We road tested a fair few pieces of swimwear whilst we were on holiday last month which I thought would be good to share (the kids holiday wardrobe was so much better than mine...not fair!). Swimwear for kids is always so fun and a good reason to go all out on the prints and colours. I always think it's worth packing a few bits of swimwear per child as they are constantly in the water or getting changed in and out of dry/wet clothes. I have to say nothing beats swimming in the nude though - not ideal in the midday sun and especially with two fair skin kids... so luckily UV suits and swimmers equipped with inbuilt UV protection seem to be a pretty standard requirement these days, be it on more expensive or cheaper high street brands. We used SunSense SPF 50 Suncream as my kids have quite sensitive skin - I would really recommend it, especially putting it on a good half an hour before heading into the sun so it has time to sink in properly.
This Noona Toucan Molo swimsuit (below) was our fave - I loved the little side ruffles, cross over spaghetti straps and bright colours, it should last the whole summer as we got it a little bigger too. It was easy to pull on and off with good thick quality fabric with lots of elasticity.
This was our bargain from H&M at £7.99. I couldn't resist a bit of leopard and frill :) They look pretty low on stock now but also have a pineapple print one which is super cute too.
This Sunsafe Suit and Hat from Mothercare were the perfect answer to afternoon pool dips when suncream had worn off and V needed some serious cover up! Special UPF fabric protects your little one and the cap with the flap at the back means real coverage from any sun exposure. Super girly and fun.
Here is our edit of our favourite girls swimsuits around at the moment, including some as mentioned and modelled by V above...click the links below to shop.
1. Noona Toucan Swimsuit by Molo from Olive Loves Alfie, £29.99
2. Animal Print Swimsuit by M&S, £7 - £8
3. Baby Ruffle Swimsuit by Boden, £17 - £19
4. Neka Toucan UV Suit by Molo from Olive Loves Alfie, £29.99
5. Floral Sunsafe Suit from Mothercare, £13 - £14
6. Spotty Swimsuit from M&S, £7 - £8
7. Nika Aloha Stripe Swimsuit by Molo from Olive Loves Alfie, £29.99
8. Baby Rash Vest & Pants Set by Boden, £25 - £27
9. Leopard Swimsuit by H&M, £7.99
10. Ice Cream Print Paloma Swimsuit by Beanie & Bear, £39
11. Pom Pom Swimsuit by M&S, £12 - £14
12. Scalloped Swimsuit by M&S, £10 - £12
And as for Boys... we loved these Molo North Boards Camo Palms swim shorts (below). The wide elastic band makes them super comfy and they weren't too long in the leg, plus the digital palm print is pretty cool.
Our high street fave, M&S, have these classic blue Hibiscus Print Swim Shorts which he loved, they also do them in red. His trilby hat is M&S too, it really suits him and he loved wearing it - you can shop it here.
These Boden stripe swimmers were from last year and have stood the test of time well. I'm a sucker for seersucker and love a bit of a 50's feel to swimwear. They've bought them back again this year and in more colour options, I also like the colour pop on the ties.
These are our top Boys Swimmers...
1. North Boards Camo Palms Shorts by Molo from Olive Loves Alfie, £29.99
2. Embroidered Swim Shorts by M&S, £10 - £16
3. Hero Mask Swim Top by Beau Loves from Olive Loves Alfie, £30
4. Hero Mask Swimshorts by Beau Loves from Olive Loves Alfie, £28
5. Monkey Print Swimshorts by Boden, £16 - £18
6. Neka UV Suit Camo Palms by Molo from Olive Loves Alfie, £29.99
7. Hibiscus Print Swim Shorts by M&S, £10 - £16
8. Milo Bum Shorts by Beanie & Bear, £42