Best Pool Toys to Help Kids Make a Splash

Best Pool Toys to Help Kids Make a Splash

The summer months are never too far away to start thinking of those beautiful long days—but the sun and smiles of the season can also mean punishing heat. The perfect way for your kids to keep cool during those blazing hot days is cooling off by the pool.

The pool alone might be enough of a draw for you, but keeping little ones occupied all afternoon in the water requires the best pool toys to make swimming a little more fun. With the recommended toys below, the fun from splashing around will last all summer long.

Top 30 Best Pool Toys for Kids 2023

1. Watermelon Ball Swimming Pool Game

Watermelon Ball Swimming Pool Game

Why we like it: This Watermelon ball is a neutrally buoyant ball, perfect for tossing around and inventing fun games.

Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts:

  • Recommended Age: 8+
  • Number of Players: 1+

This ball helps your kids enjoy fun and exercise with friends as they play around in water without the ball bobbing on the surface. The ball is neutrally buoyant when filled with water from a garden hose and not air (keep this in mind as some parents say its unclear in the instructions), as well as extremely durable and able to withstand thrilling games such as basketball, football, and rugby.

Pros

  • Versatile
  • Durable
  • Neutrally buoyant
  • Promotes an active lifestyle

Cons

  • Unclear setup instructions

2. Melissa & Doug Sunny Patch Spark Shark

Melissa & Doug Sunny Patch Spark Shark

Why we like it: This toy helps kids learn breath control, coordination, and strength as they swim around with this toy shark net.

Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts:

  • Recommended Age: 6-8
  • Number of Players: 1-2

This set comes along with two shark nets shaped like a shark with its dorsal fin serving as a handle and guides its swimming. Its open mouth acts as an opening to the net that encompasses the shark’s body. There are also six little fish to be caught and a set of various game suggestions that can be used to utilize the nets (which are a bit rough, so teach your kids to handle them gently) and the fish. You can scatter the 2-inches long little fish across the pool surface and let your six and eight-year-old child get them using the net-fish.

This is a fun and exciting activity for kids. Moreover, your child gets to develop fine motor skills by grasping the shark fin handle, gross motor skills by swimming, and enhancing their spatial reasoning skills when your child finally captures all the fish. Your kids will have inbuilt self-confidence in their abilities to achieve goals.

Pros

  • Easy for kids to understand
  • Includes seven game types
  • Kid-friendly plastic handles that are easy to grip and maneuver while swimming underwater

Cons

  • The netting is a bit rough

3. Swimline Giant Shootball Basketball Game

Swimline Giant Shootball Basketball Game

Why we like it: This floating ball will certainly lead to exciting bouts of pool basketball, especially thanks to multiple ball ports with different point values.

Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts:

  • Recommended Age: 7+
  • Number of Players: 1+

This pool toy has a 45-inch tall hoop that is constructed for allowing multiple players to play at a time due to the presence of multiple ports. The hoop and 36-inches by 45-inches ball are made extremely durable and flexible by the heavy-gauge vinyl used to make them. It’s a game pool toy that uses the same basic basketball concepts. Players get to shoot the ball into a giant floating hoop with multiple ports making it an excellent sport to fine-tune hand-eye coordination.

Pros

  • The toy is made up of a hoop and ball that the kids get to play with as they maneuver in the pool
  • The giant inflatable hoop has multiple ports
  • The set comes in handy with a hoop and one ball
  • The hoop and ball are made from heavy-duty vinyl making them durable
  • A toy that encourages the kids hand-eye coordination

Cons

  • The hoop is a bit tall for small children

4. SwimWays Gobble Gobble Guppies

SwimWays Gobble Gobble Guppies

Why we like it: This is an awesome educational pool toy for toddlers that includes a floating orca whale that gobbles up numbered guppies, helping with math skills.

Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts:

  • Recommended Age: 2+
  • Number of Players: 1

The SwimWays Gobble Guppies toy provides fun for your kids while honing their fine motor skills because it engages hand and finger movements. The toy comes with an orca toy and four guppies that are red, orange, purple, and green—though these colors fade over time due to chlorine. They are also numbered one through four, and they float on the surface of the water making it easy for children as young as two years old to play with.

