Toddler safety in pool

angeldelight

We're heading off to the Sun for Christmas and it's our first Sun holiday with or toddler (20 months). I know she's going to be obsessed with the pool and we'll spend a lot of time in it and that's fine. I'm just not sure what's the safest flotation device for that age group? we'll be inthe pool with her obviously but just thinking she won't like us actively holding her all the time as she's too independent for that...

pwurple

There are no safe floatation devices. You need to be with your toddler at all times in and around a pool. They can and do just walk right in. Make sure any gates to it are locked if it's accessible from where you are staying.

There are toys like floating seats etc, which are loads of fun, but they are not safety items in any way, you need to be in arms reach and cannot take your eyes off them.

Squirty toys are great fun too, but bring your goggles, unless you like water in your eyeballs.

uck51js9zml2yt

There is no safer way to have your child in the pool than to be with her and have a hand on her at all times.

I remember my son being in a pool. I took my hands off him for a few seconds and next think I knew he had lost his balance and was under the water.
If I hadnt been on hand to pull him up he would have drowned.

Remember it only takes a couple of inches.

dori_dormer

At that age arm bands, life vest type things etc are quite dangerous. They give you a false sense of security so you may take your eyes off her for too long and also they can flip the child face down into the water very quickly.
Id go with no accessories and stay beside your child. She may not be quite as confident as you think she'll be.

angeldelight

Yes I can completely see her just walking in, no concept of anything at this age! I'll probably get her the little inflatable seat for the fun, had seen some Zoggs vests and stuff that I thought might be suitable if we were there with her but might give them a miss

LegacyUser

We were abroad with our 15 month old last year and we did have a floating seat for her for fun but she wanted to be in our arms after day 1.We didn't buy any other device (and the seat was a loan from a friend to try out), it's just too dangerous. You don't get much pool time to be honest, because they do get cold after about half an hour/40 mins.Part of parenting I guess

Moonbeam

Arm bands would be the best, those flotation vests are lethal if they trip or anything they end up face down in the water and can not right themselves.

seamus

Arm bands are perfectly safe and not dangerous at all - once you understand that they are no substitute for attentiveness. They give you the freedom to let the child float and experience floating in the water without having you hold onto them permanently. But you still need to have your eyes on them constantly.
When there are two of you in the water, always do direct hand-offs - ensure that the other person is actively looking at/holding the child before you take your attention away.

There is an argument that arm bands later on inhibit the ability to learn to swim effectively, but at 20 months that's not an issue.

Tabnabs

Piggyback is the best, you have full control of how much the child is immersed in the water. If your head is above water, so is theirs. Child is in close physical contact at all times and sees directly how much their parent is enjoying being in the water and how fun it is.