Get a grip people. My 3 y/o can swim and still has a puddle jumper for playing for longer stretches in the deep end with her cousins— she doesn’t have the stamina yet and doesn’t want to be left out. Calm down.

The body-glove brand has shoulder straps which made for a better fit on my skinny kid.

Anonymous wrote:Why not just use a life jacket?

I'd use a life jacket- supposed to be safer than puddle jumper. There are many for under 30 lbs

Anonymous wrote:Oh please. We used a puddle jumper until my child was 5 and then we switched to making her using a kick board.

Lazy

Why not just use a life jacket?

Which brand is best?

Use the regular size one. Hold his hands and show him how he floats in it so he’s comfortable. Make sure he knows he’s not to be in the water without one unless you are holding him.
Get him in swim lessons asap. Use the puddle jumper as a tool, never leave him
Unattended around water.

He is always with me or my husband and has been in swim lessons for months, although there is only so much a 2-year-old can really learn and do. I thought some sort of floaties that gave him a little more independence (while next to one of us) might make the pool more fun for him. We have lots of access now that it’s summer and I want him to be able to do something more than just hold on to us. I’m not sure noodles or mini kickboards are allowed at the pool.

We just used the normal sized ones even though my daughter was under the weight limit. We had zero issues.

I understand there’s a debate around these, but teaching a kid to swim well takes years. We absolutely use a puddle jumper, esp when one parent is in the water with 2+ kids. We also do swim lessons and practice without it. Not everything is all or nothing.

Oh please. We used a puddle jumper until my child was 5 and then we switched to making her using a kick board.

Anonymous wrote:Just don’t use one. Teach your kid to swim instead. They offer a false sense of security and really no benefit.

+1. 3 year old too old for puddle jumper.

Just don’t use one. Teach your kid to swim instead. They offer a false sense of security and really no benefit.

I used the Puddle jumper before 30 lbs and it worked fine but my kid wasn’t really skinny just short and small but we also had one of these that we liked that is marketed for 33 lbs or less.

https://www.amazon.com/SwimSchool-Kids-Trainer-Vests-Toddlers/dp/B0C5CK3L9N

Are you talking about something like a tuffo muddy buddy?

None. False sense of security. Hold them snd then teach them to swim.

What puddle jumper do you use for your small (~25lb) 3-year-olds? They all seem to be for 30-50lb so I’m not sure how it will fit.