School Gym Class & New Ear Piercings: The Ontario Safety Guide
A new pair of earrings can be exciting for a child, but school gym class raises an important question: what happens when a fresh piercing cannot simply be removed?
For families in Ontario, including Toronto, Mississauga and the GTA, the safest approach is to protect the healing piercing while also following school activity rules. Children’s fresh ear piercings need time, cleanliness and protection from pulling or impact.
Yes, new piercings may be accommodated during healing, but they should not remain exposed when they create a safety concern.
The Ontario Physical Activity Safety Standards in Education, or OPASSE, state that exposed jewellery can catch on equipment, clothing or another participant. During curricular and intramural activities with possible contact, jewellery is normally removed. However, the guidance specifically says new piercings can be accommodated during the required healing period when securely covered.
Ontario’s Ministry of Education also requires schools to identify potential risks and establish procedures that support safe participation in daily physical activity.
A fresh piercing is a healing wound. Pulling, pressure, repeated touching or a direct hit can irritate the area and interfere with healing.
Toronto Public Health notes that piercing breaks the skin and can create risks including bacterial infection, allergic skin reactions and scarring. It also emphasizes sterile jewellery, infection-prevention practices and proper aftercare.
Gym class adds practical challenges. A ball may hit the ear, a pinnie can catch on an earring, or another student may make accidental contact. The goal is not to keep children inactive. It is to protect the piercing while allowing the school to choose a safe accommodation.
Tell the teacher that the piercing is new and still healing. Ask what the school requires for secure coverage and whether the planned activity has stricter jewellery rules.
School Activity | Main Safety Concern | Practical Approach | Healing And Maintenance |
Low-contact fitness | Minor contact | Follow teacher instructions and cover if required | Check the ear after class |
Team or contact games | Snagging or impact | Ask about modified participation | Avoid unnecessary touching |
Interschool sports | Sport-specific rules | Confirm rules with the coach | Do not assume covering is accepted |
Swimming units | Water exposure | Delay when possible | Clean and dry afterward |
A new piercing may be manageable during a low-contact lesson but needs modified participation during basketball, wrestling, gymnastics or another activity where the ear is more likely to be hit or caught.
Keep aftercare simple and consistent. Wash hands before touching the ears, and keep the piercing clean, dry and airy.
Newly pierced ears should generally be cleaned on both sides twice daily without removing the original piercing earrings. Liquid soap and water or an appropriate piercing aftercare product may be used according to the clinic’s instructions. Alcohol should not be used as a routine cleaner.
After Gym, Check For:
Public Health Ontario also emphasizes that aftercare is important because microorganisms can enter tissue while a piercing is healing.
through the initial healing period. Ear piercing aftercare guidance typically allows the original earrings to be changed after about six weeks.
Removing a fresh earring simply for gym can interfere with healing, and reinserting jewellery may irritate delicate tissue. Cartilage piercings can have different healing timelines, so families should follow the instructions provided for the specific piercing.
What If The School Says The Earrings Must Come Out?
Contact the teacher or school before removing a healing piercing. OPASSE recognizes accommodation for new piercings during healing, but some activities and interschool sports have additional requirements. Ontario’s standards also serve as minimum safety requirements, with school boards able to establish site-specific procedures.
The school may be able to modify the activity, provide an alternative or explain how the piercing must be securely covered. The safest option should protect the child while supporting proper healing.
At Medical Piercing, we provide medical ear piercing for babies, children, teens and adults in a clinical setting across Ontario. Our procedures are performed by doctors or nurses using sterile, single-use equipment and skin-friendly jewellery made from medical-grade titanium or medical plastic.
We also provide detailed aftercare instructions and follow-up support so families know how to care for new piercings at home, at school and during gym class.
If your child is preparing for a new ear piercing, book an appointment with Medical Piercing or contact us today to discuss timing and aftercare.