To gobble up all the four guppies, one needs to squeeze the trigger on the whale’s tail that causes the mouth toy’s mouth to open up wide. The four numbered and colored guppies enable your little one to start understanding numerical counting, categorization, and colors as well as it improves the ability of your child, who might be nervous about learning how to swim—and they can even be used in the bathtub, letting kids as young as 2 join the fun.

Pros

  • Teaches counting and color categorization
  • Safe and easy for toddlers
  • Can also be used in the bath

Cons

  • Colors fade over time

5. Green Toys Submarine

Green Toys Submarine

Why we like it: This toy is produced by an environmentally-friendly company, but your kids will love it for its ability to bring underwater adventures alive.

Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts:

  • Recommended Age: 6 months – 6 years
  • Number of Players: 1

You can submerge the Green Toys Submarine and make it explore the terrain of the tub before moving it to the surface to await the next adventure. This is a very exciting activity for kids with this pool toy. The Green Toys Submarine is a pool toy that your child can get a hold of to scoop sand and later pour it out.

This outdoor and indoor toy is made with 100% recycled milk jugs making it environmentally friendly alongside being child-friendly since the pool toy is BPA- and phthalate-free, though the smaller holes can trap little fingers.

Pros

  • Made from environmentally friendly material
  • The submarine can float or be submerged underwater
  • It features a handle for scooping and pouring water

Cons

  • Children’s fingers often get stuck on the small holes

6. Green Toys My First Tugboat

Green Toys My First Tugboat

Why we like it: This BPA-free colorful tugboat toy floats on the surface of the water for imaginative play pretend in the pool.

Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts:

  • Recommended Age: 6 months – 3 years
  • Number of Players: 1+

Toddlers aged six months and above can splash around using the Green Toys Tugboat whether it’s in the pool of the bathtub. This can be done without putting to an end the fun these young sailors can have with the toys—and you can even bring the kids in on the fun of cleaning them after they’re done!

The toy is made of environment-friendly material such as recycled mild dishwasher safe plastic containers and it contains no BPA, PVCs or phthalates. It has a wide spout that enables your child to scoop out mud or pour water whenever necessary. In addition, it features a ladder, a life preserver, anchor, horns, and five windows where one can observe the steering wheel as well as the captain’s seat.

Pros

  • Safe and environmentally friendly
  • It features a colorful design that can scoop and pour water
  • It’s dishwasher safe

Cons

  • It can develop a gross slim layer on the inner surface if not cleaned

7. VIAHART Swim Training Kickboard

VIAHART Swim Training Kickboard

Why we like it: This swimming kickboard is an incredible training aid, allowing kids to help work on strong kicking while swimming.

Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts:

  • Recommended Age: 2+
  • Number of Players: 1+

The kickboard is soft and comfortable due to the presence of a closed-cell EVA foam. It’s offered in different colors ranging from blue, pink, green, and orange, giving user a variety to pick from based on what your child would find appealing—though it unfortunately only offers plain single-color designs.

The kickboard has been made of multi-layered lightweight polyethylene foam, which makes it puncture and tear-resistant. It’s safe and easy to clean with soap and water to ensure years of vivid colors and endless fun.

Pros

  • Helps teach kids to swim safely
  • Lightweight, durable, and easy to clean
  • Comes in a variety of fun colors

Cons

  • No cool kid-specific designs

8. GoSports Splash Hoop 360 Basketball Game

GoSports Splash Hoop 360 Basketball Game

Why we like it: Perfect for the exciting, active game of water basketball, the GoSports Splash Hoop will provide hours and hours of fun and games in the pool.

Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts:

  • Recommended Age: 4+
  • Number of Players: 1+

Instead of the 180 degrees you get out of a normal basketball hoop, this floating basket offers 360 degrees of fun in the sun. It’s got just the right height for dunking and even includes two basketballs for lightning-fast play. Its clever design rocks and bobs with the movement of the water, adding a fun challenge and a dynamic element to the game You can pump up the balls with the air pump that comes with the toy.

