Swimming with two 2 year olds?

[Fall1]

What do you use for your 2 year olds to swim? Do they use floaties or life vests or do you just hold them.

DH and I are trying to decide what to do for the Summer and for Disney! Thanks!!

 

[Kyle+Breanna'smom]

When my son was 2 we just held him and encouraged him to swim a little. When he was 2 1/2 we bought him one of those swim suits with the flotation inserts in the front and the back. With some practice he was able to swim independently for very short distances at a time. You are able to remove some of the inserts as they improve. Once he was 3 we started swim classes and they want the kids to wear a bubble on their back. We plan to do the same with our daughter. She just turned 2 in May and I recently picked up one of those bathing suits for her. Hope that helps. Good luck!

 

[Fall1]

When my son was 2 we just held him and encouraged him to swim a little. When he was 2 1/2 we bought him one of those swim suits with the flotation inserts in the front and the back. With some practice he was able to swim independently for very short distances at a time. You are able to remove some of the inserts as they improve. Once he was 3 we started swim classes and they want the kids to wear a bubble on their back. We plan to do the same with our daughter. She just turned 2 in May and I recently picked up one of those bathing suits for her. Hope that helps. Good luck!

Thanks! I noticed your location....we are from MA too!! We are hoping to join DVC soon, we rented points for our October trip!!

 

[laughinplace199]

Can another MA/DVC parent chime in here?

I use nothing with my kids. My youngest is 2.5 yrs old and has been in the pool almost evey day of every summer since he was born. I just hold him. He loves the water and even willingly went underwater aStorm Along Bay this past April.

 

[natnelliesmom]

With one child, it's easy enough to hold them in the water, but with two you may want to find some kind of approved flotation device.

We have vests made by Speedo. They are slim and light, but hold up our two girls 4 and 6 very well. When they were smaller we had similarly styled vests.
While we were always within arm's reach and often holding our girls, it was nice for them to experience some freedom while in the water.

-Sarah

 

[EthansMom]

My kids have both taken swim lessons since they were very young (1.5 or so). None of their swim instructors has ever approved of floaties or vests for young swimmers. Floaties and vests cause parents to relax their guard a bit more, but young children can EASILY slip out of most floaties and vests.

What we've always done is each of us parents takes one child and we are responsible for THAT child. If we didn't have two parents, then the kids could just play in the kiddie wading pool where one parent could keep an eye on them. It was sometimes a pain when the kids wanted to go in the pool but one of us adults wanted to do something else, but that's life.

My kids are 7 and 5 now and are EXCELLENT swimmers (they take swim lessons year 'round and DS7 has been on Swim Team for the last year) and we still assign one parent to each child for busy pools and waterparks. There's no telling what could happen in a busy pool. Better to be safe than sorry.

BTW, many of the larger resorts have a "quiet" pool that doesn't have as much theming, but IS quieter and less crowded. My kids actually preferred the quiet pool last year.

 

[disneymami]

I completely understand your situation because its not just one 2 year old - its TWO 2 year olds. My twins are now 8 and I survived those years with bathing suits that had the floats built in. They were a royal pain to put on and take off but they give you loads of peace because there is only one of you and two of them.
good luck

 

[brergnat]

http://www.amazon.com/Speedo-Boys-S...e=UTF8&s=toys-and-games&qid=1244500165&sr=8-2

I have this one above!

I agree with the SPEEDO brand swim vests. They have a little adjustable belt that goes between the legs and hooks shut in the front, they zip up and velcro on the top. There is really no way a kid could "slip out" of one. They fit really snug (they come in S, M, and L size, so make sure you get the right size for weight!). We used one for our older son who is now 5 and using nothing in the pool (currently taking swim lessons) and we use it for our 3 year old.

The vests don't teach kids how to swim, but they keep them from going under, and they put the child at the right angle for being able to move through the water independently, while keeping his/her head OUT of it (keeps the kids slightly forward, but head UP and OUT of water, as opposed to a lot of vests that tilt kids BACK).

Of course, you need to be RIGHT THERE at all times. The vest is not a replacement for your supervision, but I suspect you know that.

My sons both started using the vests right at 2 years old. We tried arm floats on them, but they are SO not ready for those until they are much older/more independent in the water. The vest is the best "first step". I recommend using it in tandem with a rash guard, for comfort.

