What type of flotation devices/swimwear do you like for the kids?

This is really the first year we have used anything because we always just hold the boys the few times we've gotten in the water previously. We have life jackets that we got for the lake last year but only used them once. So this year, we just used them in the pool and I'm not sure I'm impressed. We still had to hold onto them the whole time or they would go facedown. I'm not expecting to be able to leave them on their own or anything like that. I would just like to see them float faceup. Is there some trick to getting them to stay faceUP? I'm also open to other options if they allow me to have a free hand now and then, and let's the kids have fun.

What has worked for you and where can I find it???

TIA!!

Alicia

 

We haven't tried them out yet so don't trust me on this but we're hoping it will work....We got arm floaties and floatation rings made by the swim school people. I'm hoping that the combination will help them stay afloat but also head up! Until I'm comfortable that they aren't going to flip or slide out, we'll have an adult for each child. I'm hoping to be able to take them in the pool by myself if they are secure enough but I'm super paranoid so I don't know if that will ever happen! Good luck on your search; definitely post what you find!

 

Do your life jackets have the flip part on the back of the jacket to support the head? Or you can use the leg strap, go through the hand loop and keep it down?.......I'm asking because if you leave the head support untethered then it'll help them float on their backs. I think it's an infants life jacket that has the big head support floatation thingy. I found a link...infant life jacket. I think if you research they have them in different stages depending on what your child weights.

 

we always did water wings. the girls didn't mind them for the first year. we had them in the pool as early as 3 months (holding them of course), so they got used to the water pretty early. last summer i really saw progress...they were about the same age as yours are now. we actually didn't have to put anything on them and they would jump around on the steps. we were with them, in case anything happened, but i think it really helped them get ready for swimming. we still practiced dunking and things like that and kicking while holding them. the last 2 weeks of the summer (2007), our smaller dd could touch the bottom with her feet in the shallow end and before you knew it she was swimming, while my other gladly stuck to playing on the steps.

as for this year, we have been swimming for about 4 weeks or so (don't know exactly). but my little dd picked right back up where she left off...swimming right away. my other dd picked it up in a pinch too...now they are both swimming.

it is truly amazing to the those little bodies just-a-kicking away and really swimming at 3!!! i know a lot of parents swear by swim lessons, but we never did them and i don't think our girls suffered any. we have taught them safety, etc. ourselves.

best of luck with whatever you choose!

rebecca