By Let Your Little One Splash Away In These Top Summer Styles
There is nothing better than soaking up some Vitamin D next to a beautiful seashore or at a luxurious pool! However, when it comes to our kids, especially the babies and toddlers in our life, we want to make sure that they stay extra protected while sporting the cutest swimwear of the season!
Swimsuit Shopping Checklist
Unlike when you shop for yourself, when scoping out your baby’s signature poolside ensemble, you want to be searching for options that provide style and safety! That is because prior to the age of six months, it is not recommended to take your little one out into direct sunlight for extended periods of time, nor is sunscreen an option.
Furthermore, even when they surpass this milestone, their skin is still extremely sensitive and it only takes a few sunburns to cause short term and long term health impacts. Therefore, we recommend looking for these characteristics in Summer wear for your little tyke.
#1 – UV Protection
We want to keep the sun’s dangerous rays at bay. Sunscreen is a fantastic way to shield out the sun, but companies actually make clothing that does the same job, without worrying about as much of a mess or a lot of reapplication!
Sun protective clothing will be labeled with the acronym UPF, which means Ultraviolet Protection Factor. Normal fabrics let in about 20% of the UV radiation, but apparel that is advertised as UPF 50 or more will provide your child with a superior defense, blocking out 98% of the UVA and UVB rays!
Coolibar is a terrific brand, known for their sun safe line of swim apparel for kids! They offer a wide selection including one piece surf style bodysuits, swim shirts, swim trunks, hats and they even have hooded varieties! Sizing ranges from 6 Months to 3T and they also offer kids sizes. Not only that, but they have tons of patterns, colors and designs to choose from!
#2 – A Tailored Fit
We want to make sure that our kids stay covered throughout their time on the beach or in the water. That means it is important to make sure that clothing items fit them properly. This ensures that they won’t ride up during their fun in the sun, which could lead to an unwanted burn.
Look into purchasing tops and bottoms separately if the combination sets don’t fit appropriately. While getting the correct sizes can be a little more expensive when buying individual pieces, if it guarantees a safe and burn-free time in the sun, then it is worth the added cost.
#3 – Fabric Type Matters
Not all fabrics are created equal. When looking for swimwear options, you want to avoid loose or stretchy fabrics as they tend to let in more sunlight. Furthermore, clothing made with polyester and nylon can shield skin better than apparel created with cotton or rayon. Lighter colored materials will help your little one stay cool more easily, whereas darker alternatives block out more light. Thicker fabrics also give a better defense.
Rash Guard is a great choice for preventing sunburn and irritation and it still works well while wet or dry. Brands like Target, Gap, Old Navy and Athletica all offer adorable and affordable lines of rashguard for your tot!
#4 – Make Sure to Accessorize!
Throw on some spectacular shades and a darling sunhat to help your toddler look and feel a bit cooler! In regards to protecting your little one’s baby blues, look for shades that have a UV400 ranking, polycarbonate lenses (aka shatterproof) and look for polarized options to prevent glare.
Roshambo, Babiators and Weefarers are similar in design to the specs that you might be sporting, with a little added durability and cuteness! If you need something that is a little more secure for your kids under one, Baby Banz google style shades are the way to go! All these brands guarantee safety while offering a wide selection of lens and frame colors!
Additionally, whether you choose the classic sun hat or go with the more old school bucket style hat, look for a big brim to cast a large shadow over their little faces. Also look for varieties that come with a neck flap to give an extra layer of protection! SunBusters and SimpliKids use UPF 50+ fabrics and have bucket hats, baseball caps and sun hats with and without the neck flap feature!
#5 – Pick the Swimsuit Trend That Is Best For Your Little Babe
Board Shorts or Bodysuit? Bikini or Tankini? Depending on their age and whether they will be at an indoor water park or beachside, pick the type of swimwear that is best suited for the occasion!
For girls, the selection includes one and two piece swimsuits in long and short sleeve varieties. Styles range from the itsy bitsy teeny weeny little polka dot bikini, to rompers, tanks and full coverage tops! Little boys have the typical shorts and top combos or the full body swimsuit alternatives.
What you may not know is that there are also sun safe swim blankets on the market to provide your child with extra coverage on the cooler days when the sun is still at its peak! These are great for when their bathing suits give a little less coverage and sunscreen isn’t staying on the way you intended.
Final Thoughts
Whether you choose swimwear with ruffles, a halter top or a scuba suit type vibe, look for apparel that provides added functionality! Sun safe clothing gives you peace of mind and makes life a lot easier!
You can find mom-approved summer season bundles on BundleUp for your next vacation or summer trip. You’ll not only have a size appropriate swimsuit for your little one but also a variety of other summer outfit choices!
Trying to slather sunscreen onto your threenager every two hours while they clearly have better things to be doing can become quite the headache and these options minimize reapplication time! That means more fun in the sun for them and more relaxation time for you!
One last thing to note — for the little babes who are not potty trained, there are reusable and disposable swim diapers available that will keep your baby dry AND the water free of unwanted surprises!
