SwimSchool Deluxe TOT Swim Trainer

Great little flotation device. My two year old was afraid of it so maybe for a tad older. But it’s a nice size and works well as long as they don’t lean on one side. But held air good and seemed to do what it’s suppose to

This thing is incredible! My 1.5/2 year old loves swimming and getting in the water. I bought her some wing and chest floaties and they were majorly limiting in her ability to move and really play. This trainer vest is awesome, she is starting to really kick her legs and paddle her arms and I feel that she will swim way sooner using this over others.

I just received this today... haven't had a chance to actually try it. However this is my fifth tube trainer and third brand of this style of tube trainer that I have purchased in the last year. I have two little ones a year and a half apart, and have used them for both. The first brand I tried was the Swim Tee Trainer. The second was an Aqua Coach tube trainer. The reason we keep buying new ones is that we LOVE this style of flotation device, but they keep popping on us from being left in a hot car, or wearing out because of poor design. Last summer my 12 month old could swim around the pool after the second day of swimming with it, and loved it! They just have to learn how to balance themselves. The swim Tee trainer had really flimsy material around the tube that got holes in in from just touching things, like the slides at the pool. This happened with both of our tubes. The rubber inner tube, which you would fill with an air compressor, eventually was bulging horribly out on all sides. And that was only after less than a month. On one of our tubes, a hole in the fabric started from just filling the tube up with air. This brand really didn't last long. I think a better material would have made a huge difference. The Aqua Coach tube trainer seemed a lot better, but the tube itself was actually smaller, so it was harder to get on my 3 year old. We could do it, though, and it really wasn't an issue for us. However, the safety strap wasn't comfortable long enough for my 3 year old to use. So, we cut the under strap off, and because the tube was too small to fit over his shoulders, I didn't see any reason to worry about the possibility of him falling through. This one again had the rubber inner tube filled the same way with an air compressor. I was over-all completely satisfied with this brand. I did have one of these pop while being filled up, and therefore, needed one more. I wasn't particularly careful to get this exact brand - just careful not to get the swim tee trainer - and ended up now with the Aqua Leisure one. I ordered this Aqua Leisure tube simply because the price was right and I figured it would be worth a try. I did like that the strap for the bottom had a clip. On the past ones I had used, they had Velcro to secure the strap, which I was a little worried would perhaps catch on their swimsuits, though they never did. I thought it might be nice to try this one with a clip and see if I liked it better. And I figured I might just cut it off again anyway. Well, just out of the box, my biggest surprise is that this tube is not a durable rubber inner tube. Through the fabric, it feels like a plastic inner tube that you buy for a couple dollars at the store. The box claims it is a "rugged inner tube for years of use." You are not supposed to fill this one with an air compressor. There are TWO little valves that look like the ones on a beach ball or any other blow up toy. Strange. I used my bicycle hand pump to fill it up. I wasn't sure what to expect... I wasn't sure how it would look round like a tire if there were two air compartments. Since you can't see the inner tube within the fabric, I was really skeptical. However, once both compartments were filled, it does look fine. I'm just not sure there is enough air inside to safely hold my little ones up out of the water the way our other ones do. I will have to give a follow-up once we give this new one a try. Update after first use: The tube is not durable. It popped after about an hour of normal use by a three year old. It was a slow leak, and very dangerous since it took us a little bit of time for us to realize what had happened. He was securely above the surface of the water when we began. Because of the slow leak, it wasn't immediately obvious there was a problem. At some point, we noticed he was lower in the water, to a nearly dangerous level, and realized there wasn't enough air anymore in the tube. Of course we were in the water there with him so he was safe, but had we not been paying close attention, it could have meant him drowning. We immediately took him out of the water, and tried to refill it with the hand pump. As I put air in, I could hear air leaking out of the tube somewhere, though I couldn't see where because the tube is covered with fabric. I am so disappointed in the quality of this tube. I am hoping to get my money back. I am not familiar with Amazon's returning of a product that has been used, and unfortunately I through the box away prematurely. The box said "durable"... I should have trusted my gut instinct and returned it before using. Any one have suggestions of how I proceed to get my money back??

