The best swimming aids and floats to keep kids safe in the water this summer

The Zoggs Baby Zoggy Inflatable Trainer is our best swim seat overall. Its secure seat with a pillow back helps little one sit upright comfortably to kick their legs in the water. Our mum reviewer, Kate, was impressed by the design, saying she felt confident her heavy 9-month old wouldn't capsize it as it was "reassuringly huge". She also said it inflated in a flash despite the 4 safety valves and she was able to blow it up quickly, despite the size, pointing out; "The fact it has four separate air chambers means that even if one were to become punctured, the seat would not collapse."

Designed to help parents keep a younger baby safe in the water, it doesn't replace parental supervision, but Kate found it gave her peace of mind while allowing her to have a hand free if needed for another child. Kate, points out; "There is one big problem: the fact that the seat has both an age and weight limit. Zoggs sells two Trainer Seats: one for 3-12 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, saying; "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

The sturdiest baby swim seat in our list is suitable from newborn up to a year-old. It's ideal to keep baby stable and upright, feeling comfortable and secure while getting used to the water. Our mum tester, Mother&Baby Features and Reviews Editor, Emily, tested this it her 4-month-old and said; "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, the baby would still remain safe."

Emily shares her thought on the set-up and use. She said; "The seat is easy to assemble, and you can inflate with a hand pump, electric pump or even by mouth." Emily found it needed two people to comfortably put the baby in the seat. She explained; "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 said, compared to plain rubber rings, she felt the back support was a great addition for small babies still working on their neck strength. However, like other reviewers, Emily felt it may not be suitable for younger babies as it requires a little core strength. She said; "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.

If you're on the lookout for a safe baby swimming float or seat that will help protect little one from the sun's rays, this GLOBUS Baby Swiming Float is designed with a UPF50+ UV protection canopy included – for extra peace of mind. One reviewer said; "Amazing float for little ones while on holiday. Easy to blow up, strong quality and durable in the sun. Little guy had so much fun with it in the water and I felt he was very safe and secure in it with the straps."

We also like that it has a fun interactive games console to keep baby entertained if they're not too sure about the water at first. The height adjustable safety seat means you can set the float up so that baby has easy access to the sea-animal toys attached. This design uses play to help build up confidence in the water in a way that's fun and engaging.

For added safety and peace of mind there is an additional anti-tilt ring and double-layered air chambers for maximum stability. Full supervision is, of course, still required and care should be taken when inflating to avoid overpressure, so make sure you follow instructions carefully.

If your priority is safety for your toddler in the pool, we like the Splash About Kids' Go Swim Vest, available in sizes for one to two-year-olds in seven lovely colour ways. Our mum tester Karen dewscribed the designs as "child-friendly" and says, "we had the gecko, which my daughter loved." As well as being an effective buoyancy aid to assist little ones learning to swim or gain confidence in the water, it's also great for keeping little ones warm. Karen found it really useful in the swimming pool as she didn't have to whole the whole weight of her child in the water. She says it offered her peace of mind knowing they'll stay bobbing above the water.

We love this vest for travelling with, and our dad tester, Joe, took it with him to test in Cyprus. His verdict on the vest was glowing: "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." 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."

Karen describes the swim vest as soft and bendy, making it comfortable for little ones to wear, and not too bulky – although, she says her husband found it difficult to carry their daughter whilst she had it on, due to the extra circumference, which might be something to keep in mind. They said it's really easy to pop on though, and has a durable zip. Our other mum tester, Julie, found it helped her to hold her child on her 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."

Read our full Splash About Kids' Go Swim Vest review

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 noticed; "My daughter definitely grew in confidence throughout, jumping into the pool unaided, as the jacket always brought her up to the surface."

Rebecca does point out that the jacket is no replacement for supervision, saying; "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." 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.

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."

Read our full Konfidence 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!"

The Zoggs is our top pick of baby swim jackets, offering complete freedom of movement while in the water, helping 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." Made from neoprene with UPF 50+ sun protection, 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. This means there is no need to worry about floats deflating while you're out for the day, but our tester did say; "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

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 good reason. Made from PVC, with flat contoured underarm gussets for comfort, they come in a wide range of sizes, with age ranges spanning from under one year, all the way up to twelve.

Our parent tester, Rebecca, found that they easily blew up and deflated, 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." Remember 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 they aren't ideal for learning to swim. But if you're looking for a lightweight swimaid 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.".

