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Original poster

What swim aid should 2yo use?

29 replies

Newfamily2014 · 01/04/2016 15:52

Not sure if there is a different board I should post on but was wondering what swimming aid should a 2 yo use?
We've been taking her swimming for some time now, just holding her as she floats and kicks and does 'swimming arms'. Shes's getting more and more confident and is keen to try swimming in her own. What should I get for her? Arm bands? Floaty swim costume? So much choice!

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MrsPnut · 01/04/2016 15:54

We just used a woggle under the arms, it helps with being in the right position to swim.

Pastaagain78 · 01/04/2016 15:59

Just a woggle under the arms.

Chocolatteaddict1 · 01/04/2016 16:18

Swimming teacher here.

It depends on lots of things. How deep is the water? Can they stand up? What is their balance like?

Noodles are OK for slightly older children who can lie in a prone position or stand up and have the core strength to keep their legs up.

For my little ones to start off with I use a age appropriate ring and arm bands. This helps with mobility and confidence such as just being able to float and play unaided with feet of the floor. Being confident in the water is a huge tool towards unaided swimming.
Once they can start to travel and lean forward (ie. Kicking feet, paddling with hands then a noodle can be introduced.

IME a two year old with a noodle that can't swim will struggle as there is so much going on trying to get feet off floor, leaning forward, using hands, kicking feet. I'd just focus on her leading to float, travel and play at her age.

It may seem that you are going backwards to add a ring but if you miss out some of the fundamental stages of learning to swim you will end up with issues a bit further down the road.

Things like getting her to lie on her tummy like a crocodile in the bath or pool steps and kicking from the tip toe , blow bubbles, gently putting face in water all goes towards when she is confident to get rid of the ring and go it with the noodle or armbands.

Arm discs are very under rated. You can pile on three ar a time and whittle down to none when she has a good prone position. I would however use full on armbands at first so she feels completly safe.

Costumes with buoyancy aids tend to give support in the wrong place and are a waste off money I think and more of a hindrance.

Good luck

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Buttons23 · 01/04/2016 16:22

I have a two year old who I just took swimming today and he uses a ring and arm bands. Although today he was happy with just the armbands, but then we are regular swimmers. We focus more on getting him confident, playing and now he is quite happy in the water and starting to kick his legs.

MigGril · 01/04/2016 16:49

I'm surprised to hear a swimming teacher talk about using a ring.

Have only ever used a woggle with both mine and took them to swimming lessons from very early on. Swimming instructor recommend not to use armbands swimming rings so we haven't.

I have a friend who's mum is a swimming teacher and I think her biggest. Argument against is that many children use them for to long become to dependent on them and parents the same to have a false sense of their child being safe. Which is maybe more of an issue when you have more then one child.

Chocolatteaddict1 · 01/04/2016 19:42

I'm surprised to hear a swimming teacher talk about using a ring

Why? They are a great tool to teach unaided water confidence. Putting a two year old in water deep enough they can't put their feet down with just s noodle - in my 15 year experience is dangerous and unstable. Using a ring and discs/bands enables the small child to travel unaided and learn real balance. When that is mastered other tools can be used in a prone position. (Shark fin, floats, noodle)

If floatation tools are taken away too early it can have a negative effect on swimming position and style as they tend to over compensate ie a fast hand grabbing action instead of a correct arm pull or a weak leg kick because they can't get there back side up as they havnt spent time learning to float in prone (flat ) position.

How can you be lured in to a false sense of security when your kids have arm bands on?

I think some teachers take them off way to early rather than making sure that they are swimming correctly for that stage in which other teachers then have to go on and fix.

ODog · 01/04/2016 21:15

My almost 2yo swims a few metres at a time independently with 3 ring armbands on each arm.

However he has just started new lessons at a new pool which is much shallower and they just have him wade about as he cant go out of his depth or if 'swimming' parents support them with a hand/arm under those tummy.

I think everyone does it differently, but essentially it's just about making sure they have fun and feel confident at this ageS

MeredithShepherd · 01/04/2016 21:19

My just 2 year old hason been using a woggle for about 6 months now in his swimming lessons and can swim confidently with it. They hold them in the correct position for swimming in so I'd never use arm bands or rings.

Technoremix · 01/04/2016 21:29

We used arm bands from 1-2 years. I think they help with water confidence. From 2-3yo we used a noodle. Dd is now 3.5 and can swim about 3m under the water ( she hasn't mastered breathing!). But she can float alone on front and back.

