Swimming advice!

[Elsraspberry]

We are going on a caravan holiday over the weekend. Most likely using the caravan pool a few times and possibly spending time at the beach. We have a 5yo who has swimming lessons but not confident swimming yet, a 3yo and a 1yo. Two adults will be with them at all times. What flotation devices are best? Should they all be in those life jackets? Armbands? We never go swimming as a family so I may be overthinking but would be helpful to have some advice from those of you that have any as I dont want to waste money on aids that arent that useful. Thankyou!

We never used attached floatation aids. We held them until they could use pool noodles then kept them within arms' reach untill they were competent. Our swim schools recommended that approach and they leant to swim at an early age. We did not have three kids close in age though.

In the pool: If it was me I would have one parent be in charge of the 1 year old and hold them at all times. The other parent would hold the 3 year old or put them on a pool noodle within arm's reach and put the 5 year old on a pool noodle when out of their depth and stay close to you and in your eye line.

In the sea: Paddling in the shallows only till they are strong swimmers.

Three kids to two adults?

some sites have shallow pools for paddling in. In the sea if they can’t swim I’d stick to paddling.

in most pools that are for swimming the rule is 1 adult per non swimming child.

My 5 year old can swim small distances unaided but not confidently. She swims confidently with a noodle and to be honest so does my 3 year old. But obviously Id still want them within arms reach.

Our local pool has the rule about 1 adult to 1 child for under 4s, hence why I/we never take multiple children. I usually take one child for a swim at a time. However the pool on holiday is 1 adult to 2 children.

We wont be going in the sea really, just paddling feet. I was thinking for one adult to stay with 1yo at all times, and other adult with 2 older ones and pool noodles. But we have two swimming sessions booked so I may just take one child at a time for their own session! 1yo obviously not bothered in the slightest about swimming!

Thanks x

I don't think your 5 year old can swim from what you described. It'll need to be 1:1 in the water to be really safe. Of course you can risk it if you like. It's your choice.

It's surprisingly hard to swim dragging a child with you. There's no way you can do that if you have two. Unless you are a very strong swimming and have lifeguard training. I don't have either skills. I had to pull my DC once in a pool in Greece because she struggled when she went to the part where she couldn't talk the ground. I was puffing badly by the time I swam with her in my arms to the side of the pool. It can all happen very quickly. Maybe a lifeguard would have come and save her if I didn't drag her myself. I'm glad I didn't have to find out however.

Yeah, I think we will just take the older 2 one at a time with one adult, whilst the other takes the other and our 1yo to do something else. Just feels too stressful/potential to be unsafe. Which was my gut instinct initially but I can be over cautious sometimes so good to sense check. Thanks everyone x

Check the pool rules. They often require 1:1 adult:child for children under 8. They’ll also have some requirements for how many layers / swim nappies they want on children who are not potty trained.

We had good experience with the Konfidence swim vests when our twins were younger. They’d probably work well for the older two.