Swimming Reviews
Buyer reviews for "Swimming" sorted by average review score:
Power Swimr Swim Trainer
Made by Swimways
Age Group: 36 months - 6 years
Amazon base price: $19.99
Endorsed by three-time Olympic gold medalist Josh Davis, this is an ingenious system designed for 3-to-6-year-olds who weigh between 35 and 55 pounds. Under adult supervision, youngsters sandwich themselves between two green foam plates that are equipped with Velcro shoulder straps and slide toggles for adjustable fit. The ingenuity is in the composition of those foam plates: They're each composed of nine slices of foam. As a child's swimming skills increase with time, these float pads can be removed one by one; soon kids will be dog-paddling with the best of 'em--and all by themselves! If it's not a perfect substitute for swimming lessons from a qualified instructor, the Safe T. Seal Power Swimr Swim Trainer does provide a wonderful way for kids to gain confidence in the water. --Tony Mason
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No reviews found for this product.
Safe T. Seal - Swim Fun, Safety, and a Good ValueThis is a terrific product. Keeps the child perfectly boyant while allowing free movement of arms and legs. Helps build the child's confidence in the water for those who are hesitant and provides a measure of protection for those who are fearless (adult supervision, of course, at all times). It's lightweight, adjustable, easy to store, and durable. We first bought one a few years ago for our son who is now 7 and on his own in the water, and another one for our second son who is now 4 (both started using it at about age 2).
Gets them learning to swim fast!This swim aid gives the child additional buoyancy, but doesn't automatically keep them upright like a life jacket would. Consequently, the first thing the child learns is how to tread water with the aid of a little added buoyancy. This starts them swimming like like you wouldn't believe! Both our boys learned to stay upright and to propel themselves through the water at 20 and 25 months of age. The older son discarded the vest by age 4, then passed the deep water swimming test at our neighborhood pool before his fifth birthday, the youngest child to do so there. I'm convinced it was in large part because of lots of practice with this swim trainer.
Provides little 'swimmers-in-training' a lot of funThis swim vest has given our son (age 3 1/2) a lot of confidence in the water. This is not to say that you still don't have to watch them like a hawk but it does give them some independence from you so you don't get kicked as much as without one. What I like about it is that he is learning to swim while having fun with the rest of the family. We gradually take out pads as needed which is a wonderful feature so he doesn't get dependent on it. He swam with one last year also so he is growing up with them.
Swim Sweater in Tie Die Yellow & Blue
Made by Swimways
Age Group: 24 months - 6 years
Amazon base price: $14.99
Average review score:
No reviews found for this product.
Best swim float around!!!We used the swim sweater a couple of years ago when my 6 yr. old was 2 1/2. We put in a pool and went through many floatation devices, all which were terribly cumbersome or they didn't hold him upright. Then we found this. What a wonderful product!!! He took to the water right away and never looked back. It basically taught him HOW to swim. You still have to kick your legs and move your arms to get from one place to another. He used the swim sweater for two years in a row and now swims like a pro. My little girl is now using this and she's two in July. She loves it as much as her brother did and so do we!
No reviews found for this product.
MUST HAVE!My 3 year old is afraid of pools. She went in the pool with me and within 10 minutes or so let go of my hand and floated around on her own. Since then, she doesn't want anyone's help getting in the pool and floats all around - it has really boost her water confidence! I highly recommend this product!
No reviews found for this product.
Fun in the Sun!My two-year old loves the pool. She hates the confinement of floats, though, so I would carry her around in the water constantly wrestling to keep her from pushing away to attempt swimming on her own. She LOVES her swim sweater. Even though I am with her every second in the water I don't have to constantly cling on to her - she feels so autonomous and is really getting good at paddling around the pool. She stays upright (I was worried about her going under easily like with water wings) and there is no risk of the swim sweater coming off - it is like a bathing suit. Put on the swim sweater and a pair of little swimmer diapers (and a healthy coating of Hawaiian Tropic baby faces) and you are ready for fun in the sun!
The Wet Set: Whale Pool Float
Made by Intex Recreation Corp.
