We hope you love our recommendations! What we suggest is selected independently by the Kidadl team. If you purchase using the buy now button we may earn a small commission. This does not influence our choices. Please note: prices are correct and items are available at the time the article was published.
There's nothing kids love more than splashing around in water when the sun is out, spending time with their friends and family outside. Therefore, what you need is a paddling pool to keep everyone entertained and encourage outdoor play.
There are paddling pools for every age, from babies to teenagers, so it's perfectly safe for young children to splash in these pools as long as they have constant adult supervision. If a parent is there to keep watch, there is no limit to how much fun they can have, but there should always be someone around to keep an eye out.
For good conduct, you should also make sure it is warm enough to play out in the paddling pool. The advised air temperature is 20 degrees, so on a warm, sunny day, it's perfectly safe to play. Here's our guide to 10 awesome kids' paddling pools, to make sure you're prepared for the next bout of good weather.
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Kidadl's Top Pick
Whilst all the paddling pools on our list are highly recommended, if you're short on time, here's our top pick based on price, practicality and good design.
1. Intex Family Lounge Pool
This is the ultimate paddling pool for parents and children alike, as you enjoy an outdoor lounge experience with four seats and back rests! If you need to watch the kids in the pool, why not get the Family Lounge Pool and incorporate relaxing and supervising all in one.
A family pool with plenty of space, seats and even drinks holders, this is great for everyone. Paddling pools with seats are a must-buy, so relax in the sun and play together all from the comfort of your back garden. The pool is also easy to inflate and quick to assemble. With its quick assembly, space and extra features, this is definitely the best kids' paddling pool to buy.
Main Features
- Price: £39.99
- Age: 3+
- Inflatable assembly
- Extra wide walls for all of the family
- Seats and backrests
- 2 drink holders
- 990 litres
Best Paddling Pool For Babies
2. Jojo Maman Bebe Pop Up Paddling Pool
This small, pop-up, UV-protected paddling pool is perfect for babies to splash around and enjoy the summer sun. Assembled in seconds, this is a perfect holiday addition, or even just to play in the back garden. With its own shade canopy, there is no need to worry about any sunburn here, just endless water fun.
Main Features
- Price: £35
- Age: 9 months+
- Instant assembly
- UPF 50+ protection
- Carry bag
3. Chad Valley Crab Baby Paddle Pool and Ball Pit
Have double the fun with this kids paddling pool and baby ball pit - perfect for summer and winter use. The canopy provides shade for your baby to play out in the water and inflates in just six minutes, so is an excellent toy to have ready in the garden for when the sun appears. Alternatively, you can fill with balls and play indoors when the sun disappears.
The balls are sold separately by Chad Valley if you wanted to buy those too.
Main Features
- Price: £10
- Age: 1+
- Inflation time: 6 minutes
- Time to fill: 20 minutes
- Sun canopy
- Crab design
Best Paddling Pool For Toddlers
4. Bestway Ocean Life Paddling Pool
This small, inflatable paddle pool is an excellent addition to the garden, and is perfect for splashing around in the summer sun. With a funky ocean design, your child can splash amongst the fish all from the comfort of the back garden. It's a great size for toddlers, making it a must-buy if you've got younger children.
Simply inflate with a pump and fill with water to start the fun.
Main Features
- Price: £12.52
- Age: 3+
- Water conservation design
- Triple ring structure for stability
- Ocean graphics
Best Family Pool
5. Chad Valley Family Swim Centre
This simple, inflatable paddling pool has enough room to keep the whole family splashing around. Extra sturdy with high side walls and ringed design, this is perfect for everyone to play in, whether your kids are older or younger, this is sure to keep everyone entertained.
Note: a pump isn't included with this pool.
Main Features
- Price: £35
- Age: 6+
- Inflation time: 13 minutes
- Time to fill: 23 minutes
- 1 year guarantee
- Extra wide walls
- Quick deflation valves
6. Intex Rectangular Pool
This larger, framed pool is perfect for families with larger children, or for an entire family to play in whatever size and age! Constructed and ready for water in just 30 minutes, this is a very good investment for summer long fun and is extremely durable for use year on year.
