Spending time in a pool or the ocean with the family is entertaining.
Making water play safe and enjoyable for non-swimmers parents can be a challenge.
Fortunately, with a few helpful pointers and the appropriate swim floaties, anyone can feel secure and at ease in the water.
Here is a selection of the top toddler swim floats.
Swim Floaties for 1-Year-Olds
The extra floats around the back of the neck, which are a feature of Type II floatation devices for infants under 30 lbs, are intended to flip a baby face-up if they unintentionally fall face-first into the water.
Why would you need a flotation device at all if you are going to be holding onto your infant the entire time in the water?
From personal experience, there are a few situations where I would advise using one: when you are supervising both a baby and an older child; if you are in a natural setting where the water is unpredictable, like a lake, ocean, or river; if there is even a remote chance that they could fall into a pool; and finally, just to feel more at ease in the water.
Stearns Puddle Jumper Infant Hydroprene Life Jacket
Puddle Jumpers, a brand of flotation devices that the US Coast Guard has approved, is one of Stearns’ most well-known products.
For infants weighing under 30 lbs, the Stearns Puddle Jumper Infant Hydroprene Life Jacket is created. It is a Type II US Coastguard-approved item, making it suitable for use on boats and capable of turning the wearer around if they fall face down in the water.
This includes a neck cushion function to keep your child comfy and standing up.
Additionally, the collar has a loop so you can simply grip your child. The pink hue will also stand out in the water.
The chest strap cannot be modified, just the leg straps. Up until they are ready for the child-weight range, most newborns will fit in this (around 25lb to 50lb).
Stohlquist Toddler Life Jacket
If you don’t like pink, Stohlquist also offers infant life jackets that are unisex and are classified as Type II devices. This jacket does contain a chest clip that can be adjusted, allowing parents to suit their infant more tightly.
If you do want to take your baby boating during the summer, this would be a better option because the open back will keep them cool when they are out of the water.
The Stohlquist Toddler Life Jacket’s sole drawback is that it costs a little more than the Puddle Jumper.
Swim Floaties for Two-Year-Olds
When a toddler weighs 25 pounds or more, a larger life jacket is required. You might also be thinking about taking swimming lessons at this point.
If you’re thinking about taking swimming lessons, find out how the instructor plans to teach water safety. One of the most crucial talents, according to Dr. Gilchrist, is learning to float on one’s nack, yet this ability is frequently not attained until one is five or six years old.
It can greatly improve their safety in the water if you can encourage your child to learn how to float on their back, either by themselves or through classes.
Additionally, you want flotation gear that safely keeps them floating while promoting a more natural swimming position and providing greater pool mobility than a life jacket.
The Stearns Puddle Jumpers
These requirements are met by Stearns Puddle Jumpers, which are made for kids 30 to 50 pounds. The floats on the arms and chest provide buoyancy while allowing for movement, and the buckle’s adjustability ensures a secure fit. Kids can’t pull this off by themselves because the buckle is at the rear.
You are certain to find something that your kids will enjoy wearing in the water among the wide variety of colors and patterns available. The US Coastguard classifies Puddle Jumpers as a Type III personal flotation device, which indicates that while they will keep the wearer comfortable and aloft, they won’t necessarily flip them onto their back as a Type II would.
Children should use Type III flotation devices because they provide the extra mobility they require. Both boating and using it in swimming pools are seen as safe.
Our Puddle Jumper has been around for a while and is still in fantastic shape, so they are undoubtedly sturdy. Both of my children seem content to wear it and have not complained that it is uncomfortable.
Body Glove Paddle Pals
Another excellent Type III alternative is the US Coast Guard-approved life jacket made by Body Glove, which is receiving five-star reviews from parents on Amazon.
The gadget resembles the Puddle Jumper in appearance but has extra shoulder straps that many parents believe make it more comfortable for kids who weigh less than average. The Type III Body Glove Paddle Pals Learn to Swim life jacket is also regarded as suitable for boating and water activities.
Are Arm Floaties Safe?
Dr. Julie Gilchrist, a pediatrician, and expert in drowning prevention, gave us some tips on keeping young children safe around water.
I asked her what swimming aids work best for kids, especially toddlers.
“Some items that people mistakenly believe to be flotation devices, such as air-filled flotation devices and similar items, are toys.”
“When you wear sunscreen, they come off. Additionally, if they are too tight to come off, they rupture. Even if their arms might be floating, this does not mean their face is floating.”, Dr. Gilchrist explained.
With a toddler, search for a flotation device that has been approved by the US Coast Guard if you are planning a trip where you will be in or close to a resort pool or the ocean.