Pros

  • 360 degrees of water basketball fun
  • Two basketballs included
  • Included air pump makes for a quick setup
  • Clever design is patent pending

Cons

  • Toy rocks and bobs with the movement of the water, making scoring challenging

9. Intex Underwater Play Sticks

Intex Underwater Play Sticks

Why we like it: These sticks help kids develop their swimming skills by enabling deep dives and creating a game out of underwater swimming.

Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts:

  • Recommended Age: 6+
  • Number of Players: 1+

Children who can safely swim underwater will find this set of underwater dive sticks fun to play with. By just tossing the sticks throughout the pool they sink to the bottom and remain standing in a vertical position for easier grabbing. They’re fine once they’re in the pool, but note that the chemical odor they produce upon opening can be offputting.

For safely gripping underwater, they are made out of a flexible material that is 8-inches long and 1-inch thick, allowing your child to get a hold of it easily. Furthermore, they come in multiple colors such as blue, pink, red, green, and yellow, making them easily visible at the depths of the pool due to their bright color.

Pros

  • Comes with five different colors
  • Soft and flexible material that is safe for kids to grab
  • Sized for kids hands

Cons

  • The sticks produce a very strong chemical odor out of the box

10. SwimWays Toypedo Bandits

SwimWays Toypedo Bandits

Why we like it: These pool torpedos feature a sleek hydrodynamic design that enables them to glide their way smoothly through the water up to twenty feet away.

Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts:

  • Recommended Age: 5+
  • Number of Players: 1-4

The SwimWays Toypedo Bandits have been made up of a set of four sinking dive toys shaped like torpedoes, that glide about ten feet when thrown underwater. The 5-inch long torpedo dive toys each come with a number, either ten, twenty, thirty, or forty that represent a point system that can be utilized for inherent educational purposes. This may involve counting or simple addition.

Furthermore, it has a variety of colors that provide the incentive for color-based categorization games that involve the toys from the bottom of the pool. This toy will help improve a child’s gross motor skills because it involves the use of hands and fingers when diving using the four sinking toys. Breath control must be used in order to retrieve the dive toy and safely return to the surface.

Pros

  • Fun hydrodynamic design
  • Point markers offer unlimited potential for games
  • Encourages swimming skills development

Cons

  • They don’t go very far

11. Intex Floating Hoops Basketball Game

Intex Floating Hoops Basketball Game

Why we like it: This small, inflatable, floating hoop basketball game is great for younger kids with a smaller hoop height.

Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts:

  • Recommended Age: 5 months +
  • Number of Players: 1+

It has been made with a durable 10-gauge vinyl on the hoop that is hard to break and includes an inflatable ball as well as a repair patch. To use it, the base must be filled with water for stability. It’s 26.5 inches by 21.5 inches in height; thus can easily be used by your young ones, but it’s a bit small for older kids.

Pros

  • It’s durable, having been made with a 10-gauge vinyl on the hoop
  • It’s stable since the base can be filled with water
  • It comes with an inflatable ball as well as a repair patch

Cons

  • A bit small for older children.

12. SwimWays Noodle Sling Floating Pool Chair

SwimWays Noodle Sling Floating Pool Chair

Why we like it: The Swimways noodle sling allows kids to sit back, relax, and enjoy sitting in the pool.

Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts:

  • Recommended Age: 5+
  • Number of Players: 1

This pool chair features a fabric mesh seat that makes it easy to create your own floating chair. It also has a supersized noodle via the openings with a pack of mesh seat sling in either green or blue, making it both safe and comfortable. On top of that, it’s affordable and doesn’t require too much skill to set up. What more could you want out of a pool chair?

Pros

  • Comfortable
  • Safe
  • Easy to set up

Cons

  • Requires strong swimming skills

13. Water Sports Swim Thru Rings

Water Sports Swim Thru Rings

Why we like it: These rings are neutrally buoyant, helping kids work on their breath control and underwater swimming in a fun, challenging way.

Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts:

  • Recommended Age: 8+
  • Number of Players: 1+

Kids swimming sports manufacturing Water Sports has a hit product in the form of their Swim Thru Rings, a neutrally buoyant ring meant to swim through by children. Set the three 31-inch rings up to create a fun and creative swimming maze that will help your child learn breath skills, one of the most important things to know how to do when swimming. Keep an eye out for the air chambers, which can be customized to reach any depth but are tricky to get perfectly buoyant.

