FREDS SWIM ACADEMYSWIMTRAINER Classic Red, Baby Pool Float Ring for Babies and Toddlers, 3 Months to 4 Years (13-40 lb) 18"- 24" Waist Adjustable Aid to Learn Swimming Safely

I cannot say enough good things about this floaty! As a parent, finding the right floatation device for my little one was crucial, and this floaty exceeded all my expectations. From the moment we started using it, I could see the careful thought and design that went into making this product. My baby was snug the whole time and it made going in the water feel safe. Both me and my little one loved the bright colors and we had a great time at the pool. 100%% recommend

My son has it 9y ago and he loves it so I got another for my daughter.For me safety is the first priority.

Tried to use it once with a 1-1/2 year old, but it didn't hold him upright, so didn't work.

I bought the red swim trainer for my son who is pretty slim for his age. At 23 months he weighs 25 lbs and is 35" long. I was having a hard time finding a swim vest or float that seemed okay for his measurements. I came across this item on Amazon and then did some digging on the net to find out more about the SwimTrainer as I had never heard of it. After discovering Fred's Academy, all the positive reviews, the cute little youtube clips of babies floating around the pool in it, I thought this would be perfect. I even decided to purchase the orange for my older boy who is almost 5 years old. Now, after using the trainers for the past 3 months at our local gym pool, I have to say that I like them, but do not love them. On the positive side, I'll say these trainers are made of a nice durable inflatable material. They do not feel like cheap plastic rafts. My older boy does jump in wearing this and so far no leaks. The best part about these floats is simply that they allow me more freedom in the pool when I am on my own with the kids. Taking two kids who can't swim to a pool without your better half is a nightmare. With the swim trainers, I have taken them to the pool once a week on my own all summer long. They keep my kids floating so that I can take turns playing with each child and help them develop some comfort/skills in the water. What does irritate me about the red one for my skinny younger boy is that, even fully inflated in all chambers, after about 25 minutes of swimming, it seems to ride up on him. That is the girdle feature that goes around his torso starts to creep upwards, and generally he appears to be sinking into the floatie. I instinctively, try to tug the thing down, but there is so much pressure holding it on so he can't fall out that you just can't tug it down. So, then I stop swimming, take the whole thing off, reposition it so it's not climbing up into his armpits, and resume swimming for another half hour or so, and then it's time to go home anyways. My older son doesn't appear to have the riding up problem, for him, the trainer just seems to twist around slightly to the left or right, and doesn't stay perfectly centered around him. He doesn't seem to care though. Also, I will say the trainer has helped my kids with kicking in the water, but it is still cumbersome for them to move their arms and paddle around the trainer. It's kind of like lying on a surfboard and paddling around the sides. They just aren't coordinated enough to do it yet. Also, my older boy's biggest problem is putting his face in the water, going under, etc. So, periodically we have to unbuckle the trainer to let him practice this skill as well. Generally, though, I like these trainers, I have found them a necessity when going to the pool, and my kids are pretty happy with them.

I had been holding my daughter to swim around in the pool since she's 5 months old. She's now 8 months old and getting too heavy for my wrists, so I decided to get this after I saw a friend's son using it. She was mad when I first put it on her at home. Then I tried again in the pool and she was totally ok with it since it made her float right away. I'm so happy to buy it because I don't have to hold her anymore and I can teach her how to kick from behind. It is great that it came with clear instructions telling you how to use the product.I found it difficult to keep the air in while trying to close the valves, so I slid the cap into my mouth to close the valve while blowing. By doing so, the airchambers are inflated fuller and the valves can be depressed easier. Another down side is that you cannot put babies in their back on this product to learn back stroke.

Bought this swim trainer and after using it with my kid, Immediately ordered one for my newborn niece! My sister loves it and so does her baby. Perfect for getting your baby comfortable in the water and also Works as a great gift.

so, my baby has been in the water (outside of the womb) since 6 weeks old. We started with the Swimava (which I HIGHLY recommend, BTW) at 6 weeks old and around 7 months old, my baby (who is the 99%tile for all measures) was starting to out grow it, so I was looking for a new option.I found this and thought it was worth a shot. Reading some of the other reviews some people complained about it being difficult to to blow up, so I was a little worried, but I followed the directions and didn't have an issue at all.One thing I found surprising was that there was no strap between their legs! My first thought was "well, how does it keep them from slipping INTO the water?" well the way that this works, they actually lay on the white inside and their arms come up over around the top, it would be pretty difficult for them to slip through. That being said, obviously no parent would EVER be further away than fingers reach distance from their babies while around any kind of water.So, I strapped baby in and we hit the water. Baby loved it! Started kicking and moving freely in the water from the moment he got in! Its so much fun to see baby feeling comfortable and having fun in the water!Why only 4 stars? The back buckles, while perfectly functional, I feel like it could be designed a bit better. Make it easier to buckle in and out with a squirmy baby. But definitely not a deal breaker :)Bonus: the package comes with suggestions for how to use it to encourage swimming. I haven't tried it yet but I can tell we will get a lot of use out of this this summer!!