For any family, water safety is a paramount concern since drowning is consistently among the ten leading causes of death in children.
The use of life jackets for younger children is one safety measure taken by a family, whether on a vessel, on a beach, lake, river, or swimming pool.
The CDC advocates that children should be wearing a life jacket even though they can swim. Although children may not want to wear a bulky life jacket, most aren’t uncomfortable.
Check out our reviews of the best life jackets for toddlers and young kids here. Ultimately, you’ll have a good understanding of which is the right life jacket for kids and your little one. (Read What Piece of Safety Equipment Is Required on Every Canoe)
Contents
Why You Need Good Life Jackets for Toddlers
You can be boating, kayaking, or playing around by the pool; life jackets ( or PFDs – personal flotation devices) will offer parents a sense of security for their younger children.
Most types on offer are garden varieties for infants, Type II PFD, “near-shore” rescue. In comparison, Type I is for rough, offshore conditions.
Type II life jackets come with head and neck support and can upright an unconscious person. You will find these are preferred for infants and young toddlers.
Type II vests can be bulky and restrictive, particularly around the neck, thus why many toddlers and kids don’t like to wear them.
Type III devices are a “flotation aid” for smaller kids and are used for preschoolers who have control and swimming skills. One downside they won’t automatically take upright a child in the water when immersed. (Find the Best Youth Sit in Kayak)
It’s generally not advised for babies to be on boats, as per the US Coast Guard. PFDs available for newborns up to 18 pounds may not offer a suitable fit to perform as expected.
Top Life Jackets for Toddlers Reviews
1. Stearns Original Puddle Jumper Kids Life Jacket | Deluxe Life Vest for Children
The Stearns puddle jumper could be a great solution when kids don’t want to wear life vests. They are safe, comfy, and US coast guard Approved. Besides, you will find the puddle jumper more mobile than any life vests you can find.
Besides this, they can help kids build confidence when learning to swim and be more comfortable when around water.
The body has a tough nylon shell, making it durable. Inside is soft foam to make it comfy for prolonged wearing. For safety, the Puddle Jumper Deluxe fits like a glove. It also has a low-profile design making it lightweight and offering mobility.
For more safety, the vest has an adjustable back snap buckle to prevent toddlers from opening it.
Pros
- Lightweight, buoyant, and low profile design
- US Coast Guard approved type
- Allows full range of movement
- Soft and durable woven polyester
Cons
- Won’t auto upright falling children in the water
- Doesn’t feature a grab handle
With a guide price of just under $17, the infant life jacket can be a perfect choice. It offers all the best features of a life jacket for toddlers without restrictions.
It has a couple of faults, yet for most situations where kids wear this, these are minor, and it is the best infant life jacket you can find.
2. Body Glove Paddle Pal
The Body Glove Paddle Pal is another safest Patented US Coast Guard Approved “Learn to Swim” life jacket. It offers built-in armbands and a safety shoulder harness. Children can’t remove the vest unless assisted by a parent.
The construction is durable polyester to prevent chafing and offers multi-panel support for comfort and mobility.
The size is adjustable and can fit kids of 30 pounds to 50 pounds. You also find a chest strap and rear safety buckle, which is a quick release. The vest is Approved by Type III Child’s PFD for recreational boating.
Pros
- Fun designs for kids to enjoy
- Coast guard approved
- Comfortable and adjustable
- Heavy-duty
Cons
- Expensive
- Arm tubes can be large
With a guide price of just over $30, you get a reliable life jacket for your child around 30 lbs. make sure it fits their arms as there are reports these run on the large size on smaller children.
3. Stohlquist Toddler Life Jacket Coast Guard Approved Life Vest for Infants
The Stohlquist life jacket offers excellent comfort on the inside and out. It has a soft 200 denier oxford shell, which delivers a sturdy exterior.
The v-neck resists chafing, and the double collar offers cushion-like head support, and the open design ensures mobility for freedom in the water.
It offers a sturdy front zipper, two straps on the belly, and a crotch strap. Both are adjustable for a custom fit for kids up to a max of 30 lbs. The vest is US Coast Guard (USCG) Approved Type II PFD, which delivers 7 lbs of sea buoyancy.
Pros
- Comfortable
- Supports a child’s head
- Offers lots of mobility
- Included grab strap
Cons
- It may not flip every time
- Bulkier than some options
The Stohlquist Toddler Life Jacket comes with a guide price of around $55 and does offer lots of comfort and protection as one of the best life jackets for your little one out on the water.