Pros

  • Neutrally buoyant rings help kids develop breath control
  • 31-inch rings create a fun and creative swimming maze
  • Allows your child to learn underwater swimming skills

Cons

  • Air chambers are a bit tricky to use

14. Float-Eez Hoop Shark Swimming Pool Hoop Set

Float-Eez Hoop Shark Swimming Pool Hoop Set

Why we like it: This floating basketball hoop has different point values for different shots, adding a new, clever element to water basketball.

Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts:

  • Recommended Age: 7 months +
  • Number of Players: 1+

Swimming opens a whole world of imaginative possibilities for kids. There’s a whole world under the water to imagine, enjoy, and explore. This shark based swimming pool hoop set helps your child explore that world, combining the action-packed sport of basketball with the imaginative underwater world of sea creatures.

That’s thanks to the shark decals on the side; we also like the point values below that create a fun, interesting option for play. As it’s inflatable, be careful to not pop it!

Pros

  • Shark decals create an imaginative world
  • Different point values add a new element to pool basketball
  • Helps your child imagine an underwater world through sports

Cons

  • Need to be careful to not pop it

15. Green Toys Seaplane

Green Toys Seaplane

Why we like it: This floating seaplane is great for imaginative kids who want to pull off daring rescues in the pool.

Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts:

  • Recommended Age: 1+
  • Number of Players: 1

Who says a plane can’t fly under the water? Who says water rescues can’t be done under the surface of the sea? Not toy manufacturer Green Toys, a company that creates quality plastic toys based on the concept of environmental stewardship.

This toy goes after the idea of water rescues, as the fun, smartly designed plane is realistic looking and buoyant, although the pontoons can fill up with water to make it sink a bit.

Pros

  • Green toy manufacturer
  • Seaplane creates imaginative water rescue scenarios
  • Realistic looking
  • Buoyant construction

Cons

  • Pontoons can fill up with water

16. Intex Giant Gator Ride-On

Intex Giant Gator Ride-On

Why we like it: This gator is great for the pool, lake, or beach. It’s large enough to hold two or three kids at a time.

Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts:

  • Recommended Age: 3+
  • Number of Players: 1-3

The Intex Gator Ride-On measures 80-inches long, meaning you can pile onto the float with your kids or let two or three young kids enjoy the ride—while also meaning you should pick up an electric pump rather than relying on the power of your breath.

It features two sets of handles on the beast’s back so you can hold on tight while you drift. It features sturdy, two-chamber construction, along with UV-resistant vinyl that will not fade or easily rip.

Pros

  • Big enough for two or three kids
  • Sturdy construction
  • It’s easy for kids to hold on to because of the two sets of handles on the back.

Cons

  • It’s too large to inflate with lung power alone

17. Aqua Stingray Underwater Glider

Aqua Stingray Underwater Glider

Why we like it: This toy can be used to pull off underwater tricks like glides, boomerangs, and spirals upwards.

Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts:

  • Recommended Age: 5+
  • Number of Players: 1-3

The Aqua Stingray Underwater Glider is suitable for children aged five years and above. It propels itself as it glides through the water covering over sixty feet deep. This enables your younger one to go deep into the water while holding their breath as they try to catch it.

It’s the perfect size for kids as it measures 8-inches in length and 10.75-inches wing-width: your child’s small hands are able to get a hold of it perfectly—just warn them to watch the inner ring, which is rough and can cause some minor scrapes. Besides, you can adjust the fins/wings to create your own flight pattern.

Pros

  • Great to encourage swimming skills
  • It features bright colors that are easy to spot in the water
  • Easy to adjust the position of the fins
  • Highly bouyant after gliding down

Cons

  • Watch for sharp edges

18. Green Toys Rescue Boat With Helicopter

Green Toys Rescue Boat With Helicopter

Why we like it: Enjoy this Green Rescue Boat toy as they try to save the helicopter while acting as Captain Duck or Pilot bear.

Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts:

  • Recommended Age: 6 months+
  • Number of Players: 1

This four-piece set has been made from 100% recycled plastic from the USA and come along with a rescue boat, helicopter, and two characters: Captain Duck and Pilot Bear. The bold colors and the entire toy are dishwasher safe, and it has been designed to float in water—though the holes can take on water, so be sure the toy doesn’t capsize! It’s the perfect addition to any bathtub or poolside fleet.

Pros

  • Made from 100% recycled plastic
  • Dishwasher-safe
  • Color lasts long

Cons

  • Can sink

19. Intex Pool Volleyball Game

Intex Pool Volleyball Game

Why we like it: This enormous beach ball is a classic pool toy with a large diameter and economical price.

Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts:

  • Recommended Age: 3+
  • Number of Players: 1+

How much is there to really say about an enormous beach ball? It just shouts out pool fun. No, it doesn’t have a net (though you may want to buy one separately) or include anything else than the 24-inch ball, but the pink, yellow, and blue toy is a classic for a reason. It’s safe, great for kids three and up, and includes an easily inflatable valve, but watch out for its thin construction, which can deflate if it’s scraped or scratched.

Pros

  • Enormous beach ball is a classic toy for a good reason
  • Pink, yellow, and blue color
  • Safe for kids three and up
  • Easily inflatable valve

Cons

  • Thin construction can deflate if scraped or scratched

20. Step2 Play and Shade Pool

Step2 Play and Shade Pool

Why we like it: This inflatable pool comes with a great, shade-providing umbrella, great for younger ones that might be safer here than in the full-sized pool.

Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts:

  • Recommended Age: 2-10
  • Number of Players: 1-2

It has been designed to hold a forty-inch umbrella that nests nicely on the side of the pool, ensuring your child is under a convenient shade away from strong sunlight rays—just be sure they don’t lose it, since its not permanently attached.  The umbrella post is built with three funnel cups and a fun spinning water wheel that easily attaches to the umbrella post for an extra added play out.

The bottom of the pool provides traction for your little child’s feet to move around the water and the two molded-in seats let your little one relax after a day on the water.

Pros

  • Pool seat and ocean designs keep kids entertained
  • Easy to assemble
  • Sturdy and durable

Cons

  • The umbrella tends not to stay in the pool thus defeating the purpose

21. Watermelon Ball Combo Pack

Watermelon Ball Combo Pack

Why we like it: These balls made for the pool are made for underwater play, and they’re neutrally buoyant for tossing, dribbling, diving, and more.

Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts:

  • Recommended Age: 8+
  • Number of Players: 1+

The Watermelon ball is an incredibly popular summer pool toy, known for its buoyancy that creates the possibilities for tons of clever, fun games.

So what makes this inexpensive set a great pick? The balls come in multiple sizes, allowing you to play in multiple ways. A few balls mean more players, more action, or new types of underwater play. The only limit is your imagination. The only thing on our wish list is that they were a bit lighter, as they can get heavy to throw around above the water.

Pros

  • Neutral buoyancy allows for tons of fun games
  • More than one ball means that you can play in new ways
  • Only limited by your imagination

Cons

  • Heavy and hard for young kids to throw

22. Melissa & Doug Seaside Sidekicks Sand Baking Set

Melissa & Doug Seaside Sidekicks Sand Baking Set

Why we like it: The toy turns the beach into a baking kitchen, with children using shell-shaped cups and molds to make imaginary recipes.

Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts:

  • Recommended Age: 3 – 5
  • Number of Players: 1

The toy is made up of shell-shaped measuring cups, an octopus whisk, and crab mixing spoon. The mixing, sifting, and baking themes are unique for sand toys thus presenting an exciting twist. The turtle lid on the mixing bowl doubles up as a sifter apart from mixing.

It’s part of Melissa & Doug’s Sunny Patch, a line of products that encourages exploration as well as outdoor play while simultaneously enhanching hand-eye coordination. The chunky handles are just the perfect size for small hands so that the young ones can also get a chance to enjoy making mud pies and sand cakes, though the lid can be a bit hard for young ones to snap shut.

