This post brought to you by Stearns Puddle Jumpers®. The content and opinions expressed below are that of Embracing Homemaking.
I firmly believe that it’s important to occasionally “waste time.” Kids young and old need to take time and just “be.” When I reflect on my summers as I child I remember swinging, swimming, exploring, studying the clouds, and joking with friends. We never wore watches but when it started to get late we listened for the call for dinner. Be it good or bad, times have changed. Kids don’t wear watches because they all carry cell phones. As a parent, I want to be intentional about my parenting this summer. I greatly desire to slow down and enjoy life. I want my daughter to spend time reading, playing with friends, building things, going for walks, getting wet, and to learn new things about the outdoors that surround her.
During the childlike season of summer, I hope to embrace the simple moments. I only wish my parents and grandparents lived closer so that they could spend a lazy summer afternoon with my kids, just as I spent time and learned invaluable lessons from the “downtime” with my grandparents and great aunts.
While I wish for nothing but smiles I giggles I have to plan ahead to keep my kids safe. Among other preparations, I think having a good flotation device for each child is imperative if you plan on going near the water.
Do we plan on getting wet, this summer? Ooooh yea!
My daughter above is sporting an adorable vintage Janie & Jack swimsuit (check out other cute little girl swimsuits!) and her brand new, Coast Guard approved, Puddle Jumper.
Unlike a standard bulky life vest that can inhibit their swimming, the Puddle Jumper allows for a wide range of movement. Each arm has a buoyant band and across the chest is another flotation device. All three sections are connected with a soft but sturdy material and then it buckles in the back. This genius design allows youngin’s to float with their head held up completely out of the water. While it’s secondary to the huge safety benefit, it’s worth noting that it doesn’t require time to blow it up!
The Stearns Puddle Jumper is the perfect accessory to ensure safe water play in either the backyard or public pool. Visit StearnsFlotation.com for more information.
It’s adorable and affordable. I don’t know a mom who doesn’t love these! Check out, my friend, Trisha’s little guy sporting his cute Puddle Jumper!
Do you plan on slowing down this summer? Besides playing with sidewalk chalk and looking for dinosaurs in the clouds, what simple moments do you look forward to creating?
Summers fly by when children are young – mark this one with the intention to grow closer to those you love.
Happy summer!
Those look pretty handy for kids who can’t quite swim on their own yet. I wish I had those back when my boys were babes.
My little toddler needs one of those puddle jumpers! So cute and would put my mind at ease!
These are so cute and a great idea when having little ones going swimming.
Super cute pictures! I love the idea of wasating time, too – it’s so important for families to have that down time together.
Puddle jumpers are so great for kids that can’t swim yet… sure helps bring some peace of mind to parents (who still should not leave them unattended around water), I saw several kids with puddle jumpers the other day at the pool.
I feel the same way you do about having lots of down time to just play and be kids. That’s the beauty of childhood! I like that swim gear!
The biggest hurdle for my middle child learning how to swim was feeling comfortable in the water. This would have been a great transition. I’m going to buy them for my nephews.
We have one of these for our preschooler and he loves it! He’s so comfortable in the water when he has it on and I’m loving seeing his confidence develop!
My kids get bored if we do TOO much “nothing”, so we’ll be doing some structured stuff this summer. That said, I am a BIG believer in doing nothing and am always encouraging my kids to just go play and use their imaginations!