When school is out and temperatures rise, nothing makes kids happier than water play. If you don't have access to a pool or beach, it's easy to bring the fun to your own backyard with a kiddie pool.
Kid-sized swimming pools come in many different sizes and styles, from basic wading pools to inflatable playgrounds with slides, sprayers, and other bells and whistles. Depending on your kids' ages and play styles, you might like a simple setup or something more interactive. Pay attention to age recommendations, though, as some pools are intended for older kids only.
Toy industry expert Jim Silver, chief executive officer and editor-in-chief of the Toys, Tots, Pets & More, said ease of setup is one of the most important considerations when choosing a kiddie pool. "I think the biggest difference in pools is how easy they are to inflate," Silver said. "There are pools that are much harder to inflate — and deflate to put away."
Durability is another quality that's vital in an inflatable pool. "How easily do they pop a leak?" said Silver. "It's important to check that they do come with patches, but you don't want to get a leak. I always put the pools on the grass and not a rocky area."
No matter what kids' swimming pool you choose, it's imperative that an adult stays with the kids while it is in use. Kiddie pools are plastered with warning labels and for good reason: Drowning is the leading cause of accidental death for young children. Stay within arm's reach while kids are in the pool, and always drain the pool at the end of play. Toddlers can drown in less than 2 inches of water. Draining the pool every day is also a good idea for hygienic reasons since these pools have no filtration.
With so many pools on the market, it can be difficult to choose. To help you narrow things down, we rounded up our top picks for the best kiddie pools across five different categories. We were able to test some but not all of these pools due to inventory shortages. For the other picks, we evaluated each pool's key characteristics, price, and intended use.
Here are the best kiddie pools you can buy: