The best baby swim floats and swimming aids for toddlers

Zoggs Baby Zoggy Inflatable Trainer has a secure seat with a pillow back to help your little one sit upright comfortably and get used to kicking their legs in the water. Our mum reviewer, Kate, was impressed by its design, saying, "It arrived in a small but weighty packet and unfolded; it is reassuringly huge. My 9-month-old is a hefty chap, but he would not come close to capsizing it!"

Kate was impressed by how quickly it inflated despite having 4 values for safety purposes. "There are four large, numbered valves, and I manage to blow it up very quickly despite its size". As Kate points out, "The fact it has four separate air chambers means that even if one were to become punctured, the seat would not collapse."

The inflatable trainer is designed to help parents keep a younger baby safe in the water, and while it doesn't replace parental supervision, Kate found it gave her peace of mind while allowing her to have a hand free if needed for another child. "If I did need to step away unexpectedly for a few seconds - for instance, if Mischa suddenly got into difficulty - I think James would be OK in the seat. So - my major dilemma is solved."

It's suitable for babies aged 0-12 months (up to 11 kg) and 12-24 months (up to 15 kg), but our tester, Kate, pointed out that this can cause an issue for larger babies. "there is one big problem: the fact that the seat has both an age and weight limit. Zoggs sells two Trainer Seats: one for 0-12 months, under 11kg, and the next for 12-24 months, up to 15kg. James is 9 months but already 10.5kg. The safety instructions on the underside are clear: we can't use this one for much longer due to his weight, but can't move up to the next size for another 3 months."

Despite this restriction, Kate praised the Zoggs inflatable trainer. "If you are looking after multiple children in the water simultaneously, the Zoggs Trainer Seat is indispensable. It makes the experience safer and less hectic. If it's just you and the baby, the seat is also a fun introduction to
water."

Read the full Zoggs Baby Zoggy Inflatable Trainer review

This bestselling baby swim seat is suitable for babies that are 0-12 months old and is perfect to keep your baby stable and upright while they get used to the feeling of being in the water. The Bestway Baby Swim Safe Seat is designed with a comfortable seat to keep your baby afloat while they learn to enjoy being in the water. Our mum tester, Mother&Baby's Features and Reviews Editor, Emily, tested this with her 4-month-old and found it gave her peace of mind. "While we would obviously never leave our son alone in it, we were pleased that he remained safe and upright in the water while using the ring. The four air chambers also gave us peace of mind in case one punctured, and the baby would still remain safe.

In terms of the initial set-up and use, the seat is easy to assemble, and you can inflate with a hand pump, electric pump or even by mouth. Emily found it ideally needed two people to comfortably put the baby in the seat. "In an ideal world, you would need two adults, one to hold the ring in the water and the other to hold the baby and manoeuvre them and their legs into the seat holes. When we tried with one person it was much trickier. Getting the baby out of the ring was a bit easier but took a bit of wiggling and was definitely still easier with another adult holding into the ring."

Emily also felt that her son was comfortable and happy to stay in the ring for a while. "I liked that he had a seat to rest his weight in and keep him comfortable - unlike plain rubber rings - and the back support was a great addition, especially for very small babies who are still working on neck strength."

Like other reviewers, Emily suggested it may not be suitable for younger babies and requires a little core strength. "Our son stayed upright but we did notice he leaned ever so slightly forwards on his front as he had his arms resting on the front of the ring. This may just be due to his age." This could be something to consider if your baby is towards the younger end of the 0-12 month age range suggested for this swim seat.

Shortlisted in the 2020 Mother&Baby Awards Best Travel Product Under £30 category

This Splash About Kids' Go Swim Vest is great for keeping your little ones warm, as well as being a buoyancy aid to assist children in learning to swim and gain water confidence. It's available in sizes for one to two years, two to four years and four to six years, as well as seven lovely colourways. Our mum tester Karen says, "There are several child-friendly and interesting designs for little ones to like - we had the gecko, which my daughter loved." She found that it was of great assistance whilst in the swimming pool as it means that you are not holding the whole weight of your child in the water. She says it also offers some peace of mind knowing they'll stay above the water.

We love this vest for travelling with, and it's perfect for taking with you on your family beach hols which our tester Joe found when he tested it in Cyprus. Mum tester Jodie says, "It is quite slim when folded, so it doesn't take up much room in your luggage. Our son has been going to swimming lessons for a while; however, he doesn't like his head getting wet or being in deeper water. The swim vest meant that as our holiday progressed, our son's confidence slowly increased so that he was happy to float and start to kick between us both."

