STEARNS Original Puddle Jumper Kids Life Jacket, Comfortable Life Vest for Kids Weighing 30-50lbs, USCG Approved Type III Life Vest for Pool, Beach, Boats, & More

Update July 2018: Two years later and we are still using this thing. We've been using it on almost a weekly and sometimes twice or three times a week schedule and this thing is still in great condition. My almost three year old can swim with confidence in this and it's allowed him to feel comfortable getting his head wet. Just about the only downside is that he often prefers using this to going without it, which as he approaches three years old, we'd like to get him more experience in learning how to swim and survive without it. Be that as it may, I couldn't recommend this highly enough! My son is a little on the big side at ~22# at nearly 11 months old. He's been swimming since he was 5 months, and has really grown quite independent in the water! But not having any floatation device for him, I have to hold him if we are in too deep. I was looking for something that would fit him easily now and for awhile to come, and give him the independence he's been craving as he constantly tries to jump out of my arms in the pool to explore on his own. I looked at several options - a life vest, the "tube", and this. Floatation helpers under the 30# range seem to be limited to actual floaration devices with neck support, which isn't really appropriate for a pool setting where I never leave my baby's side. So, I ordered this, knowing it could be a little large for him still. AND IT'S PERFECT! My son had no adjustment to this product, and loved it! He dives right in, and is able to swim short distances with it on! Will work perfectly for the beach setting next summer when we go back home to MI! This product allows my son to freely play in the shallow kid area at our pool where it's an incline into deeper water like a beach without me having a pit of anxiety of a stomach, even though I'm right there, as he crawls into deeper water. I will say that the middle part tends to ride up a bit on him a bit, so when he's in deeper water floating without support his chin is kept just above the water, but he sometimes swallows pool water when there's lots of waves/splashing from nearby. This is something that will get better in time with him growing into the product. Overall, I'm pretty excited about this product and so is my son! Believe the hype on this one and just go for it, especially if you're looking for options for fun floating for the under 30 pound but almost there crowd. We ordered the blue starfish and it's beautiful and bright!

We bought one of these last year four our two year old (she had just turned 2). We have tried every floation device/swim aid available last summer. The puddle jumpers are the only ones that we feel are easy for the kids to learn use and safe. At first our daughter wanted to tip forward and her face would go in the water, but after a week or two of using it she learned to keep her body upright and float around in it without assistance. By the end of the summer she was jumping off of the side of the pool and swimming all over. I never let her leave my sight, but I have no problems letting her swim around and don't feel like I have to be right next her while swimming. This year we bought one for our son who is 15 months. He's still in the process of learning how to sit up in the water in it, but it makes holding on to him so much easier because he doesn't want to be held close while in the pool. He wants to move and float around. I'm assuming just like his sister he'll figure out how to use it quickly and we will have two little swimmers on our hands. Great product! Highly recommend! Just remember when they first start using their puddle jumper they will naturally tip forward and their face will go in the water until they learn to stay upright. With some practice and patience they can figure out. You really do need to be next to them at all times wile they learning how to use it, but once they catch on it will make life so much easier! As far as fit goes I long very skinny kids and both puddle jumpers fit and their arms do not come out. Our son at 15 months is still just a bit tiny for his but it's still useable with supervision (and I'm sure he'll grow into it quickly).

The STEARNS Puddle Jumper is a lifesaver — literally! I got the Cancun Starfish design for my child, and not only is it super cute, but it also gives me peace of mind around the water. It fits securely without being too tight, and the material is soft, so there’s no rubbing or discomfort. My kid feels confident wearing it and has full range of motion to splash, swim, and play. Best part? They actually want to wear it. It’s Coast Guard approved, so I know it’s safe, and it's held up really well to frequent use at the pool and beach. Definitely recommend for any young swimmer!

In February 2023, I purchased the STEARNS Original Puddle Jumper Kids Life Jacket in the starfish design, and it has proven to be an excellent choice. Initially, it was a tad big for my tall and skinny toddler, who was around 1 year and 6 months at the time. Fast forward to now, at 2 years and 6 months old, and it's a perfect fit for him at around 28lbs. The adjustability of the back strap is a key feature, and I've tightened it all the way. My son feels happy and secure wearing it while playing and splashing in the pool or the ocean. This life jacket combines safety and fun seamlessly. It's comforting to see my toddler enjoying water activities while being well-protected. Highly recommend the STEARNS Puddle Jumper for its quality and adjustable design.

This was a peace of mind purchase for our 2-year old son for trips to the neighborhood pool. While we are always with him, it helped knowing he had a flotation device as well. We have used it consistently for the past year or so and I can honestly recommend this product as a great swimming aide. The single best thing about this vest is that it allows a freedom of movement to promote the range of motion needed to learn how to swim. My son quickly learned and I think the confidence of the vest really helped in that aspect. It is also nice that the vest is not cartoon-ishly large on him. It is sleek and fits snuggly with a single rear buckle. It dries out quickly so it won't leave a puddle in your car. It is also durable, as we really haven't done anything but wear it and throw it in the pool bag when we are done. With all of that said, I have noticed that this is not the same as a life vest, it wont keep him bobbing like a cork in the water. Instead it is more like a boost to keep him upright and above water while he actively kicks and treads water. It will definitely help bounce him up out of the water when he jumps in, but I don't think it is comparable to a full life vest that you would use on a lake. Great for the pool though!

