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Best pool toys for fun in the sun this summer
Brilliant for holidays at home or abroad, help your kids stay cool while having fun this summer, with our pick of the best pool toys, as recommended by Mumsnetters.
By Lucy Cotterill | Last updated Jul 11, 2024
During hot weather, our minds turn to swimming pools. And if you're heading off on holiday with your family this year, chances are that access to a child-friendly swimming pool will be high up on your list of priorities. Not only does a pool help cool your kids down on the hottest of days, but it’s a great source of entertainment too, allowing kids to jump in, splash and play with pool toys and games in the water.
If you're shopping for summer toys, we've got you covered. Based on tried-and-tested recommendations from the Mumsnet forums, our guides to the best paddling pools, the best trampolines and the best hammocks are based on authentic reviews from real parents.
For the youngest of swimmers, pool noodles and floating toys are a great place to start, encouraging them to reach out and get moving in the water, If your child is already swimming independently, diving toys can be a great way to improve their confidence, popping on their goggles before diving down and scooping them up from the bottom of the pool. Alternatively, if you’re after something the whole family can enjoy, there are a huge number of active pool games such as throwing toys, balls and water squirters that provide a shared experience and some inter-family competition.
Whichever pool toy you choose, it’s crucial to keep your children safe in the water. The pool toys we recommend require full parental supervision at all times. It’s also important to ensure pool toys are appropriate for your child’s age and swimming level.
Whether your kids want to dive down, jump in or simply have fun in the sun, here are the best pool toys you can buy in 2024.
Best pool toys - at a glance:
Best overall pool toy: Swimways ToyPedo Bandits
Best budget pool toy: Intex Beach Ball
Best pool toy for toddlers: Nuby Watering Can
Best pool dive toys: Speedo Spinning Dive Toy
Best inflatable pool toy: JOYIN Inflatable Unicorn Pool Float
Best pool ball: Waboba Surf Water Bouncing Ball
Best inflatable pool game: Bestway 52133 Water Volleyball Swimming Set
Best pool noodle: Swimming Water Woggle Noodle
Best pool toy for 5 year olds: Ucradle 6Pcs Foam Gun Water Blaster
Best pool toy for 10 year olds: NABAJI Aquaway
Brightly coloured, engaging design
Choice of play methods
Helps improve children’s confidence underwater
Glides up to six metres from each throw
Throwing underwater can take some practice
Price on writing: £8 | Age suitability: 5 years+ | Material: Synthetic | Size: 20.32 x 3.17 x 17.78 cm
When asked for suggestions on the best pool toys for kids, ToyPedos was a product mentioned by Mumsnet users time and time again. Recommended for children aged five and above, these brightly coloured hydrodynamic rockets glide through the water with ease, just like a real fish, reaching distances of up to six metres from each throw.
The set comes with four ToyPedos and offers a choice of playing options. Younger children will love playing catch under the water, simply propelling the rocket towards their opponent. Alternatively, for those more confident swimming underwater, you can encourage them to dive down and retrieve ToyPedos when they reach the bottom of the pool. With each fish having a unique number of points, they make a fun scoring game to play in the pool and compete with friends.
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Easy to inflate and deflate as required
Easy to store/transport
Suitable for the whole family
On windy days this lightweight ball can easily float/blow away
Price on writing: £3 | Age suitability: 3 years+ | Material: Vinyl | Size: 16.51 x 1.59 x 29.84 cm
Whilst it can be tempting to buy a wide selection of pool toys in preparation for your family holiday, the cost can soon add up. If you’re looking for a pool toy on a budget, these inflatable beach balls are a budget-friendly choice, creating a fun throw-and-catch ball or even a volleyball game for family members to enjoy together in the pool.
These brightly coloured beach balls can be inflated and ready to play in minutes, before compressing back down to pack away when heading back to your accommodation, making a portable choice for those limited on space.
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Small size gripped handle ideal for small hands
Helps develop hand-to-eye coordination
Also suitable for use in the garden, bath and beach
Some reviewers found this toy challenging to keep clean due to its very small holes
Price on writing: £5 | Age suitability: 6 months+ | Material: Plastic | Size: 15.5 x 13.5 x 9.5 cm
For babies and toddlers, pool toys that encourage movement and improve their confidence in the water are a popular choice. Suitable for children aged six months and above, this brightly coloured watering can is simple for small hands to fill and carry thanks to its easy grip handle and compact size.