In terms of usability, Karen describes the vest as soft and able to bend easily around the child so that it's comfortable for them to wear and not too bulky. She says her husband found it difficult to carry their daughter whilst she was wearing it, though, due to the extra circumference, which might be something to keep in mind. However, they said it's really easy to pop on the little one with a durable zip. Mum tester Julie, on the other hand, found it was perfect for her to hold her child on my hip in the water. She says, "This product gave me the confidence to take my really hyper, fearless 2-year-old to the swimming pool for the first time. It's so simple putting the vest on your child, and it's reassuring knowing you can't put it on wrong."

Our tester, Joe, concluded, "This product is at the premium end in terms of pricing for swim vests, but the value for money from the product is second to none; I will not hesitate in buying the product for the next age-up when my daughter has outgrown this one."

Read our full Splash About Kids' Go Swim Vest review

Konfidence is recommended by the Starfish Aquatics Institute and backed by 25+ years of expertise and experience, so if you're looking for a floatsuit for your toddler, this should give you confidence. The floatsuit also meets UKCA / CE Certification and conforms to independent international testing standards EN13138-1 for peace of mind.

The 8 foam, removable floats slot into the suit, making this a 2-in-1 swim aid that your tot can wear without needing a swimsuit. Our Dad tester, Daniel, found the removable floats made it easy to use and clean, saying, " the floats slip straight out and are easy to put back in", but also pointed out it's good value for money. "The cost of this wasn’t much more than a traditional swimsuit, so I would say it is good value for money, at least to try and see if this gives your child more confidence."

When it came to testing the Konfidence floatsuit with his daughter, Daniel noted that it "went on without any issues or fuss." He did note that seemed large when it was put on initially but that the fit became better when it got wet. "When in the water, the fit was far better, and it wasn’t unduly buoyant or overwhelming for my daughter, and she seemed comfortable in the floatsuit right away whilst held."

Daniel did feel that the floats around the front were a little restrictive. "The only real issue was around the size of the floats on the front. When my daughter wanted to reach out she was a bit restricted on arm movement in the water as the floats lifted under her arms." He noted that it gave his daughter confidence and support but would probably be better suited to a slightly larger child. "It offered my daughter some additional support in the water, which she needed because she struggles for water confidence, but the floats are a little too large for a smaller child to be really comfortable in it.

With 40+ SPF protection, the floatsuit is ideal on holiday or out and about, as well as in the local swimming pool. The Lycra fabric makes it easy to put on and take off and helps it dry more quickly.

Read the full Konfidence Floatsuit review

If armbands are your child's preferred flotation device, you can't go wrong with these Zoggs Armbands. They're a well-known classic for a reason. They're made from PVC, with flat contoured underarm gussets for comfort, and come in sizes suitable for under one year, one to three years, three to six years and six to 12 years. Our parent tester, Rebecca, found that they were Parents easy to blow up and deflate, taking just a few blows to inflate them. She said "they take a bit of pushing to get them on my daughter's arm but once on they feel secure, so I'm confident they're not going to slide off." Keep in mind that the armbands can puncture, but the design accounts for this by including two air chambers in each band.

Rebecca felt the quality was very good and that the armbands were made from durable material. She says, "these arm bands don't feel at all flimsy. The material feels strong and the quality of the construction is reassuring." In terms of buoyancy, these armbands are designed to keep your tot above the water but unlike others on our list, they don't tip them into a natural swimming position so aren't ideal for learning to swim. But if you're looking for a lightweight swim aid to take on holiday or throw into your swim bag, these are ideal. As our tester said, "these are so small and lightweight compared to other swim aids we've tried. I could happily take them on holiday and they'd be ideal if we had to go to the pool by public transport.".

Available in sizes 1-2 years, 2-3 years, and 4-5 years, we love this floatsuit as it comes in a variety of cute designs – like the pink owls, pussycats, sea life and tug boats. Our mum tester, Katie, tried out the SplashAbout Kids floatsuit with her 2-year-old, who loved the design. "The pattern on the one we had was really pretty and sparked interest from my daughter looking at the pictures, and there are a whole host of other colours and pictures."

The Splash About Kids UV Sun Protection Floatsuit helps promote the natural learn-to-swim position with the float arrangement and works by tipping your child forward so that their shoulder automatically moves towards the water. It does this without bulky armbands getting in the way so that they are encouraged to find their water balance and gain confidence in the water. Mum tester Katie found this increased her daughter's confidence in the water without making her reliant on the buoyancy. "It's great that it doesn’t provide too much support in a sense of a child becoming ‘too reliant’ on the additional floats and great that you can remove a few at a time as necessary, growing with the child." She also felt that it was "equally well-suited for a child new to the water as the excitement alone of putting on a new costume with wonderful prints/patterns, talking about it having floaties inside it and wanting to try it out in the water was a real encouragement for my daughter to get back in the water."

