Pool users-what gear for DC's?

[veronica]

DD is 2.5 this summer and starting to get no fun out of the baby float we have for her. We had a speedo lifejacket that was given to us for her but when we put her in the water, the jacket rode up and she was dangerously close to going under even though it is the correct size. So-now DH and I are on the hunt for pool gear to help her enjoy some time afloat. I just can't bare to buy swimmies, unless they've changed the horrible plastic feeling on your arms since I was a kid!

[bnme]

I have to say we like swimmies best because they are better at keeping the head out of the water. I have no idea how they feel or felt before so I can't say. But my kids don't complain.

Our friends son loved this type of floaty -which was also better then the speedo vest at keeping the head out. I found it too difficult to put on/off. But it was great because the arms were less resticted then with the swimmies.

http://www.swimoutlet.com/product_p/2230.htm

Have fun!

[Joolsplus2]

I'll admit I haven't tried it yet, but Walmart had the cutest bathingsuit+floaty vest thing for $15... it has a bottom (that looks very snug, I bought the 4-6 size for my 28 mo, should work for accidental poop containment as any swim dipe would), a tankini top, and a vest that goes over it all but snaps into the bottoms (there's a little pocket to hold the snaps in the bottoms so they aren't flopping around when poolside).

Anyway, I will probably have an actual review of it tomorrow, but I couldn't resist buying it the other day, along with some very tiny swim rings for a buck a piece that fit right around her chest perfectly. I have floaties, she hasn't minded wearing them totally (got them for 33 cents on clearance last year, lol)...there are some with nylon covers on them that might not be as gross as the ones you remember, too.

[elephantmeg]

I'll admit I haven't tried it yet, but Walmart had the cutest bathingsuit+floaty vest thing for $15... it has a bottom (that looks very snug, I bought the 4-6 size for my 28 mo, should work for accidental poop containment as any swim dipe would), a tankini top, and a vest that goes over it all but snaps into the bottoms (there's a little pocket to hold the snaps in the bottoms so they aren't flopping around when poolside).

Anyway, I will probably have an actual review of it tomorrow, but I couldn't resist buying it the other day, along with some very tiny swim rings for a buck a piece that fit right around her chest perfectly. I have floaties, she hasn't minded wearing them totally (got them for 33 cents on clearance last year, lol)...there are some with nylon covers on them that might not be as gross as the ones you remember, too.

i bought one too for ds for a pool party next week, sounds like a good idea

[wendmatt]

DD loved to float around in a rubber ring starting around that age. She much preferred it to arm bands and still does, she loves any pool that will allow her to have a rubber ring! Unfortunately all the public pools won't allow one so she's getting used to using a noodle. Now I just have to get her to swim classes this week and hopefully she'll be swimming without soon!

[salsah]

i bought some nice swimmies for dd that are cloth on the outside. she has a vest too but likes the swimmies more. i think that the swimmies keep her above the water more and in a way that she can move easily. they are still packed away but i'll try to dig them out for you and let you know the brand. i bought them at a local pool supply store.

[lizajane]

do you not have a baby pool available? i mean, a place in which she can stand up in the water? my kids don't wear swimmies or life jackets and never have. (schuyler wears one in the ocean, of course.) schuyler could swim half the pool last year at age 4 and can now swim freely at age 5. dylan is afraid of deep water (he has fallen in twice) but he swims in shallow water and has a GREAT time. ( he can float on his front, he puts his face under, he fetches things from under water, he walks and runs about...) as a former swimming instructor and long time swimmer, myself, i just don't "believe in" swimmies. i think they learn faster without them. and with them, they sometimes develop a lack of respect for the danger of the water because they think swimmies make them safe. we just watch our kids in the pool and carried them in deep water before they swim/swam.

[mamabelle]

These are some good things to try:

Swimmies that are not plasticky:

http://www.swimoutlet.com/product_p/8096.htm

We have this vest: It has a strap between the legs and which keeps it in place.

http://www.swimoutlet.com/product_p/8096.htm

No matter what you use, at this age you really need to be next to them but it buys you a second when they are playing around the steps.

I liked the vest because I felt that when dd was running around the pool, if she fell in she would not just sink to the bottom. She wears it all the time at the pool, wether she is swimming or not.

[cuca_]

We used a vest similar to the one posted by Donna (bnme) above. Both my DDs swam all over the pool wearing these. My DH taught both DDs to swim at an early age using this. It has removable foam sheets that allow you to control how much it floats.

HTH

[birdie75]

Be cautious of the swim floaties, like the above poster the foster a false sense of security in the water. We have a 5 month old she loves the water and right now can float on her back without help although of course we are never more then an arm's length away. I grew up with a pool and we liked the adult lounge chairs, we could sit in there and not get out.

[mrshalco]

This is what we have for DS. http://www.amazon.com/Water-Gear-Float-4-Color-Split/dp/B000X4KBES

Our local YMCA uses them and we really like it. We bought one for us and one for my parents pool. When DS was first starting out he used 4 - now that he's older and more confident he uses 2. We were told not to use arm floaties because it hinders the child's ability to use their arms to swim!