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.

Our mum tester, Shannon, found that her daughter Matilda loved the disc armbands, while mum Shannon loved how hassle-free they were. "The main feature which we loved was the ability to just pop the discs on and not have the hassle of blowing arm bands up which made getting ready for swimming" said Shannon.

Testers found that they didn't restrict movement in the pool and they loved the bright colours, which make it easy to spot their kids in the pool. The main downside our mum tester found was when wearing two discs on each arm as one may fall down or they can start rubbing after prolonged periods. "One downfall of the float disc was when Matilda was wearing two disc on each arm they would come apart, however this did not stop fun in the pool. I found one disc by itself stayed perfectly in place" our tester said.

The Confidence Floatsuit comes with a generous number of designs to choose from, and we really like that the 8 foam, removable floats actually slot into the suit so your tot can wear the swim-aid without the need for a costume or trunks. Our dad tester, Daniel, shared that the removable floats made the suit easy to clean, saying; "The floats slip straight out and are easy to put back in." He also popints out that the floatsuit is good value for money, saying; "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."

Recommended by the Starfish Aquatics Institute and backed by 25+ years of expertise and experience, you get total peace of mind. And with 40+ SPF protection too, the floastsuit is ideal on holiday, as well as in the local outdoor pool, or splashing about in the garden paddling pool with the floats taken out. Plus, the Lycra fabric makes it easy to put on and take off, and helps it dry more quickly.

Daniel agrees that the suit slipped on easily, but said that the suit seemed large when he first put it on his daughter. He found that the fit improved after getting wet though. He also said; "it wasn't unduly buoyant or overwhelming for my daughter, and she seemed comfortable in the floatsuit right away whilst held." Daniel did feel, however, that the front floats did hinder movement slightly, explaining; "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." While he felt the suit did give his daughter confidence and support in the water, it might be better suited to and more comfortable for a slightly bigger child.

Read the full Konfidence Floatsuit review

If you're looking for a floatsuit with plenty of adjustability, this 16-piece float system adapts to your child's confidence in the water. Our mum tester, Katie, loves the fact that the floats in each chamber are made up of two foam pieces, because this makes it even easier to customise the buoyancy and balance little ones out. Katie says; "The best part for me is the ability to be able to remove individual floats from the suit rather than just the 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." Available for a variety of age ranges suitable from one to five years, and coming in plen ty of cute designs like the pink owls, pussycats, sea life and tug boats, there's something for everyone. Katie's 2-year-old loved the design she chose.

We like that the Splash About Kids UV Sun Protection Floatsuit helps promote the natural learn-to-swim position with the float arrangement, working by tipping your child forward so their shoulder automatically moves towards the water. It does this without bulky armbands getting in the way so they're encouraged to find their water balance and gain confidence quicker. Katie says; "It's great that it doesn’t provide too much support, encouraging a child to become ‘too reliant’ on the additional floats, and it's great that you can remove a few at a time as necessary, so it grows with the child."

Katie also felt that it was equally well-suited for a child new to the water, saying "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." We like that the suit is also UPF50+ to help protect your child from harmful UV rays when you're swimming outdoors, and Katie noted that it dries quickly, folding 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

The JoJo Maman Bebe Float Suit is our favourite pick of the bunch for sun protection. It will help you keep your little one safe, boasting UPF50+, making it 98% effective at blocking UVA rays. Not only this, but the colourful material, while it looks fun, is also really bright and easy to spot in the water.

The removable buoyancy floats keep your little one in the right swimming position, helping them gain confidence in the water. You can remove them as and when your child needs less support.

We like that the back zip makes this suit easy to put on and take off. It's easy to care for too, as it's machine washable.

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

The swim fin is definitely the most fun design in our list, but it's really functional too. It keeps your little shark afloat without restricting movement or getting in their eye line, making it perfect for when they reach the big pool. It also has adjustable straps, so it's easy to wear and will adjust as they grow, making it suitable for two years and over.

Our mum tester, Charlotte Walsh, tried this product out on her two and four-year-old. She describes it as bright and easy to use, saying; "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." Keep in mind that the fin is designed for little ones who are already confident in the water, so younger kids may need 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."

Charlotte's older daughter struggled to keep her bottom up while swimming forward. Charlotte says the SwimFin gave her the buoyancy needed to keep her up, leading to more confidence so she could 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."