Puddle jumpers

[Jhondy]

My little one can’t swim (and neither can I). When we go swimming, she wears a puddle jumper. Are those allowed to be used in the pools on the ship and/or while swimming at castaway cay?

 

[lanejudy]

As long as it's official US Coast Guard approved.

 

[Chemist]

FYI there are vests available both on the ship AND on Castaway Cay. They are available in adult and child sizes. (In case you want to do Pelican Plunge.) You don't need to pack your puddle jumper.

And not that you asked, but its not too late for you to learn to swim.

 

[Jhondy]

FYI there are vests available both on the ship AND on Castaway Cay. They are available in adult and child sizes. (In case you want to do Pelican Plunge.) You don't need to pack your puddle jumper.

And not that you asked, but its not too late for you to learn to swim.

i actually tried to learn a few years back and took lessons at the YMCA…the instructor was terrible. He got in the water and did a swimming technique (like back stroke, etc) and then said “now your turn”. I tried really hard to figure it out and even went to the YMCA when I didn’t have classes to practice and it was pretty much a fail. I did figure out how to float on my back and I can do the backstroke (I think that’s what it’s called) kind of from there but I can only do that all if I start from spot where I can stand. So, I do want to learn but it just hasn’t happened.

DD on the other hand will be in swim lessons soon. She took the baby lessons when she was like 1 but then covid happened and everything closed. Again they were at the Y and the instructors seemed out of touch cause all thekids were 1.5 and younger and one of the things she wanted them to practice was when they were out of the pool to ask before getting in the pool…none of the kids could talk her. Her next lessons will likely be at the Y again because it seems to be one of the only places that does swim lessons around by me.

on topic, I prefer to pack the puddle jumper. It doesn’t take up much room and I know it fits her well (she is small) and she is used to how the floating works with it. She has never been to the beach before or even seen the ocean so I’m just excited for her to experience all that. I gotta pack some small sand toys too!

 

[lanejudy]

the instructors seemed out of touch cause all thekids were 1.5 and younger and one of the things she wanted them to practice was when they were out of the pool to ask before getting in the pool…none of the kids could talk her.

I'm so glad your DD has taken swimming lessons. Water safety is one of the biggest things taught in "baby swim lessons" and it really isn't too early to teach little ones not to enter the water without asking or otherwise getting permission from an adult who is present poolside. The "ask" concept is because current philosophy goes against saying "no" and want to keep it friendly and safe, so teaching to ask is the approach taken. It's not as much can they say the words but can they show they understand the concept -- and they can, just like you probably have taught your little one not to touch the stove.

Sorry for the side-track, but I thought you might feel better about the instructor's approach if you understood the background of the topic.

 

[unrequited23]

Here's my 2 cents. If you are driving, pack what you are comfortable with. If you are flying, make sure you give your puddle jumper time to dry out/bring a bag to put it in for the flight home. You might want to try a life jacket to see if it would work on your last full day, so the puddle jumper has time to dry. We were at Castaway Cay for the first time in February--low tide was after lunch. The water level dropped about 2 feet.

 

[juxtapose]

Assuming it's one that is coast guard certified (most are) you can bring it. Both my kids highly preferred puddle jumpers to life jackets before they outgrew them and we took them on every pool/beach vacation, they seem much more comfortable to swim in than a life jacket. My kids are now 50+ lbs and can swim, but I still wish they made older kid puddle jumpers for the ocean

 

[Jhondy]

Thanks everyone! It is coast guard certified

 

[PrincessShmoo]

My little one can’t swim (and neither can I). When we go swimming, she wears a puddle jumper. Are those allowed to be used in the pools on the ship and/or while swimming at castaway cay?

LIke this?


Unless it says it's Coast Guard approved, you can't use them onboard, or at Castaway Cay.

There are puddle jumpers that are CG approved, be sure to look for that mark on them.

 

[Jhondy]

LIke this?
View attachment 651001

Unless it says it's Coast Guard approved, you can't use them onboard, or at Castaway Cay.

There are puddle jumpers that are CG approved, be sure to look for that mark on them.

yea like that but we have a frozen one that has the CG approval on it. I love it cause my daughter likes to be in the pool more than splash pads and it helps me not have to carry a squirmy kid in the pool. I feel she is safer when she wears it. Now I just need to finish getting her potty trained before we go in October.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Now I just need to finish getting her potty trained before we go in October.

That's an important point. Babies and toddlers in swim diapers aren't allowed to use the main pools on the ship. They're limited to the baby splash pad areas.