Warm swimming costumes for children?

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Tried this on shopping thread but thought travel might be better…

Help! My 4 year old son loves the water but gets terribly cold and turns blue. Can anyone recommend a swimming costume he could wear to help him keep warm? He used to have a wetsuit type thing from JoJo Maman Bebe but it was so stiff - made him walk like a robot and I’m not 100% sure it made him any warmer! I’m struggling to find something from looking online and not sure where to look so any pointers really useful.
He’s 4 but very small, often wears age 2-3. Will also have to get something for his baby sister too.
Thank you!

Splashabout and swimbubs do warm wetsuits but tend to stop at 2-3. Maybe something like this?

Osprey Toddlers 3mm Shorty Summer Kids Wetsuit, One Piece with SPF 50+ for Boys and Girls, Multiple Colours https://amzn.eu/d/h59edLA

Why not just use a shortie wetsuit - you could look at some in decathlon and see which seem soft? Or Splash About do little wraps (though our swim school advised against them)

We had the same issue when my son was young. We used wet suit tops or fleece swimming t-shirt.

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/kids-anti-uv-short-sleeved-1-5-mm-neoprene-top-turquoise/_/R-p-309451

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/kids-short-sleeve-fleece-t-shirt-blue/_/R-p-122130

https://www.next.co.uk/shop/productaffiliation-swimwear/category-wetsuits?dp=a&dndl=1&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiAlcyuBhBnEiwAOGZ2S-d0tjWDPLsI9OoKaKUh6JFYCuqRn5Qz_FTyIIUpVn-iGeFL-7ctHhoC0uQQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds&p=2#337.9375305175781

Next have loads! When they are little there's loads of choice I lived these when DC was much smaller.

Make sure whatever you get is tight, as they are (a bit!) warmer that way.

Thanks everyone, will start checking out these recommendations. I can’t get my head around how a fleece lined thing would work…surely it would get soaked and having something soaking next to skin would make you even colder? I guess they wouldn’t sell them if they didn’t work though. Out of interest, why does a swim school not recommend the wraps? Was just looking at one for my (baby) daughter.
Not sure how to reply to people directly!

Another vote for decathlon wetsuit - worked well for us

A swimming teacher told me that neoprene makes the child more buoyant, which isn't a helpful thing in swimming lessons - especially with the baby lessons where they are putting the babies under the water and encouraging them to swim under.

Ours wore and still do wear proper wetsuits, protection from the sun and the cold

My daughter is the same. Until she was 3 she wore splashabout wetsuits then we just bought a shortie wetsuit. She wears it year round even in indoor pools and still complains she’s cold!! Will look in to fleece lined ones to wear as well…

not sure about neoprene causing an issue for baby swimming tbh…my daughter always wore stuff like this. They’re not life jackets (let go of the kid and they will definitely still sink!!) so I really can’t see how they’d impact dunking the babies under the water. Our swim school recommended them when my daughter was turning blue 😂

Two bare feet do good kids wetsuits. Probably better quality than say decathlon, so will feel less stiff. There’s often kids wetsuits for sale on Facebook marketplace around here, but I’m guessing this could be area dependent!! We live in NE Scotland so mine wear wetsuits in the paddling pool as well as lochs and the sea.

A wetsuit will give a child extra buoyancy, but no more so than a child who is overweight will have extra buoyancy. Also if a child enjoys swimming and stays in the water longer, then they will improve their swimming. Just a slightly different perspective to above.

I haven't tried them out yet, but I've got mine these from Decathlon. They are like a thin wetsuit, sort of fleece lined inside. I also got my son this one from Aqua Sphere, which is a wet suit but it has lycra short arms and legs so not as bulky as a proper wet suit and less prone to rubbing.

Thanks everyone! This is all so helpful. Sorry for the late reply - locked myself out of my account!