Swimming with Puddle Jumpers and Arm Floaties Actually Put Children More at Risk

As a survival swim school, we understand our responsibility to provide children in the community and surrounding areas with not only the life-saving skills necessary to survive in the water, but also provide them with a deep love and appreciation for the water. When parents encourage and promote the use of puddle jumpers and arm floaties, they are doing a grave disservice to their children, ultimately putting them more at risk for drowning.

It’s important to us to provide valuable information about the dangers of these devices and how they can negatively affect a child’s experience in the water.

Puddle Jumpers Create a False Sense of Security

Puddle jumpers and arm floaties provide both children and parents alike with a false sense of security. When outfitting a child with either of these floatation devices, parents mistakenly believe their child is safe from drowning and can become lax in vigilantly watching their child while they are in the water. Children, on the other hand, all of a sudden think they can truly swim or stay afloat in the water at all times while wearing them.

Herein lies the problem.

Children who spend most of their time swimming in the pool with puddle jumpers or floaties believe they are swimming unassisted, since no one is holding them. So they come to develop the belief that they can stay above water without the help of these floatation devices.

There have been way too many documented horror stories from parents who have shared their own experiences with their child going back into the water unattended and alone because they thought they could swim thanks to the hands-off approach of puddle jumpers and arm floaties.

Incorrect and Ineffective Posture

Puddle jumpers and arm floaties are notorious for helping children develop ineffective swimming posture. These devices hold children in a vertical position — head up, feet down, arms out — causing them to use more of a bicycling motion in the water. What many don’t understand is the vertical position is the drowning position.

Being able to maintain your own buoyancy, the ability to float on your back, is the number one rule when an issue arises in the water. It’s imperative a child knows how to successfully get to and hold this position should they fall into the water unexpectedly.

There is No Alternative to Knowing How to Swim

Respecting the water and fearing the water are two very different things. Teaching our children from a young age, even infants, the proper skills necessary, as well as them understanding their limitations, not only creates strong swimmers, but respectful ones, as well. Enrolling your child in swimming lessons provides them with confidence, a life-saving skill set, and a lifelong love of water.

Relying on the use of puddle jumpers and arm floaties is not a replacement for swimming lessons, and using them as such only hinders a child’s growth and development in and around the water.

Child drownings don’t discriminate. They can affect any one of us at any time. Providing our children with the proper skill set by trained professionals beginning at a young age will give them the tools necessary to survive, and thrive, in the water.    

SWIM SCHOOL IN KATY 

Texas Swim Academy is the best swim school near me offering result-oriented swimming lessons in Katy that cater to all ages and abilities. Our well-trained and experienced swimming instructors provide a variety of programs for infants through adulthood. For the little ones, we offer swimming lessons for babies and swimming lessons for toddlers focused on survival swimming skills to build a strong water safety foundation and foster water confidence at a young age. Once your child knows how to swim, our swim lessons for children will help refine techniques and build endurance, as the consistent practice of their swimming skills is an imperative part of becoming a strong swimmer. 

Our adaptive aquatics program is designed for children of all ages and abilities to ensure every child, including children on the autism spectrum, can benefit from these fundamental skills and enjoy the water in a safe and comfortable environment. Adults seeking to improve their swimming prowess or learn how to swim for the first time can enroll in adult swim lessons tailored to their specific goals.

Our swim lessons near me are a convenient and accessible way for you and your family to learn how to swim in a comfortable environment. Our dedicated instructors are passionate about teaching and ensuring your progress in the water. Take a few minutes to view Our Swimmer Stories to learn more about what other families are saying about their experience with Texas Swim Academy. 

Contact us to learn more about our programs or stop by our state-of-the-art swimming facility in Katy to register today. Be sure to follow our Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube pages for important news, updates, and swimming safety tips, and read our blog to keep up-to-date with important information on water safety and proper swimming lessons.