If taking the whole family on a vacation just to get to a body of water sounds to you like the premise of a disaster comedy, you may be interested in getting your young ones an inflatable pool instead. Since no childhood is complete without a gratuitous amount of time spent frolicking in water and sunlight, we convened our panel’s offspring to name their five favourite inflatable pools for this list.
Image Credit: LittleBuddiez
Ask any child who has spent some time in a pool and you will be told quite confidently that swimming on its own is not a recreational activity – doing laps in the pool is merely exercise and definitely not something children do for their own amusement. The Splash and Play Pool from LittleBuddiezHouse.com addresses the inevitable problem of boredom in the pool with additional inflatable amenities: a water slide, in addition to a basketball ring and hoop toss spokes. Included in the single six-kilogram package is an electric pump to help you inflate everything so you don’t have to run out of breath before the fun actually starts.
Image Credit: HandToolsMalaysia
For those with younger children, or any parent looking for something a little closer to the stereotypical kiddie pool – the Elephant Kids Pool from HandToolsMalaysia.com puts your children in the embrace of a cartoon pachyderm that will fit into most urban yards. Almost as a requirement of the elephant theme, the trunk is fitted with a nozzle that dispenses a spray of water with the aid of a garden hose.
Image Credit: Motherhood
From the brand that provides the majority of the world with above-ground swimming pools, comes an inflatable pool apparently inspired by the fantasy world known to all children and Willy Wonka. The Candy Zone Play Center from Intex is not just an inflatable pool – it is a veritable water park from the perspective of someone much smaller, as it combines a 168-litre inflatable pool with a water slide and a 206-litre candy-themed ball pit. While not included, this particular pool can accommodate an attachment that turns a garden hose into a curtain of water over the slide.
Image Credit: HappyHop
A handful of things can earn a child immediate fame in the schoolyard – a famous parent, an awesome given name like “Arya” or “Diesel”, or their very own bouncy castle at home. The Jump and Splash Funland from HappyHop.com will make your child the unwitting host of many a house party with the combination of pool, playground, and bouncy castle in an inflatable package. While requiring significantly more space than any other entry in this list, this behemoth will keep up to five youngsters occupied with various wet and dry activities – plus there’s a water cannon on it.
Image Credit: Toys “R” Us
Introducing a young child to water can be a daunting experience for even the most confident of parents: there are ever-present concerns of too much water, too much sun, and not enough fun – which is where the Lazy Fish Shade Baby Pool by Intex comes in to play. This 53-litre inflatable pool comes with a built-in sunshade providing partial protection from sunlight, it is relatively easy to inflate manually, and it includes a repair patch to treat punctures.
* Brands are listed alphabetically
