Swimming with almost 3 year old

[treasure47]

I want to start taking my almost 3 year old swimming but I'm just wondering about whether to use arm bands or swim vests, or neither? I've seen different advice - some saying that floatation aids aren't actually any good for learning to swim?
Obviously I'd be with him all the time in the pool as he's never really been swimming before so would he be okay without anything for now?

I like the foam arm bands. Both mine have learnt to swim with those just fine. The long noodle things are great too.

I don’t like the vests. It seems as easy to get stuck face down as face up (but as I’ve never seen a child stuck either way despite spending a lot of time in child swimming areas I’m not sure if that’s actually true.).
I like those firm foam armbands for ease of application. And a noodle (provided by the pool).