Girl's version of the same vest is here:

http://www.amazon.com/Speedo-Girls-Swim-Vest/dp/B0012K75TG/ref=pd_sim_t_1

 

[Ariel on Land]

Things are definitely more challenging with two!!! We usually use the little inflatable tubes with leg holes in them. One of our guys seems to get scared unless he's in the tube, even if we're holding him. Also, I've been meaning to look into those little life vests that strap on under their legs or are a part of a swim suit type set up.

 

[bellebud]

vests always gave my kids rashes where the strap went through the legs, or rashes under the arms. arm floaties did the same thing.

we loved the swimsuits w/ the built in float pads. my ds wore his spiderman one all the time, and the pads looked like muscles. it can't slip off and it didn't give any rubbing rashes. he'd jump in the water, and pop right up to the surface and swim all around on his own (of course we were right there). w/ swim vests, my ds always tried to take them off. w/ the swimsuit, it's impossible (it's hard enough for the adult to take it off the child).

 

[trnorbrn]

vests always gave my kids rashes where the strap went through the legs, .

One of my daughters had a very bad time with this. Leaves a painful rope burn kind of mark that is not really noticed until out of the water. She loves to swim so much that she did not know until later. I tried the built in foam floatie type swimsuit but she hated wearing it and they are a pain to dry and wash.

When my twins were two they loved the water and we look back in horror that we used blowup rings from the dollar store. They loved them and we never had a child slip out and we (my husband, myself and four older children) were always in the water with them. At age twelve they are both expert swimmers. I imagine I would do things just the same now.

 

[monorailsilver]

I have mainly just used the swimmies on my kids.

I took my oldest to a b-day party at a pool when she was about 4. She always wore swimmies with out any problems. But the lifeguard didn't want her to use them & wanted her to use the thing that looks like what the lifeguards hold.

Well she tried & she went under, swallowed water, threw up on the side of the pool & didn't go back in since she was so upset.

So I would try a few things & see what works best.

 

[KEichman]

We have used arm floats and floatation vests, but both gave dd rashes on her arms. She recently started swim lessons, and the instructor uses and recommends the Aquajogger Jr. belt because it gives them much more range of motion with her arms so she is learning the appropriate arm motions for swimming. Found it on Amazon for $19, although some places charge as much as $36!

Aquajogger Jr.

 

[liznboys]

We have 2 Speedo vests that we used/use with our boys until they can swim on their own. They've been perfect for our needs.

 

[islac]

We went to our annual family trip recently and my younger sisters were using Speedo swim vests that we bought online. The Speedo swim vests were great since they were easily adjustable and my sisters were comfortable wearing them. Plus, the quality is surely reliable because of the brand. There are actually many styles to choose from. Check them out here. Oh and you can get 15% off your entire purchase if you avail of these SPEEDO COUPONS.

 

[karliebug]

I used the type of swimsuit with the floatation "foam" sewn into the suit. It worked great. I didn't have to worry about my little one taking it off like they might with a vest or falling off or deflating like with swimmies. They really kept her afloat so well that she could jump off the diving board with them on. I highly recommend them. Just so you know, all the resort pools have swim vests you can borrow for free if you decide to go that route.

 

[Sgt Mickey]

Also being a twin mom here and having two older kids in addition to the twins. I vote for lifejackets. My oldest is about 4-5 years older then the twins but my dd is only 1 so I had the three of them alone and I could stand in the water and they would swim around me in the life jackts and I was not stressed at all.

 

[Swimalie]

My kids have both taken swim lessons since they were very young (1.5 or so). None of their swim instructors has ever approved of floaties or vests for young swimmers. Floaties and vests cause parents to relax their guard a bit more, but young children can EASILY slip out of most floaties and vests.

As a former lifeguard and current swimmer, I 2nd this. All the kids I had to rescue from the pool were ones who had floaties on at one point and then had them taken off or took them off and thought they could swim and jumped in. Underwater they went. The vests that have the straps that go under the body are safer since they can't slip off as easily in the water but the floaties are not safe at all! All give the kids a false sense of security.

 

[cntrygal]

as another former lifeguard. I vote for nothing. Didnt use anything with either child. They were both swimming at a few weeks old.

 

[*BTMRR*]

At two, we just held them.
At 3-4, they started being able to support themselves well in the water with lifejackets (within arm's reach at all times, of course). I've seen many 2-year-olds doing well with lifejackets, though.

Be aware that once in a while you will come across a pool or water park that will only allow Coast Guard approved lifejackets (no foam inserts or training vests or anything else). Make sure you know the rules at the places where you'll usually be swimming before you spend money on something other than a CG approved lifejacket.