However, as it is a Type II life jacket, it offers lots of child’s head support, yet kids may find it bulky to play in. For boating activities, it is one of the best life vests for toddlers.
4. PO’Neill Infant Superlite USCG Life Vest
The Superlite by O’Neill is a Type-II jacket and personal flotation device, which has lightweight polyethylene foam to deliver comfort when out of the water.
The collar can fold out of the way when not in use, making it less bulky and more mobility. It comes with three quick-release Delrin buckles, one a crotch strap to make sure kids stay secure, and you can remove the vest without hassle.
The US Coast Guard-approved vest is suitable for infants and toddlers up to 30 pounds and adjustable to grow with your child.
This vest has a design that rolls a child onto their back should they be in the water. You can also find a safety strap by the neck support for easy retrieval.
Pros
- Super Buoyant to flip toddler onto its back
- Comfortable and durable nylon
- Suitable for boating, kayaking, or the beach
- Able to withstand heavy pressure
Cons
- Rides on the face
- Hard for small children to walk in
With a rough guide price of just under $30, the O’Neill vest offers a great option to keep a child’s s head above water with a snug fit. However, if they are playing around the water, it can be hard to be as mobile as they wish.
5. Airhead Infant Life Vest
For infants under 30 pounds, the vest from Airhead comes with a headrest and grab handle. Besides this, you will find adjustable buckle straps for adjustment and mobility. The flotation device is more suited to larger toddlers so that the leg strap can offer snug-fitting.
The USCG-approved Type II life jacket will help keep your child safe as it can help support the child’s chin when in water.
Pros
- Adjustable straps for a comfortable fit
- Brightly colored for high visibility
- Grab strap for a quick rescue
Cons
- Not suitable for small infant toddler
- Children can open buckles
With a guide price of just below $25, you get a very capable life vest to help keep your child safe. It also offers a soft UV-resistant 200-denier polyester shell that has lightweight poly-E flotation foam inside.
Best Life Jackets for Toddlers Buying guide
When searching for the best life jackets for kids, it does depend on a few factors.
How will it be used?
Different types of life jackets are suitable for various activities.
For safety around a pool or splashing on the beach, a full life jacket won’t suffice as your kid’s arms and legs can be restricted. A swim aid such as a puddle jumper or swim vest is more suited.
If boating, you need certified life vests, and kids unable to swim need type 2.
Sizing & Fit
Sizing and fit are essential as you don’t want a life jacket too large or too small.
Children’s life jackets come sized according to their weight. You’ll usually find 8 to 30-pound jackets suitable for toddlers, while a 30 to the 50-pound jacket is best suited for older kids.
The fit has to be snug yet comfortable and without restricted movement. If the jacket is too loose, the child may not stay afloat as they should. A vest will fit a 2 year old very different from a child who is 12 months old. (Find the Best Life Jackets For Jet Skis)
Features
You can find features that make toddler life jackets more bearable:
Segments: Some life jackets come with smaller flotation foam blocks to enable more mobility.
Color: Some vests come in bright colors for safety
Reflective Areas: Some life vests have reflective materials
Zippers and Buckles: More straps and buckles, the better the fit
All life jackets, and personal flotation devices, PFDs, should be rated and approved by the United States Coast Guard, USCG.
Type I: Designed for rough or open waters and turn wearers face-up in the water.
Type II: PFDs that are less buoyant than type 1, yet more comfortable to wear and not restrictive. When boating, these are the safest life jacket for toddlers or preschoolers.
Type III: If your little one can swim, type 3 is the best toddler life jacket for swimming.
Swimming Aids
You can find another type such as other flotation devices like swim vests and puddle jumper life jackets.
Many are not USCG-approved for boating or being on the water and need use in swimming pools and on the beach.
Final Verdict
In testing, it wasn’t so much which vest offered the best safety. We looked at what was comfy to wear for kids when they are around water. The Stearns Original Puddle Jumper Kids Life Jacket | Deluxe Life Vest for Children came out on top.
It offers excellent buoyancy, lots of movement, and most of all, excellent flotation for the ideal-sized child.
It is highly affordable, durable, and comfy for your child to wear all day. If you were off boating, you would seek another type, yet this is the best life jacket for kids for all other scenarios. They will even forget they are wearing the best life vest after a while.
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