Swim floats on holiday

[Overthebow]

We’re going on holiday in summer and the resort has a large pool with slides. My 4 year old can’t swim yet. I’ve seen lots of swim floats, vests with built in floats, arm bands, inflatable rings but what is best? Or just nothing and we hold on to her?

We have this and I think it’s brilliant!

www.decathlon.co.uk/p/swim-life-vest-swimvest-green-blue/_/R-p-353102?mc=8881510&c=fluo%20neon%20green_azure%20blue

Do no use them, i sound like a broken record but they are toys should not be on the market due to parents not caring and I am being strong in my wording deliberately

We used swim jackets for both ds and we found them useful. They are not a substitute for keeping an eye on them at all times but are much easier to deal with than arm bands and do keep them afloat.

We will be with her at all times, but there’s splash areas and slides so would just feel a bit safer if she had something.

The armless jackets can also be done up backwards, zip at the back, so a child cannot sneak it off

Some water parks won't let people wearing armbands etc use the slides swimmers only!

Absolutely agree.
Best thing I ever bought when DS was 3. Arrived at beach, put it on him, next thing we knew he was floating face down in the sea! He was fast!
If he hadn't had the jacket on he would have been under the water and we wouldn't have seen him so quickly.
Absolutely our fault for taking our eyes off him(briefly!) but I remain eternally grateful to that little jacket.

4 year old has the swim best vest with removable buoyancy aids. He only uses it on holiday and is an ok swimmer in the local pool.

2 year old has one of the foam swim vests with built in arm bands.

I don’t really care that people advise not to use these. A boy at my son’s nursery drowned while his dad was talking to the kid’s swimming teacher at the side of the pool. Split second. We have villa holidays and keep doors locked etc, always in the pool with the kids but they will have these on at all times when outside because however vigilant bad things happen. That split second of buoyancy might save their life.

fwiw I had 2 near misses as a child. Jumped into a pool with a rubber ring on and got stuck upside down. Got swept over by a wave on a beach and stuck under a jutting out rock. Adults watching both times.

We were just on holiday in the Netherlands where all weaker swimmers must use aids, and my son used one of these. It didn’t get in his way as much as some of the others and he was still able to move his arms properly.

@karmakameleon we also have the same one. I think it's the best shape of the ones we've had.

@Hannahthepink @Girasoli I much prefer it to the ones with removable floats that we had for the older boys. It doesn’t get in the way, he can’t get it off because the clip is too tricky for him and best of all it packs really well and doesn’t take up much space in the bag. Highly recommend it.