Great for developing hand-to-eye coordination, your children will love tipping the spout and watching as the water sprinkles out.
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Speedo Spinning Dive Toy
Brand trusted by parents
Spin slowly as they sink to the bottom of the pool
Helps improve children’s confidence in the water
Come in a handy mesh storage bag
Pricey
Price on writing: £18 | Age suitability: Plastic | Material: Synthetic | Size: 6.2 x 18.6 x 20.2 cm
If your children are capable swimmers above water, diving toys are a great progression to help perfect their technique and improve their confidence beneath the surface.
Children will love racing down to collect these Speedo shark design dive sticks, tracking them as they spin slowly and sink to the bottom of the pool. Measuring 18cm high, they’re easy to spot and retrieve thanks to their brightly coloured designs.
Whilst they don’t come cheap, the Speedo are a trusted brand who have manufactured these Spinning Dive Toys to the most rigorous of UK and Australian safety standards. They also come in a portable mesh storage bag - a convenient and practical choice for a fun-filled day by the pool.
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Great for lounging around on
Handles on the neck are useful
It takes a long time to inflate - we recommend a pump!
Large, so you will need plenty of room in the pool
Price on writing: £15 | Age suitability: Unspecified | Material: Vinyl | Size: 152.4 x 74.93 x 85.09cm
If pool volleyball or constantly picking up dive sticks leaves your child feeling a bit worn out, let them enjoy some chill-out time on this giant glittery unicorn pool float. Perfect for those lazy summer days.
The float is made of strong material and comes with two useful handles on the neck, it's also pretty big, so don't forget to pack your pump when you go on holiday!
Read next: Best garden slides for toddlers and beyond
Bounces on the water for a unique game of throw and catch
Lightweight and portable
Floats on the surface
Could be easily lost
Price on writing: £8 | Age suitability: 3 years+ | Material: TPR, Lycra and SBR | Size: 5.5 x 5.5 x 5.5 cm
A traditional game of throw and catch can be twice as much fun in the water. If you fancy mixing things up a little, this brightly coloured neoprene ball actually bounces on the surface, making a fun pool toy for skimming, throwing games or even competitions to see who can bounce it the highest.
Soft and squishy with an intelligent gel core, the Waboba Surf Ball is a great addition to any trip to the pool, lake or beach and is small enough to pop straight into your pocket.
The set comes with everything needed to play including an inflatable stand, net and ball
Quick and easy to set up
Better suited to private pools due to the space required to play
Price on writing: £13 | Age suitability: 3 years+ | Material: Nylon | Size: 2.44 m x 64 cm
Another active choice for the pool that the whole family can play together is this inflatable volleyball set from trusted inflatables brand Bestway. Easy to set up and secure; simply inflate the stand, secure the net and add to the water, before splitting into two teams and launching the ball over to your opponents!
Due to its size, it’s better suited for private pools rather than a packed hotel pool. It’s also worth bearing in mind that it floats on the water, so may move around quite easily, particularly on a windy day.
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Flexible pool float for younger children
Provides buoyancy for pool games
Colours selected at random
Price on writing: £8 | Age suitability: 1 years+ | Material: Foam | Size: 148 x 7.5 x 6 cm
Available in a variety of bright, engaging colours, pool noodles are a versatile and practical buoyancy aid for young children or less confident swimmers. Used under the arms, these flexible foam cylinders bend into a variety of shapes to help your child float, allowing them to practice their kicking technique and propel their arms through the water whilst their core is fully supported.
If your children have a noodle each, these pool toys are also great for races too, bending into a u shape before jumping on and seeing who can reach the other side of the pool the fastest.
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Pack of six so that the entire family can play together
ABS plastic and foam construction that's soft and safe for small hands
Long-range spray of 7-8 metres
Some reviewers found they broke easily
May not be a popular choice in a busy pool
Price on writing: £13 | Age suitability: 5 years+ | Material: Foam | Size: 36.5 x 32.4 x 5.2 cm
Made from soft pool noodle foam and easy for even young children to operate, this pack of six brightly coloured water blasters can help create the ultimate water fight in the pool between friends and family. Simply submerge in the water to fill the water blaster, before pulling back the handle and pushing forward to release in a swift pump-like motion, creating a water spray that travels up to six metres.
Whilst some reviewers found they can break quite easily, the vast majority were really impressed by the range of the spray, even using the blasters in their paddling pools for a water fight in the garden at home.
