Moms with toddlers - Swim vest/floaties recommendations?

Liss1481 · July 2014

Hi everyone,

Anyone have any good recommendations for a flotation device for a toddler? DS finally started going in the pool last week and loves it, but with all the jumping into the pool and I'm assuming the chlorine, he has a rash/abrasion on his neck and thighs from the vest and the strap that goes through his legs. Any suggestions to minimize the friction or anyone have luck with a different type of device? (arm floaties??) This is the one we currently have:

Littledeer84 · July 2014

Puddle jumpers! DD loves that she can swim on her own, and it keeps her at a comfortable angle in the water.

SusieBW · July 2014

I've heard that Puddle Jumpers are great too, but I'm concerned about how cumbersome they are. My bigger concern with DD was that she actually continue to learn to swim, not just that whatever I got would keep her afloat. We got this:

I love that we can take floats off as she gets better at swimming, it's not awkward on her arms and chest, and keeps her floating the right way to learn to swim properly. DD adores it.

Liss1481 · July 2014

Thanks for the recs ladies! I'll try those and see how they work out

>-

Liss1481 · July 2014

SusieBW said:

I've heard that Puddle Jumpers are great too, but I'm concerned about how cumbersome they are. My bigger concern with DD was that she actually continue to learn to swim, not just that whatever I got would keep her afloat. We got this:

I love that we can take floats off as she gets better at swimming, it's not awkward on her arms and chest, and keeps her floating the right way to learn to swim properly. DD adores it.

Any problems with the straps rubbing on her arms, etc?

SusieBW · July 2014

Liss1481 said:

Any problems with the straps rubbing on her arms, etc?

Not so far, but we've only had it for about 2 weeks, so she has only used it a few times. They used the float belts in her swim class, and she always did great with those, so a puddle jumper seemed like overkill for DD.

Roseypants · July 2014

My 3 yr old loves her puddle jumper. It's fabric, so it doesn't bother her at all. It's not big either and doesn't seem to get in the way.

jcsumm0 · July 2014

Just got DD a puddle jumper and she LOVES it.

Liss1481 · July 2014

Do the Puddle Jumpers or the back float get in the way with jumping into the pool at all?

Emerald27 · July 2014

We love our puddle jumpers from Target. They're comfy and only about $17.

ss265 · July 2014

For those Moms who use the puddle jumpers, how big are your LOs? I was just looking at these for DS1 but he's tiny - maybe 21lbs? The description on Amazon says that it's for 30-50lb toddlers and I was wondering if they would fit DS.

SusieBW · July 2014

Liss1481 said:

Do the Puddle Jumpers or the back float get in the way with jumping into the pool at all?

Nope, not at all.

raynes · July 2014

ss265 said:

For those Moms who use the puddle jumpers, how big are your LOs? I was just looking at these for DS1 but he's tiny - maybe 21lbs? The description on Amazon says that it's for 30-50lb toddlers and I was wondering if they would fit DS.

My DS is around 24-25 lbs and the Coleman Puddle Jumper worked well for him. For some reason I remember the tag saying it was good from 21 lbs up, but I can't confirm that online at all.

We just cinched the belt as tight as it would go. It would fall down a bit when he was out of the pool but generally was awesome.

raynes · July 2014

Liss1481 said:

Do the Puddle Jumpers or the back float get in the way with jumping into the pool at all?

Once we finally convinced him to jump in the water it didn't seem to get in the way at all.

Eastie156 · July 2014

SusieBW said:

I've heard that Puddle Jumpers are great too, but I'm concerned about how cumbersome they are. My bigger concern with DD was that she actually continue to learn to swim, not just that whatever I got would keep her afloat. We got this:

I love that we can take floats off as she gets better at swimming, it's not awkward on her arms and chest, and keeps her floating the right way to learn to swim properly. DD adores it.

@SusieBW we just bought a puddle jumper for DS. It's not cumbersome at all. DS still kicks his legs with it on and it's a great way to keep him upright in the water. We used it for the first time over the weekend, he loved it.

