The best swimming aids for children

Which buoyancy aids are really useful for children

Kategorien: Children Hobby Sport

Besides the water wings as a classic, there are countless other swimming aids for children on the market. The question inevitably arises as to which ones are actually useful and can be used for swimming lessons. We have taken a closer look at the most popular of these buoyancy aids for you.

The classic among the buoyancy aids: Floatation wings
Who does not know them, the popular orange water wings? When buying water wings you should always make sure that they carry a GS seal and are purchased in the right size. For learning to swim, however, water wings are rather obstructive, because the feeling for the natural buoyancy of the water is not achieved by the children. Further no correct arm attitude with the bulky wings is possible.
© Anja Götz / Fotolia

Swimming discs
The hard foam discs have the advantage over water wings that no air can escape. You will receive three such discs per arm, which can be removed gradually depending on the children's abilities. This way your child has less and less buoyancy aid and can swim two to three strokes after the last disc. Swimming discs are suitable for children from one year of age.

Swimming belt
A swimming belt is strapped around the child's tummy and is equipped with several styrofoam elements that can be removed gradually as the child learns to swim. In contrast to water wings or swimming discs, a swimming belt gives the child a lot more freedom of movement for arm and leg movements.

Swimming belts, water wings and swimming discs are suitable for splashing around under supervision, but they are all rather obstructive when learning to swim correctly. Neither with bulky wings or discs on the arm nor with the belt around the belly are really clean swimming movements possible. Even if you learn to swim with them, a faulty swimming style can easily creep in.

Swimming aids that really help beginners
In swimming courses you will mainly find swimming board, pool noodle and swimming sprouts. All of these swimming aids are made of PE foam and give the child additional buoyancy while learning to swim. Beginners can hold on to the swimming board with their arms, for example, and practice correct leg movements. Swimming noodles on the other hand are clamped between the chest and arms.
© Ideenkoch / Fotolia

In this way the children are given a natural position in the water and can train arm and leg movements in a coordinated manner. Swimming noodles consist of two swimmers who are held together by a connecting rod. Beginners can move relatively quickly on their own. Swimming rungs can be used in many different ways for exercises in the water. Finally, it should be noted that all swimming aids can also be dangerous. You should therefore never leave your children unattended in the water, even with water wings and the like.