Read next: Best outdoor toys: get your kids active with great toys and games for your garden
Ideal for confident swimmers
Varied difficulty
Lightweight and portable
Can be challenging for those new to swimming underwater
Price on writing: £20 | Age suitability: 6 years+ | Material: polypropylene | Size: 150 cm length
If your child is forever performing tricks and handstands in the pool, they’ll love the challenge of the NABAJI Aquaway. These lightweight pool toys can be thrown into the pool, where they sink to the bottom to form an arch. The challenge? Dive down and swim through the middle of the archway.
A fun way to improve your child’s confidence whilst holding their breath, diving down under the water and achieving the ultimate goal of passing under the two arches in the set.
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What to consider when shopping for pool toys
With so many pool toys to choose from, it can be hard to know where to start, here are some things to consider when selecting the right pool toy for you and your family:
Age appropriateness - What age is the pool toy suitable for? Pool toys will vary depending on both your child’s age and their swimming ability. If your child has only recently learnt to swim without buoyancy aids, you should stick to pool toys that can be played above the water. On the other hand, if your child is already a confident swimmer, diving toys and toys that encourage your child to head underwater offer a fun experience and challenge.
Portability - How big is the toy? Is it lightweight and easy to carry to and from the pool? Does it fold flat? How much space will it take up in your swimming bag?
Safety - Is the beach toy made from non toxic BPA plastic? Are there any sharp edges? You should also consider any safety rules of the pools you are visiting, as some venues have strict policies on the pool toys they will allow to be used in a shared pool.
Durability - How durable and hard wearing is the pool toy? With pool toys likely to experience some regular use, will they stand the test of time?
Shared experiences - Is the pool toy suitable for the whole family to play together? Toys and games that can be played with a parent and child can make a fun bonding experience in the pool.
Cost - How much are you willing to spend? Some pool toys are really affordable, whilst you may need to pay a little more to get branded toys or toys that are more closely aligned with the swimming curriculum. Consider how long your child will play with it compared to the price and whether the toy can be shared with siblings or other family members.
What’s the best pool toy to buy?
It’s fair to say there are some great pool toys on the market, but the ToyPedo Bandits take our top spot for the best pool toy you can buy today. A fun and affordable pool toy that can be played with by the whole family, they’re a great way to improve your child’s confidence, learn to hold their breath, dive underwater and take on the challenge of scooping them up from the bottom of the pool.
How we chose our recommendations
Recommendations from real Mumsnet users
Mumsnet users have a wealth of experience when it comes to spending time at the pool, whether that be family holidays, family fun at their local leisure centres or Saturday morning swim lessons with the kids.
First, we sought out the trusted opinions of Mumsnet users, to get their feedback on the pool toys that had proved to be a hit with their children and that they would recommend to others. We sought out pool toys that Mumsnet users found to be engaging, challenging and improved their child’s confidence in the water.
We also looked out for any negative reviews, where Mumsetters highlighted products that they felt were poor quality, overpriced or simply failed to bring the fun factor.
Expert opinions
Next up, we considered reviews and feedback from trusted industry experts. We want to be confident that the products we recommend are fit for purpose, so we looked out for award-winning products or those that were well regarded in the marketplace.
Authentic consumer reviews
Finally, to bring you our definitive list of the best pool toys on the market, we thoroughly investigated genuine, in-depth customer reviews on retailer sites such as Amazon, Argos and John Lewis to get wider consumer experiences regarding the products on our shortlist.
Why you should trust us
We work hard to provide honest and independent advice you can trust and we spend hours scouring the Mumsnet forums and online bestseller lists to find products that real parents rate.
Transparency is really important to us and that's why we're always upfront about where we find our recommendations. We write about products that we feel offer the best value to most parents – the ones that our users would recommend to their own friends and family.
About the author
Lucy Cotterill is a mum of two and Content Writer at Mumsnet, specialising in baby/child and lifestyle product reviews and round-ups. Having written product reviews on her own blog Real Mum Reviews since 2012, Lucy loves to research and explore the pros and cons of baby products, scrutinising reviews and consumer feedback to help parents make confident purchases that benefit their families.
Originally from a HR background with a degree in Business Studies, Lucy developed a real passion for blogging and writing when her children were young, going on to write for several online publications including US parenting site Pregistry and the Evening Standard. When she’s not manically tapping the keys of her laptop, Lucy loves nothing more than to cosy up with her Kindle and enjoy the latest thriller, or compete in Nintendo Switch rallies with her daughters aged six and 10.