How to take 3 young children swimming?

[Sunshine1235]

We are going on holiday next month (hopefully) and there is a family pool we would love to use. We have a 1yr old, 4yr old and 5yr old. Due to Covid they haven’t been swimming for 2 years, can’t swim and obviously our 1yr old has never been. It will be me and DH in the pool with them, there doesn’t appear to be a paddling area.

Is this possible? Should I get some swimming aids to help them and make it safer? There are big long steps along the side of the pool so my thought is that I could sit there with my youngest and one of the others while my husband takes it in turns taking the older two out into the pool. Last time we went swimming we didn’t use swimming aids or anything but we could take a child each, obviously this time we can’t do that. Any advice? Or is it just not possible to do safely?

When I did brownies it was 1 adult to 2 children under 7. 1 adult to 5 children over 7

Thank you for all the comments and suggestions, I really appreciate all the advice and different thoughts. Will chat it through with DH and come up with a plan. I’m thinking maybe the vests for the older two and a ring for the younger one. I think the middle one will probably be quite nervous to start with anyway and happy to sit on the side steps splashing with me.

To answer a couple of things, because of Covid restrictions we are only able to use the pool for 40 mins at a time so it won’t be a long time for the baby or for us to lose concentration. Thank you @Almost2022 for your kind offer, they are actually both boys but I’m sure I’ll be able to buy or borrow what I need.

Oh and the pool guidelines just say children under 15 must be accompanied, I am going to call them to double check their ratios.