She loved the fact that the floats in each chamber are made up of two foam pieces, making it easy to customise the buoyancy and balance little ones out, reducing the number of floats as they get more competent in the water. Katie said, "the best part for me is the ability to be able to remove individual floats from the suit rather than just all or nothing that a separate float vest or float device would provide. They're super easy to remove and put back in as needed."

Not only that, but the suit is UPF50+ to help protect your child from harmful UV rays when you're swimming outdoors. Katie noted that it dries quickly and folds up easily to pop into a bag or in the drawers when not in use.

Read our full Splash About Kids UV Sun Protection Floatsuit review

A fab alternative to traditional inflatable armbands, Zoggs Float Discs Armbands are a fantastic aid to help increase your little one's confidence in the pool. The removable discs mean that buoyancy can be adjusted - start with two floats per arm and remove one from each arm as their confidence grows. They're durable, puncture-proof, don't require any inflation, and are suitable for two to six years.

One parent reviewer said they like that the bright colours make it easy to spot their kids in the pool but that they felt the armbands, despite being safe and comfortable, were a bit bulky, which has been mentioned by more than one reviewer. This may be one of the reasons why it is recommended that these arm bands only be used for short periods of time – up to 30 minutes per session, and parents are advised to regularly check for any signs of rubbing which may occur during use.

This dad of three said, "My kids had trouble with the armbands staying in place. Sometimes it slipped down their arm and had to be adjusted multiple times". He also thought the recommended age range is quite broad and that perhaps they're not as suited to very young children if prone to slipping down their arms. On the other hand, some have said they felt that kids could easily grow out of them. We think it just depends on your child.

If you're looking for a baby swim seat that's suitable for younger babies, the LAYCOL Baby Swimming Float could be a great option, especially for outdoor pools. Our tester, Joe, is the dad of a 14-month-old who tried this out while on a family holiday in Cyprus and praised the UPF50+ sun canopy. "Our daughter refused to wear a hat whilst in the sun, so we found that the shade was of real use - great coverage and protection, and even in 38 degrees of heat, was still not hot to touch. " The sun canopy is completely breathable, and it can be detached and folded when not in use, which also makes travelling with this product much easier as it'll fit into your car boot with no problem.

Joe noted that it was fairly difficult to inflate. "It comes with a hand pump to inflate, but we found this difficult to use, so we decided to pump it up the old-fashioned way, which was again quite difficult - you have to make sure you seal the plugs quickly, or you will lose air." However, he did find that once it was inflated, "it looked and felt really good and our daughter was keen to use it instantly!" Getting her in was fairly straightforward but harder in the upright position if they kicked about. "Getting our daughter into the float was quite easy, although it may need 2 of you if they like to kick their legs a lot, as the leg holes are quite small."

The Laycol float is a good option for little ones who are just starting to learn how to swim as it has two positions so they can sit upright or lie on their fronts in a swimming position. Joe commented, "The Laycol has an extra float on the front for them to hold onto, providing extra safety, and it naturally puts them in the swimming position, which is great as she started zooming around the pool in it in no time!"

It's packed with safety features, including a five-point connection to keep your little one securely in place and a removable buoyancy ball that adds stability while also ensuring they don't tip forward into the water or slide out. The float ball in the upgraded model is a great addition and added safety feature that prevents them from rolling backwards, too. However, Joe found he had more confidence when she was lying down rather than sitting up. "I felt comfortable letting her use the float on her own in the laid-down position but not so much in the sat-up position as I felt she could have toppled when moving her weight around - this may be down to the fact that it was slightly too big for her weight/age."

Read the full Laycol Baby Swimming Float review

Just like the Swimbest Swim Jacket, this swim-school-approved swim jacket has 8 foam floats, allowing you to adjust the buoyancy as your child's swimming abilities improve our mum tester, Rebecca, found this to be helpful, noting that "The quality is excellent and I love the option to remove the floats; a definite plus for cleaning and as your child becomes more confident in the water, it gives you the option to adjust the buoyancy." While she was testing the Konfidence swim jacket, Rebecca observed her daughter growing in confidence in the water. "My daughter definitely grew in confidence throughout, jumping into the pool unaided, as the jacket always brought her up to the surface."

Rebecca did note that her daughter tended to bob forward in the water but as she pointed out, the jacket is no replacement for supervision. "While the jacket provides great flotation, my daughter did tend to bob forward and backwards, which led to her swallowing water very easily; you need to hold on to less competent or younger swimmers to ensure they are safe - as the website states, it is a buoyancy aid, not a life jacket."

