlin’s what you would change about swimming pool changing rooms - £300 voucher prize draw! NOW CLOSED

[AngelieMumsnet]

Butlin's is redesigning one of its swimming pools and needs your help to make it as family-friendly as possible. In particular Butlin’s wants your help to understand what it’s like as a parent using a swimming pool changing room – and your input will genuinely help inform the new design and build on resort.

Why the changing room? Butlin’s have done research which shows that most parents love going swimming with their children – until they get to the changing room. From the wet floor, the often-freezing temperature, the small cubicles not suitable for a family to the fact you can never get your child dry – there’s a lot to be desired! Which is why Butlin’s wants the opinion of Mumsnetters to identify the biggest issues you face – and your ideas on how to solve them.

So two important questions:

What do you find particularly frustrating when using changing rooms at the swimming pool?

In an ideal world, can you think of anything which would make your life easier and solve these problems?

Everyone who posts on this thread will be entered into a prize draw to win a £300 John Lewis voucher!

Thanks and good luck,
MNHQ

Clean floors with a fresh smell! Large family size changing cubicle and large lockers big enough for the whole family.

bigger rooms for families, better drainage facilities, also extra hairdryers

Extra space in the cubicle and larger lockers would make a difference.

fast drying floors and cool places to sit i dont like being too hot

family cubicles and clean bright changing room

In an ideal world:
individual family shower and changing rooms so you can all shower in a locked room with no escaping children, locks not at child height.
No more hard, wet, slippy floors.
More hooks on doors
Bigger lockers
Heating

Warm family rooms perhaps with some entertainment on a big screen to keep all the children happy ad give me a chance to change too.

larger changing rooms, more hooks on door (high up so not to hurt kids) so towels etc can be hung out of way, Maybe vending machine if you forget shampoo in locker room

More family changing rooms would be a bonus.

I would clean them more frequently as sometimes they are really smelly and filthy. Also more family changing facilities

I hate when cubicles are not floor to ceiling, just something that annoys me in toilets too. Also they are not wide enough, I want to fling me arms around but they stop at the elbow!

I hate wet floors in change rooms, not only is a slipping hazard but I'm always wondering what could be lurking in the puddles

Drying machines. I've seen them at theme parks in Florida . you stand in them , pay $5 and come out dry. I would be more likely to go swimming with little ones in the Autumn / winter months if they were available.

The family changing rooms are never large enough and generally I end up trying hold the children up whilst trying to dry them and dress them. Additionally a little warmer would be great especially when the swimming pools are so warm x

It would be great to have some sort of grill to allow the water to drain away so you aren't left with that stale water smell.. or the acrid waft of urine if you're really lucky! They have self cleaning public toilets.. ones that was the floor after each use - it would be great for the floors to be cleaned after each use as they always feel aful underfoot. Some in-cubicle drying facility would be ace - think body sized hairdryer - maybe not realistic, but it would keep us all arm & would keep the kids entertained!

I think we need a machine which dries our towels and costumes quickly

cleaner, fresher and more room, bigger lockers and lots of spinners

Underfloor heating, shower gel on tap, multilevel showers & childproof doors

Clean, dry flooring, heated if possible. Large cubicles with seating would also be helpful!

Larger family cubicles and comfy seats in there

Clean and dry (as much as possible). Warm - but not too warm. Bigger family cubicles. Sizable family lockers.

I really hate changing rooms at pools! there needs to be an area for prams/buggies (doesn't have to be in changing rooms) You need to have a bit bigger and comfortable seat that is waterproof and if possible can be heated (like in a car!) as that would remove much of the coldness of changing rooms by just sitting down plus you could change the children on it and keep them warm and comfortable at the same time. There could be a playpen (it could fold out from the wall for when not in use, this would be pretty easy to do!). I also think family changing rooms could do a lot better with being opened and locked higher than a 3 year olds reach! also adding a small bin to the room would be wonderful for all those swimming nappies.. the last thing i want to do after managing to get everyone dressed and dry and all the stuff put away is juggle it all with a soaking swimming nappy to the bin across from the lockers!

Family changing rooms where both or either parent can be with their children. The same for toilets.

MORE CUBICLES
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Family-sized changing areas are the future. I appreciate they might not be practical for busy changing rooms at Butlins resorts but they certainly make for much less stressful changing. It's a big squeeze for just myself and my two children but a family cubicle would be much easier. I also think there should be cubicles adapted for babies too, with an area to safely sit babies under 18 months old - perhaps a bouncer or playpen while mum gets changed. It's hard work trying to do everything one handed, especially when wet - even if you have become a bit of a 'pro' at it!