Main Features
- Price: From £121
- Age: 6+
- Assembly: 30 minutes (no tools required)
- Rectangular, metal frame
- Puncture resistant, triple layered material
Best For Quick Assembly
7. Bestway 6ft Fast Set Pool
All you need to do for this pool is to inflate the top ring and simply fill with water. It will create a very stable paddling pool for instant enjoyment! Easily attachable to the garden hose with an adaptor, it couldn't be more simple!
This is perfect for smaller gardens and smaller children- the pool has space for parents to sit down in too. Quick to assemble and quick to remove any water with the specially designed valves, this is certainly a stress free pool.
Main Features
- Price: £24.90
- Age: 6+
- Assembly: 10 minutes
- Repair set
- Quick drain valve
- Garden hose attachment
- TriTech durable walls
- 2 year warranty
- Free delivery
- 1126 litres
8. Pirate Water Play Boat
This water play centre is something very different to your average splash pool. Get your very own pirate ship, create endless summer memories and bring a little bit of adventure to their paddling pool. The water sprayer adds shoots at anyone who tries to board their ship, and the steering wheel means they can avoid anything in the water - this pool takes playing to another level!
With safety holes at the bottom of the boat, and for safety of the child, this is more a splash and wet play centre rather than a full pool, but adventure is still possible!
Main Features
- Price: £54.99
- Age: 6+
- Safety valves
- Cannon, mast, rudder, sword, anchor and steering wheel
- Pump included
Best Paddling Pool With Slides
9. Chad Valley Inflatable Funhouse
The fun really will never stop with this inflatable funhouse - it can be used indoors or outside with water for endless entertainment all year round. With a small bouncy castle, slide, climbable wall and splash pool, this certainly is a paddling pool extravaganza. It's also extremely easy inflate, taking just two minutes.
A pump is needed but isn't included. For safety, Chad Valley have included children's handles to hold on to and get out quickly. So, slide straight in now and check out the funhouse!
Main Features
- Price: £200
- Age: 3+
- Inflation time: 2 minutes
- Bouncy castle paddling pool with slide, splash pool and climbing wall
- Strong, laminated PVC material
- Puncture resistant
- Repair kit
Best For Families On A Budget
10. Bestway Summer Set Paddling Pool
Fun has absolutely no price, so if you're shopping on a budget but still want some to enjoy the summer sun, this is perfect for you. At just £13, this small paddling pool is an excellent buy to keep your children entertained.
Main Features
- Price: £10.70
- Age: 2+
- Inflation time: 2 minutes
- 3 ring structure
- Colourful
- Inflatable flooring
- 110 litres
- Repair kit
Kidadl Best Buys selects the top parent-recommended products across the web for families of all ages. Need some pool items? Kidadl has found the best wetsuits, towels, goggles, life jackets and swimming rings to keep them splashing all summer long (or winter if you prefer the polar plunge). You can find even more recommendations like this at kidadl.com.
Disclaimer
At Kidadl we pride ourselves on offering families original ideas to make the most of time spent together at home or out and about, wherever you are in the world. We strive to recommend the very best things that are suggested by our community and are things we would do ourselves - our aim is to be the trusted friend to parents.
We try our very best, but cannot guarantee perfection. We will always aim to give you accurate information at the date of publication - however, information does change, so it’s important you do your own research, double-check and make the decision that is right for your family.
Kidadl provides inspiration to entertain and educate your children. We recognise that not all activities and ideas are appropriate and suitable for all children and families or in all circumstances. Our recommended activities are based on age but these are a guide. We recommend that these ideas are used as inspiration, that ideas are undertaken with appropriate adult supervision, and that each adult uses their own discretion and knowledge of their children to consider the safety and suitability.
Kidadl cannot accept liability for the execution of these ideas, and parental supervision is advised at all times, as safety is paramount. Anyone using the information provided by Kidadl does so at their own risk and we can not accept liability if things go wrong.
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