One thing is firmly on my five-year-old's mind - when is it going to be warm enough to don her unicorn swimsuit and head to the local splash park. And one thing on my mind is shopping for a new kids' swimsuit because she's inevitably out-grown her last one.
See, you don't have to be heading off on a big summer holiday to be wondering where to buy a kids' swimsuit from. You'll need them for staycations, sunshine filled breaks and those lazy summer days in the garden with nothing but a sprinkler and a paddling pool to entertain them all day long.
Choosing a swimsuit for your child should cover a few points. Firstly, comfortable, so look for swimming costumes with good coverage and for girls, straps that are thick or soft, nothing too thin that'll cut in. A popular choice for kids are rash suits, or all in ones, with an SPF fabric. These are great for children of all ages, when they want to spend hours in the sun to keep them extra safe on top of their suncream, and usually come with half sleeves or full sleeves.
Through my rose tinted glasses, I wish I'd have gone for a zipper style or two-piece for my daughter when she was a baby. The ease of removing those for a nappy change is worth the sometimes extra spend, and generally much easier to get on a wriggly bubs. Also good if your child is potty training.
The colour of the swimsuit or swimming trunks is an important safety element. Many studies, including one by Alive Solutions Inc, tested various colour swimwear against the bottom of swimming pools to identify the safest swimwear colour for children. Bright, neon, contrasting colours came out as the safer choice, as they're in contrast to the blue colours of a swimming pool or even the sea. Swim England identified pink, orange, yellow and green as some of the colours to go for, which is worth bearing that in mind when choosing your kids' swimwear.
Best places to buy swimsuits for kids
Some of the best high street brands for kids' swimming costumes include H&M, and Marks & Spencer, not forgetting the supermarkets like Tu and F&F at Tesco. You’ll find a lot of swimming costumes are available from baby to older kids' sizes, in stores including Boden and Next.
How we chose the best swimsuits for kids
- Tried & Tested: I've polled the HELLO! office's parents for the swimwear brands they rate for their own kids.
- Ages: From babies to older children, the brands featured sell swimwear for all ages.
- Price: There are so many cute swimsuits for kids' available, and you can spend as little as £5 on one. From budget to blow-out, I've included a wide range of prices.
- Design: Kids are nothing if not honest, and I've scoured the stores to find the coolest swimwear designs, spanning characters, colours and patterns. And yes, I've found a Bluey swimsuit for boys and girls.
H&M Kids' Swimwear
The details
Swimwear sizes: From baby to 10 years
Shipping: £3.99 or free with a £30 spend
Returns: Within 28 days
HELLO! Tried & Tested
"H&M has been my go-to for kids' swimwear ever since my children were born - they have super cute designs, the quality is great and the fit is always perfect. Kids grow so fast there's just no point spending an arm and a leg on swimsuits that might just last one summer, and at H&M you can literally get something for under a tenner.
"The arrival of the summer swimsuit package has become something of a tradition for my two kids (now aged 7 and 11) and they love to try on their new swimwear knowing that the end of school is nigh, and summer holidays are just around the corner."
Tested by Katherine Robinson, Senior Lifestyle Editor
M&S Kids' Swimwear
The details:
Swimwear sizes: 2 - 7 years
Shipping: £3.99 Standard Delivery or free for orders over £60
Returns: Free within 35 days
M&S have swimwear for kids that's as in demand as their swimwear for grown-ups. Always quality pieces, they're relied upon for babies, toddlers and even teens who reach for their understated but cool designs.
The brand offer two pieces, one pieces and all in ones, and keep an eye out as there's often a 3 for 2 offer floating about on kids' clothing too.
Tu Clothing Kids' Swimwear
The details:
Swimwear sizes: 1.5years to 12 years
Shipping: Free click and collect to your local Sainsbury's store, or from £3.95 for home delivery.
Returns: Free within 30 days to store, or £3.50 for postal returns.
The reviews of Tu Sainsbury's swimwear for kids speak for themselves, getting top marks for sizing, quality and wear. At Tu, you'll find swimwear for babies, toddlers and older children with some trendy designs and character-emblazoned pieces too.
Amazon Kids' Swimwear
The details:
Swimwear sizes: 1-8 years
Shipping: Free with Amazon Prime
Returns: Within 28 days
A Bluey swimsuit? You'd be your kids' favourite! Amazon has, not surprisingly, hundreds of swimsuits for girls, boys and babies, including some of the most popular characters of the moment.
Boden Kids' Swimwear
The details
Swimwear sizes: 2-12 years
Delivery: Free over £50
Returns: Within 30 days
HELLO! Tried & Tested
"I think one of the most popular swimwear brands among my mum friends for their kids is Boden, and it is mostly because the designs are just so cool. I have a friend who has passed down her son's rash suit to her two other children, and it's barely bobbled - it's that good of a quality."
Reviewed by Carla Challis, Commerce Partnerships Editor
Next Kids' Swimwear
The details
Swimwear Sizes: 3 months to 16-years-old
Delivery: Free to store, or £3.50 for standard home delivery
Returns: Within 30 days
HELLO! Tried & Tested
"Picking the right pair for my adventurous boys comes down to finding styles that are functional, comfortable but with fun and cool print that the boys love - Next selection has just this.
"The boys and I scroll through the summer trunks and rash vests to find their sets and the vast ages range means they can mix and match. The pricing is on point as they do grow out of them very quickly as all kids do."
Reviewed by Tanya Philipson, Style & Commerce Director
Monsoon Kids' Swimwear
The details
Swimwear sizes: 0 - 16 years
Shipping: Free click and collect, or home delivery from £2.95
Returns: Within 28 days
HELLO! Tried & Tested
"Monsoon Kids is my go-to for my daughter's summer bikinis. She's 11 so in that tricky in between age of wanting to look cool but not too kiddy. Monsoon has some gorgeous swimwear for her age, beautiful bright colours and fun styles, and they fit perfectly. We've bought a few sets from there and likely will do this year too."
Reviewed by Sophie Hamilton, Parenting Editor
John Lewis Kids' Swimwear
The details
Swimwear sizes: 0 - 12 years
Shipping: £3.99 or free with a £50 spend
Returns: Within 28 days
HELLO! Tried & Tested
"Finding designs that my fussy five-year-old will like, and are practical, isn't an easy task, but John Lewis always pulls through with their budget-friendly swimwear.
"I've found myself always going back to John Lewis for her swimsuits, rash vests and hooded poncho towels too because there's always a cool design she loves. Quality wise, zero bobbling (and that's after chlorine and sun exposure, plus washing) and they seem to be a little thicker than other swimsuits, something I love as no danger of them going see-through."
Reviewed by Carla Challis, Commerce Partnership Editor
Polarn O Pyret Kids' Swimwear
The details
Sizes: From 6 months to 8 years
Shipping: Free standard delivery on orders over £40
Returns: Free 90 days return
Polarn O. Pyret is the sustainable choice, with a lot of their swimwear made using recycled PET plastic bottles from landfill.
Their collection is small, but includes swimming trunks, one pieces plus unisex rash vests and matching bottoms in the brand's iconic stripe pattern.
