I am often asked by clients what is the best buoyancy for children and with so many options out there it can be confusing. It is also very much age and ability led.
I am a believer in the Swim Fin as it has many benefits:
Promotes the correct body position
Leaves the arms free
Can be used on front or back
But the child has to be strong enough in the core to not let it flip them forwards.
I also use the humble noodle, this multi faceted tool can be used in many ways:
As simple under arm buoyancy
Ridden as a sea horse to promote core strength and balance
Tide up to be a steering wheel aligned with blowing bubbles to make the engine noise
Used on both back and front
Can be cut to the desired length
Inexpensive
If it is being used on holiday it is important to stay with the child as if they fall off they will have no further buoyancy on.
Personally I am not a fan of the blow up arm bands, they are difficult to get on and off and are quite restrictive to arm movement. An admirable alternative is the arm disc where the numbers can be increased or decreased depending on the ability of the child. Used in combination with noodles they are fantastic at getting children moving before they are ready for a Fin.
For younger children there are a multitude of seats, vests etc that can be used but I believe that if the child can not hold themselves in the buoyancy above you are better holding them and promoting the correct body position early. I will go over the holds and positions in a future blog.
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