Best Pool Floats for Babies in 2021

My baby loves taking a dip in a pool of water, which is why I decided to buy a pool float to ensure that he can safely swim without the risks of drowning. Compared to adult floats, baby floats are quite different not just in design but in overall features as well.

We know babies enjoy swimming; hence, if you want to keep your baby safe in the pool, you should invest only in the best pool floats for babies. I’ve created reviews and a quick buying guide to help you shop for one.

Best Baby Pool Floats Comparison Chart

Preview Product Age Range Canopy Buy
SwimWays Baby Spring Float swimways baby spring float

9- 24 Months

Yes

SwimWays Baby Spring Float Activity Center with Canopy SwimWays Baby Float Activity Center

9- 24 Months

Yes

SwimSchool Fun Fish

6 – 18 Months

Yes

Swimming Baby Float Ring

6-72 Months

No

swimschool Mariner Fabric Baby Boat

6 – 18 Months

Yes

Best Pool Floats for Babies in Details

1. Swim Ways Baby Spring Float Sun Canopy

I can’t possibly miss this out in my top picks for the best baby pool floats. It has a hard-wearing fabric cover that aids to preserve the integrity of the float. With this, the float is guaranteed to last you longer.

The baby spring float is recommended for babies age 9 to 24 months old. It has a retractable canopy with a see-through mesh.This not only protects your child’s skin; it also gives you the opportunity to keep an eye on your baby at all times.

Best Baby Pool Floats

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Another good thing about the Swim Ways float is that it folds perfectly into its original packaged size. Furthermore, a carrying tote is included in the package so that you can pack the float for any trip with no trouble at all.

2. SwimWays Baby Spring Float Activity Center with Canopy

If you are looking for a pool float to introduce your child to the water with enhanced security, then search no further. With the dual inflation chambers of its float activity center, you can be confident of your child’s safety and security with the Swim Ways baby float.

Apart from the dual inflation chambers, this product also features child safety valves and has a large circumference. It also has a removable sunshade canopy that prevents harmful sun rays from affecting the skin of your child. These further enhance the security of your child.

SwimWays Baby Spring Float Activity Center with Canopy

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Additionally, the float has an interactive octopus head and also includes various toys such as a soft touch star, squeaker fish, fish tither, and stacking rings. These toys are all held in place by an octopus-like arm. You can be aware of life vest for kids.

3. Swim School Baby Boat Fun Fish Fabric

This brightly colored and stylishly designed first-grade float brings the thrills of swimming to babies’ age 6 to 18 months. It keeps your little ones safe and secure by creating safety bubbles around them. Soft pads cushion the seat and also encase the stomach of your baby.

This pool float for baby ensures that your child is comfortable and can climb into the water with ease.The fish-shaped float comes with an open mesh area which allows your baby to play

best swim floaties for toddlers

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and sit comfortably while in the pool. Also, its inflatable design makes it easy to carry and store when not in use.

Additionally, this baby float is covered with a retractable sunshade which shields your baby from harmful sun rays with its UPF safety rating of 50. With its awesome combination of the great features described above, I believe it is one of the best baby floats you can find in the market.

4. Free Swimming Baby – Best Baby Swim Float

This deluxe baby float is different from the conventional baby swimming ring. It features a comfortable backrest and a well-thought-out design.

The waist ring is equipped with three different sizes (small, large, and extra large) to fit children age 3 months to 6 years.

While the armpit is oriented 40 degrees, the front part is raised so that it won’t overturn. This allows your baby to learn how to swim while ensuring stability and safety at all times.

Best Baby Swim Float

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There are built-in bells around about the float to ensure that your baby has a joyful swimming time cruising in the pool. The entire baby float is made from non-toxic PVC material, thus removing the need to worry about any toxic contamination.

5. SwimSchool Lil’ Mariner Fabric Baby Boat

The swim school Mariner baby boat welcomes your baby aboard as the boat’s captain. This gives your children a good start in boosting their confidence. Its adjustable seat makes it flexible enough to fit perfectly for kids age 6 to 24 months of age.

