Young Swimsuits

Sporty Young Swimsuits

Of course, you love for your kids to look adorable, but at this age, fashion matters a lot less than practicality. For babies, it is best to swim naked, as this replicates a sense of the womb and their bodies are naturally attuned to the water.

For toddlers, a swimsuit is a must. Unless you have your own pool or live in a climate that’s hot all year round, the swimsuit will only be worn for one season, so you probably want to find something inexpensive as well as practical.

Shopping for Young Kids’ Swimsuits

Target is a good place to start. They have a huge range of fun swimsuits for little boys and girls, all at very low prices. Many of the suits do specify a need to be hand washed; this can be a hamper, but since you are only using them for a season, you can probably risk tossing them in the washing machine on a cold wash and then hanging dry. Swimsuits, of course, should dry quickly. Target also sells cover-ups, hats, beach sandals and water clogs to go with your kids’ swim wear.

If you want something of a slightly higher quality that isn’t much more expensive, take a look at Bambino Mountain and their I Play selection of sporty wear for the very young. Swimsuits and other sun gear like hats and glasses are included in the line.

For little girls, Bambino Mountain carries bikinis, skirtinis, tank suits and tankinis. For little boys, there are swim trunks and board trunks. They also sell the very handy swim diapers. You can certainly buy disposable swim diapers, but for a little extra money, you can get something cute that also goes a bit toward helping the environment. Don’t worry about a messy cleanup, these diapers are designed for convenience and will stay snug until you are in a position to rinse them out in the commode and then wash the diaper. It should be noted, however, that I Play recommends you don’t put the diapers in the dryer.

Organic Young Swimsuits

It's always best to go organic when you can, and you can get surprisingly inexpensive suits at The Cuddly Hippo. They don’t have a very large selection, but their swim diaper and top combinations come in fun and charming fabrics.

Even better, the fabric is certified 50+ UV protection. That’s a huge relief for parents trying to provide full sun coverage. The suits come with wrap-around sun shades that block close to 100% UVA and UVB rays. If you think it doesn’t get better than that, guess again. These swimsuits can be tossed in the washing machine and tumble-dried. You can also get T-shirts, shorts and swim hoodies. Finally, they sell specially formulated baby sunscreen, so you have the added bonus of one-stop shopping for all your sun fun needs.

For a selection of organic one-piece swimsuits for both girls and boys, as well as more boys’ swim shorts, try Rugged Bear. They have very cute suits with a built-in polyurethane diaper for maximum convenience. The suits are lined in 100% cotton and can be washed on cold, although they do have to be hung for drying.

Hunt for Bargains

Obviously, buying in the off season is the way to get the best deal, although you will have less of a selection. The biggest bargain you can get, however, is a good return policy. Whether you shop online or in a brick and mortar store, you want an easy return policy because even though an item may be sized for a two-year-old, it can be too big or small for your little one. It never hurts to shop with a tape measure!