Age Group: 36 months - 6 years
Amazon base price: $9.99
Finally, a Shamu of your very own: an inflatable Orca, minus the teeth. At 6 feet long, he'd take up the whole bathtub, but is ideal for endless rides in the pool. There are two big grab-handles cemented to the sides. Unless you have an Orca's deep-sea lungs yourself, we recommend a good pump for this one. --Richard Farr
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Great for those thin kids, bad for thick!Shamu is ready for you to ride him! Be gentle though... he hates rough tubers and riders, he can't withstand heavy duty people on him! If a heavy rider tries to "Inner Tube Giddy-Up" him, he'll be over forced in his body chamber and will POP! BE CAREFUL! Listen
whale to goI have several ride on pool animal toys and my kids and their friends all prefer the whale. It holds up well under their rough play and is easy to get on and stay on. This toy has the handels which is a plus. I have bought this item for others. You wont regret getting this pool toy.
WhaleA great toy, very big, very sturdy and incredibly cute. A must buy. It is pure fun in the water. Lying on it in the peaceful ocean is like lying on clouds. If the waves are rocking it,its like surfing. The vinyl is not rough but very smooth so you cannot harm yourself at the seams. Has two air chambers for safer play(The main body and the fluke). Depending on lungpower takes 4-8 minutes to inflate.
Swim Sweater in Yellow and Blue
Made by Swimways
Age Group: 24 months - 6 years
Amazon base price: $14.99
Average review score:
No reviews found for this product.
great swim toyMy 2 yr. old absolutely loves this tube. And I feel confident knowing he cannot easily slide out of it. Also, the heavy duty rubber inner tube is unlikely to pop like a cheap plastic float.
No reviews found for this product.
The BEST flotation for your young "swimmer"I tried several of the swim "suits" that help smaller children stay afloat. Some may be better preperation for swimming, but this one is the best for safety. The pressurized ring keeps the child's face out of the water with minimal to no effort on their part. Other rings or "suits" tip your child forward and dip their face in the water unless the child is very strong. At the same time with this ring they can kick and direct themselves all over the pool. You MIGHT find this item in your local store but they are always sold out in mine. I have one for my 4 year old but I need a second for my just turned 2 year old, so I'm thrilled to find it here!
Of course, no matter how safe an item, you still can't even turn your back on a child in a swimming pool.
Swimming Mermaid and Doll
Made by Big Time Toys
Age Group: 5 - 9 years
Amazon base price: $12.99
Average review score:
No reviews found for this product.
It is so cuteWhen I purchased the mermaid It thought oh boy what trouble am I in. But exactly opposite. SHe is cute and swims extra fast. My son loved her. the funniest thing on the box was. Big print. This is not a lifesaving device. OMGosh funny.
No reviews found for this product.
Great pool and bath toy!!This adorable swimming mermaid doll is a blast! My 11 year old daughter loves her and uses her both in and out of the pool!! When pool season is over, she enjoys her without her "tail." You can't go wrong by purchasing this unique and enjoyable toy!
Battle Boogie TV Advertised
Made by Wham-O
Amazon base price: $12.99
Average review score:
No reviews found for this product.
WOW! THE PERFECT POOL TOY!Now everyone can be have a water gun fight without the pain-staking job of refilling it! I just got this toy and I tried it on the same day. It was great! It even had an adjustible nozzle so you could shoot water to different areas. It's also part kickboard for a cool thing to lay on in the pool. What can I say? Half water gun and half kickboard, it pays for itself!
JUST GET OUTTA HERE AND BUY IT! :D
JUST GET OUTTA HERE AND BUY IT! :D
Rainbow Reef Koi
Made by Swimways
Age Group: 36 months - 6 years
Amazon base price: $17.99
List price: $24.99 (that's 28% off!)
List price: $24.99 (that's 28% off!)
Average review score:
No reviews found for this product.
Not Ready For Prime TimeThis toy is a great concept. We saw some being demonstrated at our state fair. When I saw them here at half the price, I bought one.
The first problem is it is unclear from the product description whether you are getting one or three fish. It's one. There are three different colors, but no way to request a specific color if you are going for a set.
The batteries are held in a compartment by screws for which I needed a special screwdriver to remove (one with extra torque).