As your baby cruises in the pool, there will not be a dull moment at all.The baby boat stimulates your child’s senses with its lights and sounds which include beeps, honks, and squeaks.

SwimSchool Lil Mariner Fabric Baby Boat

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The seat is very comfortable and covered with a sun shade retractable canopy that has a UPF50 safety rating to protect your little one from the harmful sun rays. The Mariner fabric boat is definitely the perfect way for your baby to enjoy the water.

6. Greenco Kids Colorful Inflatable Water Wheel Roller Float

Anything colorful gets the attention of babies; we all know that. This is one of the outstanding features of this roller float.

The rainbow strings incorporated into its I-Beam construction gives it a colorful and flamboyant appearance.This is one baby float that comes with a repair patch which could be used to extend the life of the product in the event of damage.

Even then, damage will be a rare occurrence because it is made of heavy duty PVC material, not to mention that the construction is solid.

Greenco Kids Colorful Inflatable Water Wheel Roller

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This roller float is designed for kids age 3 and above. I can assure you that its big and colorful hamster wheel-like design will give your kids a fun pool experience.

7. Leeron Inflatable Unicorn – Best Infant pool Float

If you want a pool float that will be the center of attraction when you take your baby to a beach or a public swimming pool, then this is a perfect choice. The unicorn pool float is super colorful and beautiful.

You can’t pass by this pool float and not look at it twice. With it, your child will become the belle of the pool party. Isn’t that fun and cool?

Best Infant pool Float

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An extra 0.5-millimeter thickness beyond the recommended excellence for the industry makes the unicorn kid pool float stronger and more durable than most pool floats around.

It’s made of soft and thick vinyl and gracefully combines beauty with strength.

8. Intex My Baby Float

The My Baby is an inflatable pool tube designed for babies under the age of two who are able to hold their own head up. With this float, your baby can confidently kick as they please while in the water.

This, in a way, would help them practice and master the motions of swimming with no risk at all.This baby pool float extends up to a chest, thus allowing him a low center of gravity. This gives added stability to your baby in the water.

Intex My Baby Float

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Consequently, you can allow your child to spend as much time in the water without worrying about tipping. You may also read our dog pools reviews for your pet.

Furthermore, it has two dual air chambers which simply means that even in the unlikely event of a popped float, your child would still stay afloat. With this, you can have an absolute peace of mind that your child is safe.

How To Choose The Best Baby Floats

There so many types of pool floats available today. Each of them has its own distinct features and functionalities. But then, I have come to realize that not all features are really as important as that of others, and the same goes for all functionalities.

Therefore, it is important to know exactly how to select the pool floats for baby on the market. To help you with that, I have made a quick buying guide on how you can select the best floats for baby.

Typically, there are several factors you should consider. They are as follows:

Safety Features

For me, safety features are the most important factor to check for when selecting a pool float for babies. You want to make sure that your chosen pool floats can significantly reduce, if not eliminate, the chances of danger and casualty to the barest minimum and ensure complete safety for your baby.

Some of the safety features to look out for include seat straps to ensure that your baby is held in from the bottom and safety valves to ensure that the float remains stable while in the water. In addition, it is advisable to check and compare the center of gravity before you make your final selection.

Level of Comfort

Kids can enjoy their pool experience the most if their level of comfort is not compromised. As such, we cannot sacrifice comfort for any other feature or functionality when selecting a pool float for our babies.

When you go shopping, look for a product that you’re sure your baby will enjoy using for long. As a head start, look for products which seams are flat, tough, and non-irritant. Otherwise, the seam would constantly scratch and/or irritate your baby. Also, check how comfortable the seat will be. Most importantly, check whether it positions the baby in a natural posture.

Sturdiness

It is perfectly okay to want to get the most stylish and eye-catching pool float in the store. However, you must choose strength over appearance. Choose a product that is made of durable materials, not something that will rip off in no time. Sturdy products will secure and support your baby better on water. It’s ideal to go for products that are made of durable materials such as vinyl and PVC.

