My 3.5 year old is starting to get a lot more comfortable in the pool (she can swim about 6 feet independently to me) so we just let her hold onto a pool noodle. I like it because she can't just passively float with it, and it forces her to use her feet and arms to move around. I also think it makes it easier for her to try swimming independently since we don't have to take something off or on her. It's not as safe as a puddle jumper though (since she could easily let go of it) so we're always close by.

I don't oppose puddle jumpers fwiw, she used one all of last summer (when she was 2.5) and loved it. But now I'm trying to push her more toward independent swimming.

Anonymous wrote:swim lessons

Who is offering swim lessons right now? We were taking through the YMCA and they have not resumed.

swim lessons

Anonymous wrote:honestly- you should teach her to swim, and until she is comfortable swimming in water over her head, she should not be allowed in such water without you or another adult in arms reach. The puddle jumpers provide a false sense of security and inhibit kids learning to swim.

NP. So do you have any recommended resources for teaching kids to swim? My DS, who just turned 4, was in swim lessons before the pandemic started, but had literally just moved to a class where they start teaching real swimming skills. He can float on his back and will hold his breath and go under water, but he definitely cannot swim on his own (but he thinks he can, which makes me nervous). We will have limited access to a pool this year as we were still on the waitlist for our community pool and unlikely to get off. But we will likely have a few days will pool access and I'd love to help him during that time, if I can. I just don't know the best way.

Life jacket over the puddle jumper so they can learn to use their arms.

Anonymous wrote:Your arms. Ditch the puddle jumper.

Agreed. If they don't have a puddle jumper it's more reason and incentive for them to learn to swim.

Your arms. Ditch the puddle jumper.

I would go with the puddle jumper again. I understand the argument that it inhibits learning, etc., but if you are just at the pool sporadically with a 3.5 year old it's safer to have it on while in the pool area, especially if you're supervising multiple different age children. The kid isn't going to learn to swim this summer anyway.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:honestly- you should teach her to swim, and until she is comfortable swimming in water over her head, she should not be allowed in such water without you or another adult in arms reach. The puddle jumpers provide a false sense of security and inhibit kids learning to swim.

This 100%. No devices.

+1000

Anonymous wrote:honestly- you should teach her to swim, and until she is comfortable swimming in water over her head, she should not be allowed in such water without you or another adult in arms reach. The puddle jumpers provide a false sense of security and inhibit kids learning to swim.

NP but we have a 3.5 year old and he always wears his Puddle Jumpers AND an adult is right there. It just makes it less exhausting for me as I’m not that tall or strong and DS is!

Anonymous wrote:honestly- you should teach her to swim, and until she is comfortable swimming in water over her head, she should not be allowed in such water without you or another adult in arms reach. The puddle jumpers provide a false sense of security and inhibit kids learning to swim.

This 100%. No devices.

honestly- you should teach her to swim, and until she is comfortable swimming in water over her head, she should not be allowed in such water without you or another adult in arms reach. The puddle jumpers provide a false sense of security and inhibit kids learning to swim.

Anonymous wrote:It’s the opposite, puddle jumpers start at 30 pounds. They go up to 50 pounds.

This

It’s the opposite, puddle jumpers start at 30 pounds. They go up to 50 pounds.

She had a puddle jumper last summer. What should I get her this year? She’s just over 35 pounds if that matters (puddle jumpers might only go up to 35). I remember water wings hurting to get on and off as a kid.