The biggest thing with little children is that they are water confident. So they can dive down and pick up things from the bottom of the pool. Dive in head first( if the water is deep enough etc).

wheresthel1ght · 01/04/2016 22:45

I wouldn't use armbands. A very good friend of mine is a swimming teacher and her company do not recommend them as they hold kids in the wrong position to learn to float and swim.

The people suggesting a noodle are the ones to listen to, or a float vest/suit where the floats are around the tummy area.

My dd is 2.5 and very confident with a noodle or best. Can happily swim widths of our local pool and race down the water slide that plunges into the main pool etc.

DrWhooves · 01/04/2016 22:50

I'd recommend a swim fin. My DD got on much better with hers than with armbands, it leaves her arms and legs free to learn the strokes. She doesn't wear any float aid for her lessons now but I often see the swim teachers use the fins with the younger class.

Chocolatteaddict1 · 01/04/2016 22:54

where no they honestly do not.

Chocolatteaddict1 · 01/04/2016 22:58

The major issue with swim vests is that the younger child can tip forward leaving the legs raised and them not be able to lift their face out.

starry0ne · 01/04/2016 23:00

My ds did water babies..He went back to lessons and was put in arm bands he couldn't swim in them and went backwards so put him in a floaty vest much better..

He has had lessons since.. I don't advocate them. Noodles are great too.

Chocolatteaddict1 · 01/04/2016 23:01

I wouldn't use armbands. A very good friend of mine is a swimming teacher and her company do not recommend them as they hold kids in the wrong position to learn to float and swim

incorrect

wheresthel1ght · 02/04/2016 01:51

Chocolate I fear your information is out of date and potentially dangerous.

This link www.littlefishswimschool.com.au/dangers-using-floaties-and-arm-bands and several others including Wikipedia state that the vertical position is incorrect for learning to swim.

The current advice is not to use water wings

Lellyloveslarry · 02/04/2016 07:25

My kids have learned to swim using arm rings, fins , then finally kick board at our pool. Different swim schools have diff methods o think,

Lellyloveslarry · 02/04/2016 07:26

My kids have learned to swim using arm rings, fins , then finally kick board at our pool. Different swim schools have diff methods o think,

Pocket1 · 02/04/2016 08:01

Chocolateaddict thank you for your really helpful expert advice. We are doing pretty much all you've said and have a very confident almost 3 year old water baby!

slebmum1 · 02/04/2016 08:14

What's a woggle?

Before DTs started lessons they used a ring, and still do in the deep pool - it's for fun.

Their lessons use noodles, floats and arm discs.

slebmum1 · 02/04/2016 08:15

Oh, I see a woggle is a noodle:)

bruffin · 02/04/2016 08:28

Wheresthelite
I have very good friends who are asa swimmimg teacher and use arm rings. Chocolate is right. Both my learnt using arm rings and they are both excellent swimmers

MigGril · 02/04/2016 21:03

Parents don't seem to think they need to watch their children so closely when they are wearing armbands I've seen this many times at our local pool.

You should be right there and with them at all times if they can't touch the bottom and they can't swim. Both mine have been to lessons where they only use woggles or holding your child in a deep pool at that age.

When I asked about am bands I was told not to use them. Like I said my friends mum who's a swimming teacher also recommends not to. So it wasn't just or teacher. She really doesn't like the rings from a safety point.

MigGril · 02/04/2016 21:11

Bruffin arm ring's are different to am bands and I've seen them used some times in older one swim classes.

Chocolate is talking about arm bands and flotation rings not the same thing.

Arm rings they use in class some times instead of using the square floats so they have hands free. You can and more rings can't you to give more or less bouncy.

cowbag1 · 02/04/2016 21:15

DS does waterbabies and they don't recommend flotation devices like water wings or vests as children rely on them and don't build up confidence in the water. DS uses a noodle/woggle and at 15 mo, is able to kick his legs and propel himself through the water on it. We use a chest support type hold to practice arm movements. Ds is incredibly confident in the water.

I don't see how water wings allow children to practice their arm movements and surely they throw off your balance in the water? I also think, maybe controversially, that they are overused (i.e. when the child is within their own depth and so can stand up) and some parents rely on them instead of properly supervising their children.

I learned to swim independently age 4 without any formal instruction and have never used a flotation aid.

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