life jackets for toddlers...

[5Texans]

What is the smallest size of life jacket available on the ship/Castaway Cay? I'm traveling w/ my small 3 yr old (~25#) and my 1 yr old and we're doing a few excursions that involve beaches on our Fantasy Western Caribbean sailing. Should I bring my own? Can I take the ones from the ship on excursions? For reference the smallest vests at the Poly were too big for my 3 year old this winter.

 

[thebrundogs]

I'm not sure of the answer to your question, but I would probably just buy and bring a Puddle Jumper life jacket or two. It fit my middle daughter when she was a teeny 2 yr old (just barely 20 lbs), and it fits my 27 lb 2.5 yr old perfectly right now. It's pretty easy to pack, too.

If your 1 yr old is small, you might need to find something else--I've found life jackets on clearance at Target in the late summer.

 

[storknurse13]

We always bring our own puddle jumper on the cruise for my 2 non swimmers. They are 5 & 7 and still feel more secure in something they have been used to rather than using something they are unfamiliar with. They are light but a little bulky to pack but certainly worth it for us!!

 

[RafikiTiki21]

I second the puddle jumpers! They are coast guard approved so you have some peace of mind vs a random inflatable item that may pack easier but not really work well.

I believe I've read that the life vests for the pools and Castaway Cay are not out/not allowed to be taken off ship for excursions (but we will be corrected here if not the case).

My son is doing great with his swimming lessons this summer, but I'll pack the puddle jumper for our own independent beach excursions on our September cruise. The open ocean, even if a few inches deep, is different to me than him swimming in a pool and I want to be sure I have something if the DCL vests aren't able to be taken for personal use off ship.

 

[5Texans]

Thanks guys. My 3 & 5 yr olds are little fish, so we haven't had much experience with flotation devices, but I agree the beach is another story in my book.

The puddle jumper says its for 30-50 pounds, have you used them on smaller kids?

ETA: thanks thebrundogs Sounds like this will work for my middle one.

 

[tee11]

This is a good question. I will also be traveling with a one year old. We have puddle jumpers but they are definitely too big for my one year old (you are correct that they are rated for 30-50 pounds). We took ours last time for our then 3 year old... which was great, but they do have life jackets that would have fit her all over Castaway Cay and on board. However, I don't think you can take those off board on other islands/for other excursions.
So we MAY take our puddle jumper again for the 4 year old...but not sure what we should do with our one year old either.

 

[RafikiTiki21]

This is a good question. I will also be traveling with a one year old. We have puddle jumpers but they are definitely too big for my one year old (you are correct that they are rated for 30-50 pounds). We took ours last time for our then 3 year old... which was great, but they do have life jackets that would have fit her all over Castaway Cay and on board. However, I don't think you can take those off board on other islands/for other excursions.
So we MAY take our puddle jumper again for the 4 year old...but not sure what we should do with our one year old either.

What activities/environment are you looking to protect your 1 year old for? No judgement, sarcasm, or being smarty, just brainstorming with you here.

I imagine the 1 YO will always be in your arms in the water, right? If just splashing in fountains on board, you don't need anything flotation-wise.

If in the pool on board, Disney's smallest life vests may be infant sized?

If you are going on an excursion on a smaller boat, you can purchase infant sized (coast guard approved) life vests and travel with them-- or first confirm with the excursion company what they provide on board.

If on an open ocean beach on an island, same thing-- the 1 YO may not be in the water, and definitely not alone?

I understand wanting to be as safe as possible (that's my style) but also be cautious of over packing unnecessarily (which I am afraid of doing myself on a cruise!).

 

[PrincessShmoo]

If in the pool on board,

Not unless the 1 year old is potty trained.

 

[RafikiTiki21]

Not unless the 1 year old is potty trained.

Ahh yes, of course. There ya go, @tee11 -- even less reason to need something.

 

[5Texans]

What activities/environment are you looking to protect your 1 year old for? No judgement, sarcasm, or being smarty, just brainstorming with you here.

I imagine the 1 YO will always be in your arms in the water, right? If just splashing in fountains on board, you don't need anything flotation-wise.

If in the pool on board, Disney's smallest life vests may be infant sized?

If you are going on an excursion on a smaller boat, you can purchase infant sized (coast guard approved) life vests and travel with them-- or first confirm with the excursion company what they provide on board.

If on an open ocean beach on an island, same thing-- the 1 YO may not be in the water, and definitely not alone?

I understand wanting to be as safe as possible (that's my style) but also be cautious of over packing unnecessarily (which I am afraid of doing myself on a cruise!).

Fair Question, since she's #3 she gets dragged to activities not meant for her necessarily.

She can't use the pools on the ships.

We are taking a private charter to see the stingrays and starfish beach (smaller boat I'm worried they won't have jackets small enough)

We are doing a dolphin encounter where you stand on a very shallow platform. She will also watch/play in the water at the base of Dunn River Falls.

Just playing on the beach Id prefer she wear one in case a wave/big kid/being one causes her to fall. She'll be miserable (me too) if she's in my arms the whole time.

Thanks for thinking it through with me!

 

[Chemist]

Just playing on the beach Id prefer she wear one in case a wave/big kid/being one causes her to fall. She'll be miserable (me too) if she's in my arms the whole time.

I'm not sure which beaches you are worried about, but Castaway Cay is completely devoid of waves.

My little guy loved crawling around at water's edge at that age. Vests actually get in the way of play. Their little arms are so short and the vests are so bulky that they can't move well. Imagine trying to dig with your "shobel" with a big foam thing around your torso. I always just put the kid down and let them play with me right there.

The private charter, OTOH, I would worry about. It has been drilled into my children that you aren't allowed on a dock without a vest, let alone on a boat.

 

[Chemist]

About the puddle jumpers. They are rated at 30-50 lbs. However, I put my 20 lb toddler in one a few years ago and it fit. Key thing: it needs to fit VERY snuggly around the torso.