arm floaties

Discussion in 'The Toddler Years(1-3)' started by MichelleL, Apr 22, 2009.

  1. MichelleL

    MichelleL Well-Known Member

    What kind have you had success with/like?
     
  2. twoplustwo

    twoplustwo Well-Known Member

    I've never gotten my kids to wear them. They have always hated the tightness I think.

    Well, except for my older kids who don't need them. They think they're funny. :huh:
     
  3. tinalb

    tinalb Well-Known Member TS Moderator

    My kids wouldn't wear them either. We had more success with something like this when the older kids were little. I think that's what we will try this summer with L&L.
     
  4. dfaut

    dfaut 30,000-Post Club

    I bought the thin type life vests. I haven't really used them much as I wanted them to learn to swim on their own first. But they introduced them to life vests at swimming lessons recently!! Go figure!!

    good luck!
     
  5. sharongl

    sharongl Well-Known Member

    My boys have actually never worn floaties, other than life jackets at Sesame Place. I would rather them learn how to swim without the false sense of security from a floatie. In my mind, an accident is more likely to happen when they aren't supposed to be near water, hence wouldn't have the floaties on them anyway when they would have really needed them.
     
  6. tinalb

    tinalb Well-Known Member TS Moderator

    I found last year, the bonus to having floaties of some kind is, especially with twins, that I can take both of them in the pool at the same time by myself. I can hold one while having one floating within arms reach. So, until they learn to swim, it's convenient. Plus, my older kids can take them in the pool while I watch from the side if they are wearing some type of floaty.
     
  7. Stacy A.

    Stacy A. Well-Known Member

    QUOTE(~* dfaut *~ @ Apr 23 2009, 10:11 AM) [snapback]1285312[/snapback]
    I bought the thin type life vests. I haven't really used them much as I wanted them to learn to swim on their own first. But they introduced them to life vests at swimming lessons recently!! Go figure!!

    good luck!

    This is what we used, too. I tried the floaties, but they limited their arm movement. So, basically they could float, but they couldn't swim. For the life vests, we had the type that are built into a swim suit. Kind of like this, but we bought them at Walmart. The kids loved them. They could move around, but didn't have to worry about floating. They could lay on their stomach or back like if they were really swimming and were able to have freedom of arm movement. By the end of the summer, Anna was asking to take hers off to swim, so I think learning how to move really helped. Ian...well, maybe he will let us take it off this year. ;)
     
  8. LB

    LB Well-Known Member

    we use the arm floaties and the back bubble (the kind that you can remove squares as they get better) and they are great with them! If they wanted in the pool they had to wear them so it wasn't an issue
     
  9. Cindy H

    Cindy H Well-Known Member

    I have taught many kids how to swim in my swim coach days! Arm floaties prevent kids from using their arms correctly to learn to swim. The vest or floaties in swim suits are a better choice.

    My personal preference.....My child has to hold a noodle, swim ring or circle or something that is NOT attached to them. I want them to know if they let go they will sink. I do not want them to have the false sense of "Oh I can Swim". It has worked for me. My kids swim early at age 3 and I am always with them and watching them.

    Cindy
     
  10. Trishandthegirls

    Trishandthegirls Well-Known Member

    Like Cindy, I'm a former swim teacher (and lifeguard). In all of the training I received, it was pointed out that arm floaties are not a good idea for small kids. As other people have mentioned, they restrict arm movement. But the bigger problem is that they don't prevent drowning. If a child with arm floaties on starts to sink, it's their arms that stay above the surface of the water, not their heads. The vest floaties are a much better idea if you're set on having some sort of flotation device. Those are designed to keep their heads above water and do a much better (but not perfect) job than arm floaties. Your kids will also get a better sense of how to move themselves in the water if the floats are attached to their torso and not their arms.
     
  11. Moodyzblu

    Moodyzblu Well-Known Member

    Michelle, I use these for the boys. They are flat on one side so they can put there arms down. Since I'm usually alone with them, I agree with Tina that it makes it much easier to be able to handle them both. I just feel safer. Plus they LOVE them.
     
  12. Sofiesmom

    Sofiesmom Well-Known Member

    I use them, and like Michelle, also with a flat side. We swim often here, it's a long summer, very hot and we have a pool in our building. The arm floaties allow me to take all 3. My older one can now swim but when she was around 4 I gave her the back float and she learned to move her arms and legs more. However, I still think it's very hard for a 2 yo to use their arms and legs at the same time while swimming. Even my oldest is still learning to use arms and legs simultanously, although she floats, kicks and moves around well (but not really freestyle yet). My twins do kick their legs, and once they do that well, I get them the back floats as well.

    http://www.amazon.co.uk/Zoggs-Back-Float/dp/B000LNC6TE
     
  13. MichelleL

    MichelleL Well-Known Member

    :thanks: I appreciate all the input!!
     
  14. HRE

    HRE Well-Known Member

    I do something kinda funny. The boys wear their life jackets, and then a circle floaty. The life jackets fit in them and keep them up, and yet they can use their arms and legs to kick and move around. They love the water, and there is no way they will tip over...and they have tried. Yet, they can tip themselves down and put their faces in if they like to...they just have to work hard at it. And as soon as they relax they pop right back up. They even jump in the pool on their own.
     
  15. JDMummy

    JDMummy Well-Known Member

    We have used arm floaties and back bubbles. I like back bubbles for older beginning swimmers. I like the floaties for the little ones for the same reason as Tina, they are easy to wrangle together in the pool! Definitely great for twins! :)
     
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