My DD is one (tomorrow) and I was wondering, will those swimmies

[momuv2poohs]

that fit on little kids arms work for her. They say 3 and older. Has anyone have any other suggestions? Thanks

 

[pstepka]

One is definitely too young for the arm things...they have to be able to sort of swim in order to us them. One is a hard age for swimming (IMO). The bathing suits that have the floats built in probably wouldn't work either. You may have to just hold the baby, or get one of those boat-type things they sit in.

Depending on where you're staying, maybe the pool is zero depth entry (like at HIFS). A one year old could certainly play around in the shallow end of a pool like that.

 

[momuv2poohs]

Thanks, I am going today to Wal-Mart and get a boat float. The pool where we are staying at is zero depth entry. So I think with the boat for when I am in the pool with her and then her right there in zero depth, we should be ready to go. Thanks.

 

[going2wdw]

We have a pool and tried several different types of floaties when the girls were young. The best by far is the type with a tube around the waist and that they can wear. It stays on and their head stays out of the water without you having to hold them up. I found a picture on a swim supply store but you can find them at some discount stores or pool supply stores. They are more expensive but very worth it. This is the type I'm talking about:

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[debster812]

As a former lifeguard, swim instructor and avid boater as well as mother of a 4 YO here is my 2 cents worth. If you can buy (or borrow) a standard infant/toddler life jacket, go for it. A little bulky to pack, but well worth it. When the kids are this young, the life jackets are a vest, and many of them come with a 'pillow' that is behind their head. This will keep their head and face out of the water. Most of them have a loop at the top of the pillow, and I have fished my son out of pools and the ocean on two occasions.

I agree, the swimmies will just not work, she is too little.

 

[snoopy]

We found the greatest thing for an infant to use in the pool.

Its a ring type thing for the adult to put on, and attached to the ring is a little boat for the baby to sit in. The child has to be under a certain weight, I'm thinking 25 lbs. I bought it at Target, if you are interested, I can check the brand name for you.

I am so sad that my baby is now to big for this thing! At 2 1/2, he will probably use the ring - with Mommy trailing after him every second.

snoopy
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[pstepka]

I, too, love the type of float/suit pictured above, but they are for kids older than one year because the child has to be able to balance him/herself...otherwise they're feet come out from under them and their head dunks in the water. I have used that float for my 11 y/o, 3-1/2 y/o and 1-1/2 y/o. The 1-1/2 y/o had some difficulty mastering the balancing...that's why I didn't suggest it for the just-turned-one y/o.

My 3-1/2 y/o wore the plastic life vest HIFS sold and LOVED IT! It kept him boyant enough that he wasn't under the water, but it didn't restrict his arms (like the tube float on the suit does) and so he was able to move freely. He would jump in the water, go under a little, and bob right back up

 

[savannah]

I agree about 1 and 2 year old in the water. We go to the pool alot, several times a week. And, even in the wading pool wear the water is only 12-15 inches deep. The 1 to 2 year olds who can walk are the most "likely" to lose balance and "fall over". I mean you are just sitting there, watching them, maybe 5 feet away or so, some asks you something you turn to answer, an instant later, the toddler somehow seems to lose his balance and he under water. This has happened to me and several other moms so many times, their legs just don't seem to be strong enough and if they "fall over" they aren't big enough to catch themselves and get back up. Go for the life jacket, because when they go under like that, it scares them, and YOU to death!

 

[Tinkerbelle'sMOM]

We have used a swim vest/life jacket since she was one and it has worked out really well!

 

[momuv2poohs]

Hi everyone, thanks for all your responses. Snoopy is going to send me her floater. Isn't that really sweet. I just wanted to let everyone know how great she is. Thanks again.

 

[pstepka]

I, too, have a 'problem' with kiddie pools. 12-18 inches of water is certainly deep when you're only 24 inches tall to begin with! That's why I LOVED the zero depth entry pool at HIFS. My little one could walk around and sit and play by himself without me having to be holding his hand. We did leave the little float thing on him most of the time because he also liked going out in the big water with us and this way he could float (with us hanging on to him because, as I said, he was still too young to master that float by himself). For me, having the zero depth entry pool made HIFS the best choice for us -- it made swimming enjoyable for all of us (we have a 11 y/o also)