Child Swimming Vest

A child swimming vest is a very popular and successful example of children's swimming aids.  The vest, often referred to as a swim jacket, promotes floatation and enhances confidence in the water.

This type of child swimming jacket usually provides buoyancy at both the front and rear of the torso.  This promotes an upright body position, which for a toddler learning to experience the water and move about in deep water, is perfect. 

The Advantages of the Child Swimming Vest

One of the main advantages of this type of swimming aid is that the arms and legs are unrestricted and are free to move.  This then has obvious advantages to experiencing the water and eventually learning to swim.

Most swim vests have floats contained within the lining structure of the suit and they can be removed as the child becomes more confident and stronger in the water.  By removing the floats from the suit one at a time, the swim jacket provides less and less buoyancy, thus forcing the swimmer to work harder.

As they start to grow and become stronger, they will begin to kick their legs and moves their hands and arms in the water.  It is at this point a slightly more diagonal body position is needed with the legs slightly behind and the chin on the water surface. 

To achieve this position whilst still wearing the vest, floats should be removed from the front of the suit so that the rear of the suit is then encouraged to float.

Where to buy one?

Similar swimming vests like the one pictured here, made by Speedo Swimwear, are flag available from most leading swimwear retailers.  They are made from tough durable material and usually chlorine proof, making them long lasting.

As with all learning to swim buoyancy aids and floatation devices it is important that the swimmer does not become reliant on them.  Children especially, become stronger and can quite quickly out swim their chosen swimming aid.

As the child grows and develops and becomes a stronger swimmer, the vest can be discarded and replaced with a swimming aid that is more appropriate to their swimming ability.  Possible children's swimming aids that could be a possible progression from the swimming vest could be a Swimfin or swim noodle.