Eastie156 · July 2014

TicketTuesday said:

Puddle jumpers FTW. They've never bothered DS and they allow him so much freedom. I will say, when he went to his first swim lessons the teacher noticed by how he was swimming that he had been using one before - he kept his body vertical and she had to keep forcing him into horizontal position (so parallel with the pool floor). By the end of the lessons he had corrected himself and now when he wears it (not super often) he keeps himself in horizontal swimming form, so I'm okay with it.

I agree 100%. Best summer purchase for DS so far.

SusieBW · July 2014

Eastie156 said:

@SusieBW we just bought a puddle jumper for DS. It's not cumbersome at all. DS still kicks his legs with it on and it's a great way to keep him upright in the water. We used it for the first time over the weekend, he loved it.

Yeah, I've heard that they're awesome and kids seem to love them. I feel like it would give me a little more peace of mind knowing that it has that big float across the chest, too, but like I said in an earlier post, DD was doing awesome in her last swim class with just the float belt, so a puddle jumper sort of felt like a step back in her swimming progress at this point. It might have made more sense for us last summer than it would now, I guess. I'm not knocking them at all, I just didn't think it was the best option for DD right now.

melaniedel · July 2014

We have a puddle jumper and LOVE it! Can't wait to get one for DS2 next (when he is big enough). I bought on amazon. gL!

Emerald27 · July 2014

ss265 said:
For those Moms who use the puddle jumpers, how big are your LOs? I was just looking at these for DS1 but he's tiny - maybe 21lbs? The description on Amazon says that it's for 30-50lb toddlers and I was wondering if they would fit DS.

DS is 24lbs, 34" tall, and his fits fine. The straps ARE as tight as they can go, though. You could always take LO to target and slip it on him while no one is looking to see if it fits before you buy. :P They may have them at Walmart too?

ss265 · July 2014

Emerald27 said:

For those Moms who use the puddle jumpers, how big are your LOs? I was just looking at these for DS1 but he's tiny - maybe 21lbs? The description on Amazon says that it's for 30-50lb toddlers and I was wondering if they would fit DS.
DS is 24lbs, 34" tall, and his fits fine. The straps ARE as tight as they can go, though. You could always take LO to target and slip it on him while no one is looking to see if it fits before you buy. :P They may have them at Walmart too?

I was considering buying on Amazon (so much easier to buy online than go to a physical store) but I will probably go to Target to make sure it fits before purchasing.

MollyC20 · July 2014

My 2 YO loooves her puddle jumper!! She's about 25 lbs, and even though it says 30 lbs it fits her (barely). But it's great in the pool!

jesslinnn · July 2014

ss265 said:

For those Moms who use the puddle jumpers, how big are your LOs? I was just looking at these for DS1 but he's tiny - maybe 21lbs? The description on Amazon says that it's for 30-50lb toddlers and I was wondering if they would fit DS.

My almost 2yr old DS2 is about 32lbs. He's a big boy and I have the strap the tightest it will go. DS1 used it 2 summers ago when he was 1.5-2yrs and he was about 30lbs, and also last summer when he was about 35lbs. I'm pretty sure we kept the strap as tight as it would go then too. I really like the puddle jumpers. DS1 started using regular arm floaters this summer and can now swim without anything.

savicke2009 · July 2014

Love our puddle jumpers.. we've got a pool and have five of them out there for our kids plus whatever kids come over to swim.. best invention ever!

Starfish17 · July 2014

We have one of the adjustable backpacks that you can take apart as they become more confident in swimming. Our swim instructor recommends them over the "arm floaties" because it apparently helps the kids to swim on the own.

BreandMikewedding · July 2014

We have the puddle jumper too and love it. I put ds in a rash guard (swim shirt) and put the puddle jumper over it. He is 2 and weighs about 35lbs (he's more the size of a 4 yr old) and the arms were a little tight but I think they will stretch/soften with more wear.

ss265 · July 2014

Thank you for all the responses to my question. We got the puddle jumpers this weekend and it was slightly loose on DS1 but did the job. He loved them!

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Moms with toddlers - Swim vest/floaties recommendations?

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