Pros

  • Durable
  • Colorful and appealing
  • Encourages children develop their hand-eye coordination.

Cons

  • Turtle lid hard to snap shut

23. Melissa & Doug Louie Lobster Claw Catcher

Melissa & Doug Louie Lobster Claw Catcher

Why we like it: This lobster claw catcher is great for the kiddy pool, with a squeeze-and-grab design allowing kids to go after three fish-shaped sinkers.

Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts:

  • Recommended Age: 3 – 8
  • Number of Players: 1

The Melissa & Doug Sunny Patch Louie Lobster Claw Catcher allows your kid to enjoy a variety of game ideas it offers. The toy includes a Louie Lobster Claw Catcher, three fishy sinkers, and a variety of game ideas.

It has a sturdy plastic construction and is well suited for indoor and outdoor activities. It can be used in bathtubs or in the pool with kids. This tiny toy is easy for kids to use with one hand, but its parts can easily be lost.

Pros

  • Sturdy and durable plastic
  • Suitable for both indoor and outdoor use.
  • Easy for kids to use
  • Encourages the development of a child’s imagination and creativity.

Cons

  • Easily lost

24. Joyin Floating Volleyball and Basketball Set

Joyin Floating Volleyball and Basketball Set

Why we like it: Combining swimming and volleyball leads to a guaranteed fun afternoon.

Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts:

  • Recommended Age: 3+
  • Number of Players: 2-8

This toy includes an inflatable volleyball net, which is the perfect size for any backyard swimming pool, as well as a bonus basketball and floating hoop for double the fun. It includes weight bags alongside it that gives you a chance to take it on vacation. This versatile toy can be used to play on the lakeside, beachside, and also the poolside, so long as the water isn’t too deep to anchor the toy. This ensures that you constantly have hours of fun and familial bonding as you battle against each other to determine the volleyball champion.

By encouraging swift swimming, this toy offers a good way to relax as well as improve cardiovascular health. The volleyball also helps improve muscle tone and increase dexterity since it’s a cardiovascular sport, making it a perfect match for enjoyable exercise.

Pros

  • Fun for up to eight players
  • Can be used anywhere with water
  • Durable set contains weight bags and a repair kit

Cons

  • Anchors too shallow for some pools

25. Green Toys Tugboat

Green Toys Tugboat

Why we like it: Floating adventures are just a dip away with this environmentally friendly water toy

Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts:

  • Recommended Age: 6 months +
  • Number of Players: 1

This watercraft is made by company Green Toys, meaning it’s earth-friendly and environmentally safe. It’s easy to clean and chlorine resistant, so it’s good for playing at the beach or in the swimming pool.

A spinning propeller brings the toy to life: your child will love putzing through the water with this fun toy! It’s got a flat bottom that can float on the surface of the pool. It’s a bit smaller than some expect, so be aware that this isn’t the biggest pool toy on our list.

 

Pros

  • Earth-friendly and environmentally safe toy
  • Buzzes through the water with a small propeller
  • Flat bottom allows the toy to float with stability
  • Easy to clean and chlorine resistant

Cons

  • Not a large toy

26. Melissa & Doug Frog Toss and Grip

Melissa & Doug Frog Toss and Grip

Why we like it: This toy is perfect for kids who love tossing and throwing toys into the pool.

Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts:

  • Recommended Age: 3-7
  • Number of Players: 1-2

The Melissa & Doug Frog Toss and Grip is not just good for the pool, but for the beach or poolside as well. The set comes with two nets and two balls, which can be used with a single player or in group games involving many players.

They’re made from fade-resistant materials and can be able to stand up to the sun and the chlorine. As kids get used to playing with them, they can start to unlock tons of gaming possibilities with the set—but be warned that the balls sometimes won’t pop up, making the toys a bit frustrating for younger kids.

Pros

  • Encourages the development of motor skills and hand-eye coordination
  • Soft yet durable plastic frame and nets
  • Made from fade-resistant materials

Cons

  • Sometimes the balls fail to pop up

27. Jasonwell Inflatable Unicorn Pool Float

Jasonwell Inflatable Unicorn Pool Float

Why we like it: Your child can ride and relax on this chill unicorn pool inflatable as they enjoy the cool water on pools and other bodies of water.

Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts:

  • Recommended Age: 8+
  • Number of Players: 1-2

This toy features a fantastic color and appearance. The toy has been finely crafted with smooth curves and the utmost attention to details in vibrant colors. It’s easy to inflate and deflate because it has an improved valve enabling it to easily inflate by pump or hairdryer. It’s also got with a built-in cup holder and two grab handles on the unicorn’s neck to ensure that the ride is safe.

There is a valve that fully opens to deflate in seconds, although some parents noted that the toy didn’t hold up to repeated inflations and deflations.

Pros

  • The toy is sturdy for safe and fun play
  • Can inflated using a hairdryer and deflated by fully opening the valve
  • Features fantastic colors and appearance
  • Includes a built-in cupholder

Cons

  • Some durability issues

28. SwimWays Pick Me up Pelican

SwimWays Pick Me up Pelican

Why we like it: This underwater educational tool can help your child develop counting and color identification skills.

Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts:

  • Recommended Age: 2+
  • Number of Players: 1

All one has to do is to squeeze the trigger on the pelican to open the beak and scoop up the floating sea creatures. It’s made up of a series of four fishes, each with a different color and number, making learning through color and number recognition fun. The set, consisting of a pelican and four sea creatures, is recommended for two-year-olds and above.

Note that the shark does not often open wide enough to easily get the guppies in, and the guppies in the mouth tend to float out whenever one tries to get additional ones in, making it a bit difficult for especially young children.

Pros

  • Teaches numerical as well as color identification
  • Suitable for a range of ages
  • Good in the bath or the pool

Cons

  • Might be frustrating for young children

29. Water Blaster Soaker Gun

Water Blaster Soaker Gun

Why we like it: These foam water blasters let kids shoot powerful jets of water across the pool deck, soaking their opponents.

Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts:

  • Recommended Age: 3+
  • Number of Players: 1-4

This pack includes four colorful toys that provide hours of fun to a group of pool-goers. One might mistake it for an ordinary pool noodle, but it’s slightly different due to the user’s ability to pull back the handle to allow water in the cannon until it’s completely loaded. Once loaded, you can aim and push the handle forward to blast the water at your target.

It’s easy to grip and play water battle games in the swimming pool with this water toy. The small noodle-like toys float and are constructed out of non-toxic material. They float, but they are fairly small, so they’re best suited for younger kids.

Pros

  • Easy to hold and fire
  • 4-pack makes for a great party toy
  • Float when left in the pool

Cons

  • Small in size

30. Fin Fun Mermaid Tails

Fin Fun Mermaid Tails

Why we like it: Fin Fun mermaid tails for swimming can fulfill your little one’s dream of freely floating about in the water like a mermaid.

Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts:

  • Recommended Age: 6+
  • Number of Players: 1

These Fin Fun Mermaid tails are covered in scales that sparkle in water. These swimsuit-style tails are beautiful and intricately designed. They have a monofin that comfortably fits under the tail providing serious propulsion in the water.

The monofin is made up of a flexible and unbreakable polypropene and dive-grade neoprene and does not require feet to be strapped that makes the removal, especially in case an emergency occurs, easy and simple. This perfect swimming gift is recommended for the development of your child’s underwater breathing and swimming skills, with a tail and fin design as a source of encouragement to children doing the dolphin-kick style swimming—just be sure to check the size chart, because a tail that’s a bit too large will be constantly falling off.

Pros

  • Smooth, durable, hydrodynamic construction
  • Resists the sun and chlorine
  • Machine-washable

Cons

  • The tail can slip off the child’s waist during swimming

Final Words

The best pool toys for kids are essential for a great summer. They can help teach swimming skills, keep kids occupied for hours, and make for great fun in a group.

Ensure that you keep your kid’s interests in mind when shopping! If your child doesn’t love water basketball, will they like an imaginative toy or an underwater swimming one? There’s something for everyone on our list. The best pool toys for kids won’t only help kids have fun, but can also help train them to swim safely and independently, making them a win for both parent and child.