We took our young boy to swim class. He likes the water a lot. In fact he likes the water so much he constantly wants to leave our arms and ‘swim’ on his own. The problem is he is 2 and he doesn’t know how to do that yet. This puddle jumper fit our problems need. Regular floaties would not work. He doesn’t have the arm strength yet to keep him afloat with two independent sources of floatation. The puddle jumper provides a nice solid platform for him to rest his body on while he is in the pool with us. We don’t let him just go bobbing around like an apple but in the event that one of us trip or get knocked out from a flying basketball or whatever I feel confident this would allow him to stay afloat enough to survive being in the water by himself. For reference: our 24 month old son is about 35 inches long and weighs about 26 pounds. I would call him ‘skinny’ for his age even though he eats like a horse. Lanky might be a better term. The puddle jumper fit him snug enough that I felt comfortable with it. We let our neighbor use it with her son that Is a different build. About 30 inches and 30 lbs around the same age. His arms are thicker but fit in the puddle jumper very good as well. The colors are nice, the material is high quality, and the pictures are adorable. Get this for your water loving child and they will thank you (if they can talk yet)

My wife recently purchased two of these Streams Puddle Jumpers for our children, ages 2 and 4, right before a planned family vacation. We used these puddle jumpers on our children basically every day on vacation so I feel confident in my rating and review. First things first, if you're looking for a floatation device that will 100% keep your child safe in water then this is not the best choice for you and I'd advise you to buy another product. This product is designed to assist children who are already somewhat competent in water to float. This product is not meant to replace water confidence (i.e. a child that has received swim lessons) and you most certainly do not want to leave a child unattended in any way while they're in the water. Also, this product is not designed to hold a child's head out of the water on its own. Both of my children receive swim lessons and my wife and I were merely looking for a swim aid that would allow them to enjoy the pool (at our resort) for longer periods of time. In that use, this product is absolutely perfect! This puddle jumper is designed for kids between 30-50lbs. My youngest comes in just barely over 30lbs and my oldest about 42lbs and the puddle jumpers worked well for both of them. The jumpers go on easily and simply slip onto the arms and are secured in the back with a locking plastic clip. A nylon strap keeps the puddle jumpers snug and can be easily adjusted for different sized children. My wife and I both found the puddle jumpers extremely easy to use and to get on/off the kids. My kids didn't seem to mind at all having these on and for novice swimmers it gave them a bit of a buoyancy and confidence boost. Both my kids were zipping around the pool (with plenty of adult supervision) and having a great time. This is definitely a product I recommend. However, keep in mind your child's water familiarity and abilities before ordering.

I have a 2 1/2 year old son who just couldn't figure out a regular life vest. The regular life vest kept tipping him on his back or his stomach. But he is much to independent to not have a flotation device. So at the recommendation of a close friend, I ordered the Puddle Jumper. It is honestly the best invention ever! My son is 38lbs and about 37 inches tall and it fits him perfectly. He loved the shark on the front (sharks are his favorite). And it was so easy to put on. His life jacket zips, buckles, then has a buckle that has to go between his legs...it takes time to get a toddler into a life jacket. But it took seconds to put on. My son immediately put his arms into the "Sleeves" and thought the whole thing was pretty cool. We got into the pool and it worked like a charm. He felt confident and paddled around on his own for the first time. The puddle jumper keeps him upright, and doesn't tilt him onto his stomach or back. Super duper satisfied with this purchase!

After searching alot for a suitable product ,I purchased the this one in pink colour. Wonderful fit and keeps my daughter on the water independently. She loves to move around with it and do her kicks and she has no Dear of deep water. I am finly hands free but still in arm reach of her in case she needs me . I am super happy with this purchase and toy recommend it to parents with similar age children.

My grandson loves it from the shark design to the freedom he has in the pool

My grandson wasn't too sure at first but loves it now. Gives him the courage to paddle all over the pool. And we adults like it because it gives us an extra second to reach the toddlers if they get into trouble.

Es de las mejores compras que he podido hacer al oriny mi niño no quería usarlo hasta que se animó y definitivamente es lo mejor de lo mejor .Lo súper recomiendo mi niño tiene 3 años y pesa 16 Kg de los brazos le queda poquito grande pero en agua no se le salen es súper seguro y si evita que su cabeza llegué a tocar el agua . Recomendable 100%

Excelente, lo compré con descuento. Llegaron al día siguiente. Es muy buen tamaño y de excelente material.. Resistente y perfecto para los niños pequeños. Flotan sin problemas y se ajusta. Compré dos para. Mis hijos de 3 y 5 años y les quedaron perfectos. Se secan rápido.