I taught swim lessons/life-guarded for 10 years. I used to judge parents for using these as they were not safe. Now, ten years later and three kids (6, 4, 19 months) I needed something for my fiercely independent 19 month old that must keep up with her sisters no matter what. She doesn't want help at the pool, insists on jumping in independently, and screams if anyone is holding or helping her. In desperation I put her in her sister's puddle jumper,and while it offered some peace of mind, it was just too big for my 21 pound toddler. I finally let her jump in independently (with the puddle jumper), and that girl came up smiling and giggling after going right under. I spent an entire evening searching for something that could accommodate such a small child and still keep her safe in an aquatic environment. This tot trainer, while not ideal safety wise, definitely worked well. I could breathe knowing that if she escaped our grasp, she would at least not drown if she jumped in. Additionally, she learned to manipulate her body so that she could float independently within about 10 minutes. I had read many reviews about children falling forward unable to get back up. This kept me vigilant in watching continuously, but since she insists on not having anyone help her, she was able to float and kick independently. We've used it several times now, and have not had to refill it at all. It's been blown up just over a week with no issues. With proper supervision, an adult continuously within arms reach, and an eager water happy child, this floaty is a great choice. This is not a lifesaving device.

My 3 year old absolutely loves this. From the moment we put it on, she was swimming confidently independently. She just went right into the water without fear, and has been swimming so proudly. I like that the design allows free movement of her arms, unlike the puddle jumper style float, and also allows her to lean forward and practice paddling while still keeping her afloat. I imagine we can slowly deflate the tube (there are two tubes, actually, so maybe just deflating a whole tube) to help her move toward more independent swimming as time goes on. I think she should be doing really well by the end of summer. We are hoping she can swim well before our trip to Orlando in August. So far so good! The only complaint we have about it is the crotch strap. She does complain about it sometimes, and the little pad doesn't really stay in place, so I can see why it's uncomfortable. I try to position it more in the leg area but it moves while she swims, and pulls taught while shes in the water due to her body weight through the tube, so she's sitting on the thin strap right between the cheeks. I think a foll coverage snap-on bottom made of the same material as the vest (like a baby onesie style, so still easy on and off) would have been more comfortable and easy enough to implement in the design (and I would have paid more for that option). I may try stitching the pad in place where it should be, since I don't imagine she will outgrow the strap-size before she is swimming without it, but it doesn't really seem to do that much in the way of padding anyway. Overall, still a great purchase that we have very much enjoyed! Worth it for the proud look on my daughter's face!

Only float that works for our chunky water loving boy. Easy to take on and off. Made pool day fun for kiddo and parents.

This Swim School Aqua Tot Trainer serves it purpose for the time being. I am confused on why the ages say 2-4. I understand that all children are different sizes but I do consider my child to be an average 2 year old and she is at the maximum capacity of this trainer. The bottom strap is extended as far as it can go and it fits very snug. The top part of the tube fits great but I know that she will not be able to wear this next year for the simple fact of the adjustment strap being extended as far as it can go. When blowing the tube up you have to make sure that the tube is filled up so you cannot easily squeeze it. I find myself having to blow it up every couple hours if we have a long day at the pool. You can tell the tube is losing air because your child will start leaning slightly forward. I am not sure if it’s due to the heat or if it just not hold air well. I would suggest putting a pair of swimmies on you toddler just for safety. Overall If they fixed the bottom strap that goes between their legs and the air issue this would really be a great swim trainer. My daughter really loves wearing this and finding something she likes in the pool is hard. I have tried the vest that have the built in swimmies and life vests. This trainer is great for the fact that she will not slip from the tube. I am hoping that they can improve the designs so I can buy another one for my daughter to wear.

Love this floatie! My daughter loves it. Bought a second one because our dog destroyed the first one. Had the first one for a couple months. This floatie gives me a piece of mind when I’m in the pool with her. 10/10