Really good armbands for nearly 5 year old swimming?

[ExAstris]

Can anyone recommend armbands that will actually hold DS afloat please? I remember mine used to hold me up really well as a child, and I must've been at least DS's age, but when I tried to let his hold his weight... well, they didn't and he still hasn't forgiven me.

Armbands are not flotation devices and aren't intended to hold a child afloat.
Lessons?

No swimming lessons I have seen in the last 10 years have used arm bands.

The idea is to teach a child to swim using pool noodles and foam floats that the child holds

DS has some SN and is not ready for lessons with a stranger. My sister is a swimming teacher and has told us the initial steps that would be taken in lessons, so we are working on those. She also gave us some armbands but they are not float-y enough, I guess intended to be used with pool noodles, but DS will not use either floats or pool noodles, probably due to the texture. Other kids we see at the pool seem to be held up by their armbands, and as I say I remember distinctly mine doing so when I was little. If they're not to help you float, what are they for?

Would he tolerate an inflatable noodle.

Also, check his weight, and the range on the armbands. Might need some the next size up?

All floatation devices will state they are not to keep you afloat, and need to be used within the depth of the child,and under adult supervision.

One other option would be a life jacket style top, if he would tolerate the texture. They seem to go upto about 30kg, but suggest looking for one which will fasten under his legs also, otherwise they can easily slip up.

All of the above is based on watching kids who are in a pool ost days from March to November. They tend to ditch the flotation aids quite early, so might not scale up to your son very well.

Swim fins are fantastic as they hold them in the right position for swimming and leave arms free.

Try a float suit.

My DS (4) uses these Delphin Arm Bands https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0002GTK9Y/ref=cmswwrcpptai_Phmpxb2J6HDSE

They're brilliant, really floaty. He has SN and doesn't like the float suits, and not that keen on noodles but he loves these. He has special needs swimming lessons and the swim teacher says although they wouldn't encourage arm bands in 'normal' swimming lessons, the main thing is for him to feel happy and confident in the water, so these are great.

We used Delphin swimming disks with my DD (Amazon sell them). Still use them now, (she's 5) but we stay close. They keep her afloat, assuming she's not trying to strip them off, which she usually is.

She also has SN, and before she went to school it was about getting her used to the water, and comfortable with it, not necessarily about learning to swim. You do what works.

Cross-post, Frio! virtually said exactly the same thing too

Dd did very well with a Swimfin long before she started lessons. Leaves the arms more free to move and it seems really secure.

All the swim schools we've been to have used the foam disc type arm bands, you start with 3 on each arm, then 2, then 1 as they get more confident.

Thanks everyone. Those foam disc things look great, and he's more likely to accept them as they're still armbands, sort of. I'll order some.
Thanks again.