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Original poster

Paddling pool help - posting here for traffic!

26 replies

badger2005 · 07/07/2017 16:01

I have just got a paddling pool, and we have 4 hot children waiting.

I can't figure out how to inflate it. There are big sort of plug holes with two plugs, one with a cross on it. So I thought I could use a football pump on it. But the cross is plastic so the thing can't get in.

Help?!

OP posts:
Original poster
badger2005 · 07/07/2017 16:03

The cross is sort of covered in plastic, if you know what I mean

OP posts:
Isadora2007 · 07/07/2017 16:04

Photo?

justkeepswimmingg · 07/07/2017 16:08

Is it possible to use a hairdryer (cold setting)? Or perhaps one of those foot pumps that you can use to blow up inflatable beds?

baddyface · 07/07/2017 16:10

Is it one of those plug/valve things that needs squeezing really hard to open up?

Original poster
badger2005 · 07/07/2017 16:11

Can't do photos. My hairdryer does hot and warm - would warm be okay? How do I inflate the hairdryer?

It is like a plastic cross on the outside of the plug, and inside that is a sort of thing with a hole in it that fits the football pump pin.

OP posts:
BabsGanoush · 07/07/2017 16:14

I watched a YouTuber recently used a garden leaf blower - worked a treat.

mummyrabbitpeppapig · 07/07/2017 16:37

how do I inflate the hairdryer? Grin

mummyrabbitpeppapig · 07/07/2017 16:38

Sorry - that wasn't very helpful was it?

Can you post a link to the paddling pool?

justkeepswimmingg · 07/07/2017 17:04

Depends what type of nozzles you have for your hairdryer. Some slim nozzles will fit, depending on the size of the plug holes on the paddling pool. You just need to try and seal around the hairdryer to avoid the air coming out (if that makes sense). Not sure if the warm setting would cause a problem or not though, I have a cool setting on mine and have used that in the past with no problems. Hope you've got it resolved now?

Crusoe · 07/07/2017 17:12

Just done our new paddling pool. You have to squeeze the valve as you inflate it. Didn't really work with the foot pump so had to blow into it. Blooming hard work and makes you dizzy.

Original poster
badger2005 · 07/07/2017 18:58

... and breathe!

Sorry for not replying before - was kind of a bit hectic. My 2 dc invited a friend each round, and I had planned paddling pool fun + board games for the older ones/whatever they liked + nice tea with icecream. But the whole paddling thing went wrong. Not being able to inflate the b*** thing was the latest in a line of calamities that I won't bore you with. In the end we got the sprinkler going so the children cooled off, and then I managed to very very partially inflate the pool by using the bike pump with duct tape, and a bit of blowing into it which was weirdly ineffective. I tried using a hairdryer by guessing what you meant (should have got more info first!) and all I did was overheat my hairdryer.

Luckily the bigger two were not bothered about the paddling pool and the little two played very happily in it when I added some water even though it was little more than a bumpy piece of plastic on the lawn!

Little friend gone home, others playing minecraft, and I'm eating the left over nuggets. So now the paddling pool problem is more intellectually interesting than urgent. It is this. I will read the reviews and see if anyone else is also stuck.

Thank you so much lovely mumsnetters for offering your help, and thanks mummyrabbitpig for making me laugh!

OP posts:
SloeGinRocks · 07/07/2017 19:03

We use a foot pump - it has different sized nozzles & the medium one fits the biggest hole on the paddling pool - looks very much like yours but is just blue from Sainsbury's,

FATEdestiny · 07/07/2017 19:06

You want an electric pump. But this:

www.argos.co.uk/product/3664120

We've had it 13 years now. Gets loads of use mostly paddling pool. Also air beds for sleepers.

Well worth £28. Although I bet you could buy cheaper.

FATEdestiny · 07/07/2017 19:06

Sleepovers*

Original poster
badger2005 · 07/07/2017 19:07

Thank you SloeGinRocks - I think I'll buy one like that. How long roughly does it take you to inflate your paddling pool? Thanks!

OP posts:
FreedomMummy · 07/07/2017 19:10

Definitely get an electric pump!!

We just bought a very similar paddling pool to that and it went up really quickly with our pump that we use for camping.

This is similar to ours and it's only £6.50

Original poster
badger2005 · 07/07/2017 19:11

Oh or thank you FATEdestiny maybe electric is the way to go.
In the product description for the one you have linked to it says: "There's nothing worse for a child than having to wait for the pool to be ready to play in". I disagree. Even if we just focusing on 1st world problems, I'd say it is worse to be the parent sitting the in sun frantically trying to get it to inflate! When I looked up the children seemed to be having an okay time, playing in the sprinkler, and coming over to help/see how I was getting on/offer suggestions! It was just me that was stressing out about things not measuring up to expectations!

OP posts:
FATEdestiny · 07/07/2017 19:12

How long roughly does it take you to inflate your paddling pool?

I've got exactly the same paddling pool as you op. Takes about 2 or 3 minutes per outer ring. The whole thing inflated within 5 minutes.

Original poster
badger2005 · 07/07/2017 19:12

Am liking the cheap electric tesco one FreedomMummy. Those big attachments might fit into the big hole. Maybe this whole plastic cross thing is just a big red herring.

OP posts:
FATEdestiny · 07/07/2017 19:15

My toddler announced on the school run this morning it was hot and she wanted the paddling pool out. She was in the inflated pool playing with the hosepipe while it filled within 10 minutes of getting home.

Original poster
badger2005 · 07/07/2017 19:16

Five Minutes FATEdestiny, Five minutes!!! I spent about an hour on mine and by the end I had managed to get enough air so it could hold a puddle!
I have learnt something today anyway.
Our old paddling pool was a lot smaller and I just used to blow into it to inflate. It took a while, but it wasn't a ridiculous task. With the children growing, I thought the paddling pool should too, but I guess my lung capacity has stayed the same.

OP posts:
snotato · 07/07/2017 19:18

Op-check the opposite end of the pool from the big holes that you've been trying to inflate.
I had a pool a while ago which has 2 big holes at one and which I couldn't figure out how to inflate.It wasn't until a while later I noticed smaller plug holes in the opposite end (like you get in armbands)
I had been trying to inflate it through the big holes which were supposed to be used to deflate the pool faster.

Original poster
badger2005 · 07/07/2017 19:18

FATEdestiny that is exactly the sort of parenting that I was planning to pull off. Not a crazed woman warning the children to stand back in case of an explosion while she sellotaped a hairdryer to a paddling pool. Next time I'll have this!!

OP posts:
Original poster
badger2005 · 07/07/2017 19:22

snotato I have just been to check, and I couldn't see anything. But thank you - that would have made sense of everything.

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