Best swim fins for kids
The best swim fins for kids are the Finis brand swim fins. There are many other wonderful brands of swim fins, but if you’re ordering fins online, naturally you’ll want them to fit just right so that you don’t have to go through the hassle of returning them. Finis brand sizes are perfect. They always coincide with my students shoe sizes.
(This post contains affiliate links. This means if you click on an affiliate link and purchase the item, we will receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. Full disclaimer.)
And in case you wanted to know about a couple of other brands of swim fins.
Here’s the low down. I find that the TYR brand fins are very narrow, so if your child’s foot is skinny, it’ll work but not good for wide feet.
And last but not least, the Sporti brand swim fins fit way too big for kids. The sizes are way off. But for adults, they seem to have it covered.
The best stuff about swim fins!
Once my students understand how to kick with the fins, they can’t get enough of them. The fins, not only improve kicking skills they also give my students a reason to believe in themselves. I see their confidence skyrocket all the time.
For many of my students who are still working on getting more comfortable in deep water, they will launch themselves to the deep end with the aid of a bar float or a kickboard.
Learning how to kick with swim fins is also a great way to introduce your child to treading water if it hasn’t already organically transpired.
There is a learning curve with swim fins.
The younger your child, the more challenging it is. You need to encourage straight legs, and pointed toes is a must. Of course, the legs ultimately aren’t totally straight for the entire kick. There is a little bend at the knee when first initiating the kick; then it finishes straight.
These details are just a little too complicated for children to understand. So, only encourage straight legs. It all ends up being just right eventually.
How to properly teach how to kick with fins
Have your child sit on the edge of the pool (fins on) and make sure she knows how to point her toes. With my female students, I tell them to do “pointy ballerina toes.” Now have your child kick with pointed toes. If she can keep her toes pointed while kicking, she’s ready to try it on a floating mat.
If all goes well, then it’s time to try it with a bar float or a kickboard and a pull buoy held between her legs. Then have her try to kick without the pull buoy. When you remove the pull buoy, have her pretend that the pull buoy is still in place and kick as she did with the pull buoy. If you follow these steps, she’ll be well on her way to kicking like a pro.
Benefits: Improves flutter kick and boosts confidence. Best swim fins for kids.
Related Posts
2 Clever Ways to Get a Swim Cap on a Child in Under 2 Seconds
Want a head start? Get my free course — How to Prepare Your Baby for Swim Lessons (0–8 months).
