Hey there loves,
Pool time– it’s already pretty magical– doesn’t matter where. Backyard? Yes. Local pool. Yes. Vacationing at Disney World? Also, maybe a little extra– yes.
Does your local pool let you bring toys? Ours does. Did you also know that Disney World lets you bring your own toys and floats? They DO! As long as it’s not a distraction to the lifeguards, they’re absolutely happy to let you play with your own toys (no fins, no goggles– even if Minnie shaped– on slides… they have a few rules…). And– my tip? One toddler mama to another? It doesn’t matter where you’re going– if the space allows you– bring the toys. While relaxing feels good to us– your littles are going to want to run all that energy off. They won’t relax– and unless there’s a built in splash pad, they can get bored quickly… and end YOUR pool time early. Come prepared! We put together a list of things just for you to check out– filled a cart with things we already love to share with you! Full disclosure, if you snag any of these, we will get a small affiliate earning– but we wanted to get these to you regardless! Scroll to the bottom for pictures of everything-- even more than I'm mentioning here that we are ready to scream from the rooftops about. Click the toy that looks fun, and it'll take you straight to it!
We’re still reeling from the fact that we were absolutely allowed to have our own toys on Disney property– we took this sweet Mickey inflatable with us for miss Lucy’s first trip. She absolutely loved floating around the Little Mermaid Pool at AOA with us… and that was a win for us. Unlike the Big Blue Pool, she can’t touch the bottom if not on the stairs in the other pools– but we also needed a break from the Big Blue Pool chaos. Bringing a floatie and some pool toys that she could safely use on the stairs was a huge win. Btw– if your little is a Minnie fan… they have that too.
Let’s talk pool step toys… so many diving sticks are marketed for older kiddos… and most of us don’t have scuba diving two year olds– so fair! BUT… if on the steps, your little one doesn’t have to sink all the way down to reach for fun items! It’ll keep them engaged without the submersion if they’re not ready for that yet. Sit them on the step, drop the toys, and watch them have fun. This treasure set, though? HOW CUTE– so much imagination play! Any of these would be amazing– but I am truly loving this treasure chest.
While we’re on pool step toys– have you seen the floating Blueys that are VIRAL right now? Feel like I’m seeing them everywhere, but they are fantastic! Bluey is in her own little floatie and staying upright. This can absolutely be played with on the steps, or deeper in the pool supervised. Don’t miss these– they’re a hot one this season… and of course, we had to see what the hubbub was about.
Alright… onto floaties. We have so many good options here to pack along for that Disney trip! We have the Ariel boat and our girlie girl LOVES it. We took it to Virginia Beach last week and did a LOT of trips around the pool with it. These boat style ones are fantastic– enclosed bottoms make kids feel super secure, which is a win for water hesitant littles. Know your little when picking a style on these. Our girlie loves water… but she likes switching it up, too. These say 3+, but they’re great for that older end of 2 as well if they’re tall and starting to age out of supported ring floats but can’t swim yet. Oh– and there’s a Cars design, too! But, we love the idea of basic rings as kiddos get older… we threw Moana, Stitch, Mickey, and Minnie in the cart, too.
Very last thing we wanted to show y’all… my inner 90’s baby is SCREAMING at these water dolls. Elsa, Ariel, Minnie– what would you pick? Our girlie is seeeet on Elsa, and I totally get it– how! Dang! Cute?!
That’s not absolutely everything we threw in the cart– but check out the sheet to see what all we snagged. You just might find a good use for these, too. Let us know if you love them– and enjoy your pool time, now turned way more magical! Let’s wrap this up so you can get organized and check the weather for the next good pool day… or add these to your cart for the next trip. Trust me– having something beyond a cup and splash bomb will elevate your kiddos playtime, and keep them in the water longer… leaving you more time to enjoy that sunshine with less boredom from them!
Love and lots of sunscreen,
Taylor