Dimensions

You should also be concerned about the size of the pool float you are buying and how much space it will occupy when deflated. You need something that you will be compact and lightweight when deflated so that it can be kept easily when not in use. This will also allow you to carry it around easily.

Price

There’s quite a wide range of prices available in the market for kids pool floats depending on the brand and features offered. Think about both short-term and long-term. If you plan to take the short-term route, check online if you can get any discounts on your favorite product.

When it comes to a long-term investment, select a product that you can use for a long time. For instance, your baby will not quickly outgrow a product that has adjustable leg height, thus you will be able to save a lot of money by getting one. You should not spend too much money on a very costly float that your baby will outgrow in a short while.

UV Ray Protection

Babies love pool sessions. Unfortunately, UV rays can be quite damaging to your baby’s skin. As such, going for a pool float that comes with some sort of a sun protection is a must if you plan to go for an outdoor swimming activity.

Some products on the market come with a removable canopy which can be attached and removed easily when not in use. Additionally, it should be made of a soft and light fabric material to prevent adding any extra weight to the float.

Baby Pool Float Safety Tips

There are so many things that can possibly go wrong when your baby is using a float. For this reason, it is only practical to put some safety precautions in place so as to prevent the occurrence of casualties. I have developed a few tips to help you do so.

First and foremost, never leave your child unattended. This is the surest way to avoid any mishaps. Make sure you keep an eye on your baby at all times when swimming in the pool, even when he is inside the float. This is because babies can sometimes be high spirited and enthusiastically jump out of the float if they are not well-secured.

I must admit that is it quite difficult to stay alert and keep your eyes on one kid, not to mention if you have multiple kids to monitor all at once. Although it is exhausting, when your eyes are fixed on your child or children, you will be able to step in to the rescue in case anything goes wrong.

One other safety measure you can use is to keep your baby close by especially when swimming outdoors in places like a beach or a public pool. Be close enough to be able to grab your baby in case he tips over.

Also, in order to give your child a clear view, ensure to get rid of any toys that can obstruct his view from the play area. This allows your child to see clearly and know what to move away from, especially sharp objects that can puncture the tube.

Finally, it is advisable to keep the float deflated when it is not in use. If the float is inflated only when it is needed, there are lesser chances that it will get damaged by any sharp objects in the house.

Are baby neck floats safe?

Debates are still going on among professionals as to whether baby neck floats are safe or not. There are some pediatricians who are in support of using neck floats for babies. Their argument is that hanging the float at the neck of a baby affords the baby of more free movement than if the float is hanged on the waist. Consequently, they add that more movement will lead to more muscle development.

On the other hand, there are some other pediatricians who differ in opinion. They argue that a lot of vital structures, like the spinal cord, pass through the neck area. Therefore, they say that one needs to be extra careful with those areas. These professionals are more in support of traditional floats.

Having examined the two arguments, it is clear that neck floats may be good for muscle developments. But on the other hand, if we are thinking strictly about safety, I will recommend traditional floats. They seem to be the safer option.

Why parents love baby floats with canopies?

The baby skin is very delicate during his first six months of life. His gentle and sensitive skin can easily be damaged by the harsh UV rays of the sun. As such, exposure to direct sunlight is usually discouraged until a child is at least 6 months old.

But then, even after a child is at least 6 month solder, there should still be minimized contact to direct sunlight. That is why parents generally love baby floats with canopies. One good thing about baby floats that have canopies is that they are convertible, hence you are not stuck with the canopy at all times.

In other words, you can remove or retract the canopy whenever it is not needed, take for example when using the float indoors. Floats with sun canopies are more apt for outdoor pool sessions. They can be removed or retracted indoors so that the baby can enjoy the water with no restrictions whatsoever. This dual functionality is another reason why parents generally love baby floats with canopies.

Final Notes!

When you go to the market, I’m sure you now know exactly how to choose the best pool floats for babies with the help of the guidelines I have provided above.

Make sure you make your baby’s pool time as enjoyable as possible without compromising his safety and convenience.

About the author

Kawsar Ahmed

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