Indianapolis, IN 
There are many types of swim aids available, particularly for toddlers: puddle jumpers, swim vests, swim trainers, backfloats, etc. Which one(s) should you be using? Or should you be using them at all?
When learning to swim, children learn best by practicing regularly in an environment where they feel comfortable and safe. They also need their skills tested and pushed a little harder. Using swim aids can help push those skills, but overuse can cause a swimmer to become complacent and/or comfortable with where they are at. They may not have the motivation to push themselves. Overuse of swim aids can also cause a child to panic when placed in a stressful environment where their swim aids are not available to them.
No matter what type of device a child is in, they should always be supervised in and around water. The safest swim aid is a proper-fitting, Coast Guard-approved flotation device (life vest). Be sure to check the weight and size recommendations on the label. Next have your child try it on to make sure it fits snugly. Life vests with a collar and strap between the legs are best for kids younger than 5 years old. The collar will keep the child’s head up and face out of the water.
Water wings and inflatable devices are not effective protection against drowning. It is also important to think about the range of motion that the swim aid provides or hinders. Children who become dependent on devices like puddle jumpers or water wings often struggle with using their arms to pull and propel themselves through the water, which can impede stroke development training later on, as well as make swimming to safety more tiring since they are not using their full body in coordination.
We often get the question about goggles at British Swim School. We do not allow them in our survival level classes because goggles are considered a swimming aid. All too often we’ve heard stories of kids whose goggles get kicked off or fill with water and all of a sudden, a previously confident swimmer panics because he or she has become so reliant on the swimming aid. Parents should encourage their children to participate in water activities with and without goggles. Both parents and swim instructors are responsible for ensuring that swimmers do not become reliant on goggles.
Above all, kids need supervision at all times. Even children who have taken swimming lessons are at risk for drowning. Infants, toddlers and even weak swimmers should have an adult within arm’s reach at all times. That means in the water with them, not on the deck or beach. Happy swimming!
British Swim School, Hamilton County offers premium water survival and swimming lessons for infants, toddlers, children and adults, starting at just 3 months old. We proudly serve the Indianapolis and Northside communities of Zionsville, Westfield, Carmel, Fishers, Noblesville, McCordsville, Castleton, and Meridian-Kessler. Call 317-863-0300 to enroll or find a class online.
