Stearns Original Puddle Jumper Kids Life Jacket | Deluxe Life Vest for Children

Purchased this for a trip to Hawaii after seeing my (much larger) niece and nephew use them last summer; they've quickly become my absolute favorite kid item I've ever purchased and will buy for all the little people in my life without hesitation. These are AWESOME! My daughter (22 mos and ~28 lbs, tall for her age) wore these every single minute she was near the water with no complaint at all. I was originally concerned that she would have decreased mobility and/or that they wouldn't fit well enough seeing that she's not the required 30 lbs yet, but they were perfect.She had lots of mobility, both in the water and while playing in the sand, and when tightened as much as possible, they fit her perfectly!Although she is comfortable in the water, this was her first time in salt water and surf and I felt completely comfortable with her being a few feet from me, even in gentle waves or in water over her head. This jacket kept her upright in the water and always with her head out of the water, even when she would be super rambunctious or jump in the waves. The few times a wave surprised her, she was righted in <1 second to her face above water. We've tried them in the pool as well and she'll jump in with abandon feeling totally safe and comfortable. A great tool for kids learning to swim and the PERFECT thing to take on a boat trip b/c they allow so much more mobility than a normal life jacket (and without the horrible crotch buckle).

My toddler went into the pool for the first time and within a rather short time he was in the water all by himself paddling around in this great little life jacket. He did not want to get out of the water, he was in the water on and off for over 2 hours his first day. He never tipped over in any direction, he was able to balance very well in it within minutes... my sister-in-law commented to me that she wished she had gotten these for her toddler as another brand/design she got did not help her son stay afloat. My toddler stayed afloat and went all over, up and down, and all around the pool all by himself. What more can I say, this is cute, appeared comfortable on and kept my little man afloat as he paddled himself around the pool... My toddler was 2.5 yo weighing 38 lbs at 38" tall and this life jacket around his chest and arms fit perfectly and still gives him probably one or more summers before he outgrows it.

We purchased one of these for our oldest daughter to use at the beach. She had played in the pool but I wanted extra protection when we visited the ocean. Not only did she love it, but it really put my mind at ease. She was able to keep her head up and play independently in the pool with it at age 2. (I was very nearby and kept a watchful eye on her, but she wanted to play by herself.)When my second daughter was born I started her in the pool earlier with swim lessons. While she loved the bath, the pool and the formal lessons scared her. When we put one of these on her she went from being nervous and clinging to me to a happy and independent swimmer who was chasing after her older sister.Of course you can't leave little ones in water without close supervision, but these life jackets are fabulous for helping beginners get used to the water and develop confidence. Knowing it is a certified life jacket has helped me feel much more safe at the pool, beach, and lake with my girls.

My son is an adventurous 2 year old, who one day decided to follow a older child off of diving board, I literally had a panic attack, because that quick he had no flotation device on, (we were heading out to leave) .. and he went in and it seemed forever till he pop up again top of water, after that day I invested in a life jacket, he hated due to being warm at time and he loves buckles so he wouldn't want to wear it, just play with buckles, I then invested in a Spider man inflatable, again he wouldn't cooperate, invested into a generic puddle jumper, but the arms floaties were too big and would come right off. so after seeing other kids having these, I invested and he loves it, .. So do I arms are snug enough, but the material doesn't hurt nor stick due to sun being hot on those warm days, plus the design is kid friendly.. this product is well thought out and designed for a safe time in water..

2 yr old a bit apprehensive using it at first, but took to it at 2 and a half. 4 yr old was the same way until a few months later. Don't push it on them. introduce it to them a few times to get them used to it or they might have a harder time learning to swim later. Hold your child close while they r using it. Floaties are not foolproof although this one is one of the better ones since it makes the child's face float up naturally if they loose control. the snap to close the vest is hard for preschoolers to undo, especially since its behind them but the harness could loosen while they are using it and surely they could fall out of the vest if that happens. While learning to swim independently is the first goal, this is a great tool to get my own kids comfortable with water and to learn to move around in the water. When they aren't wearing it they did think they could swim without it, which is bad. This is a great tool, but swimming lessons are a must. I was a lifeguard for many years and saw many near drownings where a life guard needed to make a save. Some safety tips. Never leave your child unattended. Put the gadgets away when your child is near the water and watch them. Make sure you can swim yourself. Don't put them in water you can't go into yourself. Make sure you can see the bottom of the water and know the depth. Never swim by yourself. If you have to make a water rescue yourself because a lifeguard is not present, never go in to attempt a rescue as double drowning is inevitable. Even for a lifeguard, a water rescue is extremely difficult. See if you can pull them in with an extended pole being careful not to get pulled in yourself. If that doesn't work, see if you can throw them a floatie or a rope to pull them in. If you doubt your skills and resources immediately call for help as soon as possible.