The best kids life jackets to help keep them safe

For the toddlers and kids who haven’t learned to swim yet, or are not as confident in the water, ensuring you get the best kids life jackets is essential for keeping them safe.

With the summer months in the UK not far off, planning for holidays, days out to the beach and pool activities are well underway. While you're probably planning what swimwear your child needs, have you thought about how to keep them safe in the water too?

Our favourite kids life jackets shortlist 2023:

• Our favourite overall kids life jacket: Kids Life Jacket 100N LJ Easy Orange/Grey
• Our favourite kids life jacket for babies and toddlers: Marinepool CHILDS 100N Buoyancy Lifejacket
• Our favourite buoyancy kids life jacket: Konfidence The Original Jacket

If you've looked at swimming aids for babies, then life jackets are the next best thing. They help to keep your children floating the right way in water and also come with features such as whistles and crotch strap to keep the life jacket in the correct position.

A buoyancy aid is significantly different from a life jacket, and works in a similar way to some baby swimming vests. These are ideal for shallow water and splashing around in a shallow pool. It's important to know the difference between the buoyancy aid and life jacket before purchasing.

The best kids life jackets and buoyancy aids 2023

Best kids life jackets: all you need to know

What to look for when buying a kids life jacket

With all the technical language and many options to choose from, it can be tricky to know which kids life jacket to buy.

According to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) choosing a lifejacket for the type of activity you are doing is the most important part.

With a large variety of life jackets on the market, it’s good to know what certain features to look for:

Buoyancy: The heavier the child, the more buoyancy needed. Measured in Newtons, 100N is the average for sheltered calm water (and 150N for coastal). Check the life jacket for its recommended amount and also consider what you are buying the life jacket for.

ISO approved: All new life jackets are required to meet the International Standards Organisation standard ISO12402. Older life jackets might have the CE approved mark for full safety and protection, numbered between EN393 to EN399.

Sizing: Buy a life jacket aligned with the RNLI suggestions. It must have a firm fit and be suitable for your child’s current size. Avoid buying for them to grow into in a few weeks or months. If the life jacket is too big, your child’s head will slip right in and provide no support, which is dangerous. To test the correct fit, lift the life jacket around 3cm from your child’s shoulders.

Foam: All children under seven years of age should be in a foam life jacket.

Neck /collar support: Without this important feature - it is not a life jacket.

Strapping: Straps around the crotch ensure that the life jacket is positioned correctly when in use and also helps to prevent the life jacket from rising up.

Whistle: A great feature to have if the wearer needs to call for help and get your attention.

Vibrancy: It’s always handy to have a bright life jacket with additional reflective taping to ensure full visibility. Avoid dark colours as these are hard to see in the water.

What is the difference between a life jacket and a buoyancy aid?

Life jacket

A device that keeps the wearer facing upwards in the water with head support, is strongly recommended for babies, toddlers and kids who struggle in the water by themselves.

Buoyancy aid

A device that aids the buoyancy of the wearer and keeps them afloat. Recommended for older children and more confident kids in the water, as these generally do not provide head support.

Samantha Ball is a Product & Lifestyle Writer for Mother&Baby and freelanced for the website for two years before joining the team full time. She's a mum of two and loves browsing for the best products and cute outfits.