The Konfidence jacket has long been a feature on our list of the best swim vests, and this upgraded model has an adjustable and removable support strap, which Rebecca found helped the jacket to stay in place. "The jacket was very easy to put on my daughter and she felt remarkably secure, thanks to the strap preventing the jacket from riding up over the shoulders."

While they come in a wide range of colours, they all have a trademark yellow back to make your child highly visible in the water.

Read our full Konfidence Swim Jacket review

This baby swim vest offers complete freedom of movement while in the water to help your toddler develop a natural swimming position and gain confidence in the water. Our dad tester, Ed, said, "My little boy felt secure splashing around in the pool, which gave me peace of mind. It keeps him afloat; he also easily leans forward to help practice swimming." It's made from neoprene and has UPF 50+ sun protection, so it's perfect for taking with you to the beach or on trips to the outdoor pool, though our tester did note that while it's lightweight, "it’s a tad bulky so it’s worth considering that if you have to travel by public transport or you’re taking it on holiday (this is a feature of all swim vests though, and not having to blow it up at the pool saves time)."

It has built-in floats that are puncture-proof to aid with buoyancy as your little one learns to swim, so there is no need to worry about floats deflating while you're out for the day, but our tester did compare it to a Splash About Swim vest. He'd used it previously. "One slight drawback is that this vest doesn’t have removable floats, unlike the Splash About vest we had before this. With that vest, we could take the floats out one at a time as my child became more confident." Nevertheless, he still felt this vest was " reassuring for both us, as parents, and him" as he gained confidence.

Read our full Zoggs Swim Jacket review

This swim vest acts as a buoyancy aid for tots. The Speedo Tiger Cub Float Vest helps with developing your little one's confidence and independence in the water. Made with built-in foam inserts, the vest ensures they're held up in the water, allowing plenty of movement while they learn to swim. One reviewer says, "Our son loves his new swim vest so much. He finds it much easier to swim than the annoying armbands". Another reviewer says, "It's alright but doesn't keep little one afloat as well as armbands."

We think it depends on what you're looking for, but this product is designed to allow your child more opportunities to develop their swimming skills and provide just enough support in the process. Another parent demonstrates this in their review, saying they bought one for their 2.5-year-old, and she absolutely loves it. They say, "It still gives her room to play in the water but gives me a bit more peace of mind. She can jump in, and her head will still go under, so she gets used to going under the water, but I still catch her and bring her up. Seems good quality, too."

Some reviewers have reported that the vest comes up large. If you're worried about this, one reviewer offers a solution. They say, "It was slightly big for their quite large 2-year-old, so it would size down for a smaller child. We paired with armbands & he happily floated around the pool unaided & it should last him through next summer, too!"

If it's confidence your child needs, Swimfin Swimming Aid will absolutely do the trick. It keeps your little shark afloat without restricting movement or getting in their eye line, so it's perfect for when they reach the big pool. It also has adjustable straps, so it will be easy to wear and adjust as they grow, meaning it's suitable for two years and over.

Our mum tester, Charlotte Walsh, tried this product out on her two kids, aged two and four. She described it as bright and easy to use, ideal for helping kids with their positioning in the water. She says, "My two children loved them from day one, on land as well as in the water! The SwimFin was easy to get on and off, and it holds the child upright when treading water with minimal effort."

The fin is designed for little ones who are already confident in the water, so your younger child may need some extra support and encouragement. Charlotte says, "my two-year-old took some getting used to the water, however once he had established himself in a float vest he had no problems at all." Her older daughter was struggling with keeping her bottom up while swimming forward, and she says the SwimFin gave her the buoyancy needed to keep her up. This led to her having the confidence to swim on her own in just two weeks.

Another reviewer bought it for their six-year-old son, who hadn't mastered swimming. They said it gave him real confidence in the "big" pool. "It is just enough to help them see afloat without blocking movement" they say, "great for swimming on their back too. I would recommend it if you have a child who has some experience in the water but is not 100% capable of independent swimming."

Read our full Swimfin Swimming Aid review

The Splash About Pufferfish back float is designed for children from 2-6 years and is designed as a buoyancy aid to hold them in the right swimming position as they're learning to swim. It keeps their bodies afloat but leaves their arms and legs free to move. The four bright float boards can be removed as required, though our tester Joe noted that "the product does require 2 floats to be in place at all times, so you can only remove a maximum of 2 floats."

Dad, Joe, tested this product with his daughter, who already attends swimming lessons and is comfortable in the water. He found that the Splash About Pufferfish back float held her in the correct position for swimming, and she "loved the fact that her hands, arms, and legs were free for her to kick and splash about in the pool." He was impressed with the buoyancy of the product and suggested it could be "a great alternative to traditional armbands, which some children can find quite restrictive."

Read our full Splash About Pufferfish Back Float review