5 Pool Cool Pool Toy Ideas
The weather outside may be frightful but indoor pools are so delightful. With the holiday season approaching pool toys may not be at the top of your gift lists but I thought it might be fun to put together a list of some super fun looking toys. Of course I will also be talking about the safety of said toys. I am a pro swimming instructor after all :).
1) Goggles – This is an excellent choice for the person who loves to give practical gifts. Goggles main job is to keep water out of swimmers eyes and facilitate underwater vision. Goggles come in many shapes and sizes and I encourage folks to read my previous blog about this item to see which types of goggles are best suited to what kind of swimming. Not much to mention here about safety, just make sure the goggles are fitted properly (also discussed in my goggles blog). Blog link here: https://startmakingwaves.com/swim-gear-how-to-choose-goggles/
2) Floating and Sinking toys – Ok, ok. I’m definitely cheating a bit by mentioning not one but two whole categories of toys. The thing is, there are so many great ideas in these two very broad categories that it’s hard to pick just one of each but I’m gonna do it anyway. My pick for best sinking toy would go to SwimWays Marvel Avengers Assemble Dive Characters (on Amazon, link is too long). My pick for best floating pool toys is Disney Theme Parks Exclusive Princess Bath Tub Pool Squeeze Toys (also on Amazon). Safety warnings here are pretty obvious. Don’t give them to kids that would put them in their mouth. Also, discourage kids from throwing these toys at other people in the pool.
3) Custom Pool towels – Lots and lots of options here. However, the general consensus for “Instructors Choice” went to LLBean. They offer high quality products that you can have your child’s name monogramed onto to give it that personalized touch. Product site: https://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/514485?page=beach-towels
4) Inflatable toys – Once again so many different things to choose from. You can find anything from simple rafts or doughnuts to fully functioning water slides and attractions. My personal favorite that isn’t too over the top is the Galleon Raider by Swimline. This is something I would have loved as a kid. An inflatable pirate ship to sail the seven seas without leaving the comfort of your backyard or neighborhood pool. Now for the important safety stuff. No inflatable toy should ever be used as a substitution for swim assist or life saving equipment (like a lifejacket). Remember it’s inflatable, meaning it can also deflate. Supervision and appropriate safety equipment are a must! The best deal I could find on this item was here: https://www.overtons.com/product/details?pdesc=Swimline-Galleon-Raider-Inflatable-Pirate-Ship&i=317601&CAWELAID=120030620000165678&s_kwcid=msnsearch__&msclkid=9fc55ed8a0aa10d4244402d968259c90
Drum roll please for the Instructors Choice toy of 2018:
5) The Toypedo by Swimways – Funnily enough almost everyone I asked had this as their number one pick. What is it? Well it’s a torpedo shaped toy that glides through the water as it slowly sinks. They come in two sizes “Original” and “Bandits”. The Original is larger and travels the farthest. The Bandits are smaller and act more like the sinking toys I mentioned earlier. I can not tell you how cool it is to play catch, underwater. As far as safety goes, follow similar rules as the sinking toys. The “Original” model has a bit of heft to it so I strongly discourage throwing it above water at all and I recommend using goggles so you can see it properly when underwater.
So as the snow rolls in, remember, we here at Making Waves are still teaching away in our cozy indoor pools and Summer is only a few months away!
Swim Safe and Happy Holidays from Making Waves Swim School!!!