Bay&Birch Kids

Our pool has saved us this summer. I can justify buying all the pool toys if it means that I don’t have to load my kids up in the car and hit a destination in the sweltering heat. Here are products my kids (& the adults in my life who act like kids) love.

1. Pool Fence – Above all, this has been our best purchase. Not only for the piece of mind when the pool isn’t in use, but also because it allows our kids to utilize the rest of the backyard. I was initially stuck on the price point, but a family member shared these wise words – “If anything bad ever happened to anyone in your backyard, you’d pay any price to save them.” I immediately purchased. I would highly recommend this company if you are in Ontario – Guardian Pool Fence Systems (I have no affiliation or connection. We had a great experience with this company). We are going on 3 years with no issues, including seasonal take down and re-installation.
   
2. Water Shooters – The water shooters have created some intense rivalry this summer. My two year old can work them and they are strong enough without taking out eyes. Their range is surprisingly long. They are easy to pack and you don’t need to worry about them malfunctioning or leaking all over beach bags. Available on Amazon.
   
3. Gems – My son is obsessed with “land” gems so when I saw these for the pool, it was an immediate purchase. The kit comes with a bag for gem collection, as well as waterproof challenge cards. The kids can pick a card and then find the displayed gems. As a teacher, I appreciate that this promotes colour and shape recognition. There are enough of them (approx. 60 gems) for multiple kids to share in the pool. Available on Amazon.
   
4. Mambobaby Lite Floatie – We used this for both our children & LOVED it. Kids can lay on their front or back to kick. There are multiple safety features to make sure kids cannot pop out. It deflates so we packed it on many destination trips. It comes with a sun shade which was great when our kids were too young for sunscreen. Supervision is heavily required but it does give kids independence and really made a difference with our kids’ kicking! Available on Amazon.
   
5. Comfy Band Goggles – We have been through TONS of goggles and these are the fave. The bands don’t dig in or pull hair. We have not had any issues with the lenses and our kids love the pictures on the back. Available on Amazon.
   
6. Floating Hoops – I bought these to help my 3 year old learn to swim through the water. Each ring has it’s own character and colour (e.g. duck, mermaid). The sand bag attached to the bottom paired with the floatie on top, keeps them stationed in the water for swimming. Sometimes we take the sandbags off so kids can jump and dive into them. Assembly was shockingly quick & easy. Available on Amazon.
   
7. Outbound Tubes – These tubes – where to start?? They have lasted us 8+ years, through river floats and multiple grown men landing on them from jumps of the diving board. They are still going strong. This recommendation might be more for the adults than the kids, but these things are durable and have been around longer than our kids! Available on Amazon and Canadian Tire.
   
8. Little Tykes Hide & Seek Climber – Our kids had outgrown this climber for the yard, but we have it set up so the kids can use it as a pool slide. It’s always a hit and a great way to repurpose something your kids have outgrown. Available on Amazon.
   
9. Full swim suits – These suits have been perfect for the pool – if there is a quick moment when I want to go out with the kids, I can throw these on and not worry about full body sunscreen. They provide UV protection and keep my kids a bit cozier. Definitely makes for a faster & easier transition to swimming. Available on Amazon.
   
10. Skip Balls – These balls are simple and fun. Great for throwing & skipping challenges. And not painful if someone gets accidentally (or purposely…) hit. Perfect size to pack for destinations. Available on Amazon.
11. Noodles – Yes, just regular pool noodles. You can’t beat the price and it’s worth it to take a load off while swimming with the kids! Our kids love hooking them up to jets to make a hose, jumping over them, etc. Available at Giant Tiger…and everywhere!