Pool Flotation Devices: Water Discovery Devices Compared

A Comparison of Pool Flotation Devices

Is your child's pool flotation device any good?

Wait... Get Your Lesson Plans Here

There are a number of swimming assistance products on the market often erroneously referred to as learn to swim devices. All of which have their advantages and disadvantages.

I thought that I'd do an assessment of some of them.

The noodle

Along noodle shaped piece of polystyrene.

Advantages:

• Very flexible. 
• Excellent teaching aid. 
• Plenty of fun and games and drills that can be used with it.
• Good for: learning to kick,  drills for breaststroke, drills for butterfly and torpedo  

Disadvantages:

• Gets in the way when learning freestyle and backstroke
  
• Some new swimmers become dependent on it and have to be weaned off it.
• Is not a Safety device and should never be used unsupervised. 

The Kick Board

Advantages:

• Excellent teaching aid. 
• Plenty of fun and games and drills that can be used with it.
• Good for: Almost all drills
  

Disadvantages:

• Unstable used incorrectly
• Difficult to use for dog paddle and building confidence.
• Is not a Safety device and should never be used unsupervised.
  

Pros and Cons of types of floaties / Water Wings

Let me say that only double chamber floats are considered here. I do not consider a single chamber floaties at all. In fact, I am unlikely to ever consider them as I believe them to be too risky. If the single chamber springs a leak or worse pops, you may be faced with a life-threatening situation.

Round Circle Arm Band
Bubble Type

Arm Band Floaties, Round Circle Arm Band Bubble Type

Advantages:

• Slips over the arm easily, quick to put on, take off
  
• One size fits all 
• Can't be inflated so hard that they cut of circulation 
• Easiest for swimming lessons 
• Great for assisting with dog paddle and kicking not to mention building confidence.

Disadvantages:

• Slips over the arm easily, quick to come off. Easily removed by student.
• Some little arms are too little for them (one size doesn't really fit all). Thus they do not always hold the students head above water.
• Young children will insist on chewing them.
  
• Is not a Safety device and should never be used unsupervised. 

Arm band floaties square

Arm band floats square

Advantages:

• Do not slip off easily  
• Come in different sizes for different size arms 
• Great for assisting with dog paddle and kicking not to mention building confidence.

Arm band floats square
Another version

Disadvantages:

• Most difficult for swimming lessons because they are time consuming to put on.
• Can be inflated so hard that they cut of circulation
  
• Is not a Safety device and should never be used unsupervised.
  

SUPERVISE!!!! Warning SUPERVISE!!!!

There are a great many floatation deveices about and I think most of the them are unsafe. However people will use them. One of the better reviews I have read about some of the ofter types can be found at poolonomics.com

Floatation device can be helpful and a lot of fun but Please if you are going to use any these devices at all, keep them under control and supervise, I'll say it again SUPERVISE everything you do with them.

Enjoy
   Richard