Finally, the performance. We used the fish in a pool. It started off on the top because it had not been saturated with water. After about ten minutes, it was running just below water level. It is really, really cool. It couldn't fight the filter's water outlet "upstream" but a downstream journey took a while and it really looked good!
Then my five year old son got his hands on it. He lifted it out of the water over his head once and took it to the bottom once. He's a strong swimmer for a five year old. The koi fish proceeded to flounder on the bottom after that. We later found the battery compartment full of water.
I don't think my son abused the toy, but either it cannot take that level of use, or the seals failed on their own. Either way, we got to use the toy for an hour, and now it's dead.
Rainbow Reef Turtle
Made by Swimways
Age Group: 6 - 11 years
Amazon base price: $14.99
The problem with many pool toys is that they’re not very dynamic. They just kind of float there or, at best, squirt something. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a toy that actually did a little swimming? This turtle, about a foot in length, with a highly realistic brown shell body, has soft rubbery flippers that allow it to fill this need. As an animal model, it’s already pretty impressive. But the real fun begins when the turtle is placed in the water. After tilting the turtle’s body and allowing it to fill with water for ballast, turn it on and watch it rotate its flippers, bob its head up and down, and take a swim. Though not included, two AA batteries are required, and the manufacturer cautions not to use rechargeable ones. --Charlie Williams
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No reviews found for this product.
educational...why?its educational because it helps kids love animals and value them too. that way they'll grow up to help the enviorment and animals. they are very fun to have in the pool. they are even more fun with the rainbow reef fish too.
Toypedo
Made by Toys "R" Us
Amazon base price: $9.99
List price: $14.99 (that's 33% off!)
List price: $14.99 (that's 33% off!)
Now here's a toy that any red-blooded, splash-happy kid can't help but love. Simple but ingenious, the Toypedo turns an ordinary swimming pool into a firing range (in a nice way). The nearly foot-long missile, molded in colorful hard rubber, can be sent flying on an underwater trajectory of up to 40 feet with one good throw. Similar toys with a few technological advances have followed it, but this little baby is the one that started it all. --Paul Hughes
Average review score:
No reviews found for this product.
Educational is all in how you use the Torpedo!We have bought several of these through the years, as the chlorine in the pool will fade them eventually, making it hard to find. Taking it out of the pool, rinsing in clear water and storing out of the sun will probably extend its life. Leaving it in the pool all year long won't help it.
But educational? You bet! I had a friend over with a small boy who was afraid to put his head under water. Within a few minutes he was ducking his head under water, eyes open, in order to retrieve this fun toy as we zoomed it to him. This is a great toy for swim instructors to use.
And it also teaches physics! - propulsion, semi-flotation, directional pulls.
Physical education! Though the toypedo is fairly easy to throw, a technique must be mastered to get it to go far and in the direction you want it to go. If you want a workout in the pool, mom, just play with this toy in the pool with your kids.
Can it teach math or a foreign language? We homeschooled and our son invented a game where I would give him a math problem or a sentence to translate, and then I'd throw a pool toy, such as the Toypedo. He had to swim after the toy, and come up with it and the answer to the question. His rules. No, I didn't let him drown!
It isn't just for little kids. Our teens and their friends created many a game with the Toypedo. Some were rather like golf or ball game rules, with specific targets to hit or go through. The Toypedo doesn't come with directions and rules, but making them up for your own games is quite educational.
Fun at the poolThe toypedo works best when you throw it from out of the water. It really dives great, but beware in a crowded pool! Also if kids decide to throw it at each other---yikes! it is a heavy toy!
All-time favorite pool toyEvery summer I visit my nieces and nephews for a week-long pool party, and every summer I scour the stores for new pool toys to bring with me. 6 years ago I discovered the Toypedo, and it is STILL the most popular toy in the pool, all these years (and toys) later. It's also worth noting that, of course, in the meantime the kids have all grown older, but this toy just keeps on being interesting. The adults play with it too.
The Toypedo works wonderfully, gliding underwater much farther than seems reasonable, and it's impossible to break. And you get better with practice, which also keeps it interesting. Very highly recommended.
Spring Float - Pink with Black
Made by Swimways
Amazon base price: $19.98
List price: $24.99 (that's 20% off!)
List price: $24.99 (that's 20% off!)