This jacket looks great, good colours, smart and simple! Callum couldn't wait and tried it on straight away. It fitted perfectly, and then I had to get it off him - so we could make our way to the swimming pool! The instructions are very clear and straight forward. Put the jacket on, zip it up and away we went, into the water. Callum was really happy in the jacket; he liked the fact that he could still see his favourite swimming trunks! The jacket helped him to stay afloat and he was happy to use it. The jacket has several foam floats, which can be taken out as confidence improves. The jacket would fit easily into a suitcase for holiday use. This is our favourite of the three swimming aids we tested, it did exactly what it said it would do and Callum didn't mind wearing it and would wear it again. Previously, I have used arm bands in the pool, but would be happy to swap them for the jacket! It is good value for money and I would definitely recommend this to other parents.

This neoprene jacket has internal removable floats around chest/back to establish the correct level of buoyancy as your child's swimming ability progresses. I liked the plain pink design which fitted over Isla's normal swimsuit fine and was easy to use taking just seconds to put on/off. It seemed comfortable and the quality is very good with a robust zip. Isla loved wearing it and her confidence in the water was greater than our previous armband experiences. I think she really enjoyed that this leaves the arms unrestricted and she did not want me to hold her, happily swimming around for a much longer time than I had ever seen before. Bulkier to pack than a swimsuit plus armbands but worth it. I feel that this is good value for money because it offers longer term use due to the adjustability of the buoyancy. After trying this and the floatsuit, I can't imagine ever going back to using arm bands again.

This swimming aid had an excellent design. Good fit, rode up a little bit but felt secure, zip well concealed. It was very easy to get on and off and Marcus enjoyed wearing this jacket. I really liked the flexibility of being able to remove floats as the child improves. It did help Marcus in the water, but he still needed arm bands in addition to the swimming jacket to keep him completely above water. It would be easy to take on holiday - nice and compact, in a good case which can be used for storage and transporting on holiday etc. I think the Zoggs Bobin is value for money, I had had a different swimming jacket for my daughter previously, and this one was definitely much better. I'd recommend this to other parents, the only downside for us was Marcus still needed arm bands, but I'm sure as he gets older the jacket alone will be sufficient.

When I opened the box, the boys both yelled "Wow"! It looked great, a Shark's Fin, Adam thought he would be dressing up as a shark and be able to clear the pool in minutes! The packaging came with clear, concise instructions and all I had to do was thread the two straps through the fin - simple. Once at the pool and changed, the Swim Fin easily strapped around Adam's middle and we headed for the water. It can be used in one of two ways: strapped around the body as a buoyancy aid for beginner stage upwards or without the straps and held to improve the stroke. Unfortunately, it did not help Adam stay afloat in the water on its own - we still needed some armbands. It didn't give as much support as the other two products I tested. I feel this is because of its positioning on the back of the body. Packing the fin is ok, it is solid, but it would easily slot in a suitcase. I was really disappointed with this as a swimming aid - and I'd had high hopes! I am sorry, I love the design of the product, it really has the fun factor, but it did not help Adam's swimming on its own. I would not recommend this to another parent and therefore did not think it was good value for money.

This looks fun!! A strap on shark fin float. Easy to put on with wide straps, felt secure. My 5 year old didn't like the feeling of the straps on his bare chest. However my 2 year old was fine wearing it over her swimsuit and said it was comfortable. It made her swim in a more horizontal and streamlined position and as a result her mouth was just on waterline so she had to concentrate more with breathing. It leaves the body and arms totally unrestricted which is a real plus point. The pictures on the packaging show that the fin sits at different water levels as the child progresses and I think they should emphasise this a bit more as it is not readily clear. Perhaps an older child who thinks armbands are not "cool" would welcome this or a child who is ready to start to practice a proper swimming position rather than just playing in the water. I didn't feel this was such a good value product as the other two we tested.

Initially I thought the design of the SwimFin it was very amusing ! The unusual design meant that my daughter was was eager to wear it. It came with clear instructions and was very easy to put on. No problem with positioning. Grace was very happy with it on, thought it was fun, and she really enjoyed using it. I thought it was great as general floatation aid, and very good for swimming on the front, though due to its design swimming on the back was not possible - without repositioning, I suppose. The design seemed to help my daughter to get very horizontal, and with nothing to constrict the arm movement we found it to be very effective. Although it is a bit bulky, but I am sure we would fit it in our suitcase to take on holiday! This product was tested by my daughter who is now almost swimming independently. She sometimes wears a slightly inflated ring if just playing in the water, and certainly I found this to be better than a ring. In terms of using it for a complete non-swimmer though I am unable to judge, as my little boy was too small to try this. With this one you cannot remove floats as the child improves, as you can with the jackets, but the idea is that the float itself is less submerged as the child improves, and certainly it helps get them horizontal. I would recommend this for other parents with children who are almost swimming, I can't be sure how it would be for a complete non-swimmer, but it did work well for a new swimmer not ready to swim completely without some help. Not sure it has the flexibility that the other aids that I tested had, ie. being able to remove floats as the child got more confident.

The Float suit has great colours sky blue with green and blue stripes around the middle. It is a complete all in one costume, with the floats around the middle. It came with no instructions at all, but it was pretty self explanatory. Getting Callum in it was a real struggle, the size was 2-4 years but it was really tight. After a struggle he was in, but he was not happy at all. We got into the water and he just cried. He kept pulling at it and wanting to take it off. I'm afraid this was not the swimming aid for us. The Float suit would go into a suit case, it is quite bulky, but no more than an adults folded jumper. It has built in UV protection in the fabric, which makes it great for a day in the sun. Just knowing that while they are in the water, they are protected and not getting burnt from the sun is a plus. It would have been good value for money if it had fitted, my advice to parents would be to try it on and see you could always go up a size.

Swimsuit with long arms and legs (to elbow and knee) with built in floats around chest/back. Floats sit in integral pockets and can be removed gradually to get the correct level of buoyancy. Popper fastening on back which we found offered quite a small opening to get on and off which was a little tricky when wet. If all floats were removed then you would still have a swimsuit which is UV 50+ rated, therefore I think it is good value because of the longer term use. Isla was very confident in the water wearing this. It left the arms and shoulders unrestricted and looked the most comfortable from that perspective. One float did pop out when she jumped in the water so you need to make sure they are all pushed up to the end of the fabric chamber. I would vote this as the best "in water" option but if you were on a beach holiday then this is a bulkier swimsuit when out of the water. The most compact of the three if taking on holiday. When I asked which of the three aids she wanted to wear she consistently chose this one.

I didn't like the design at all when it arrived, it looked like a Victorian bathing suit - which I just didn't think would look good on a little boy - probably not so much of an issue for a girl as it is more like a girls swim suit with integral floats ! My husband said that I could only take my little boy to the pool under the cover of darkness !!! It didn't look so bad when it was on though! It was not as easy to get on as the swimming jacket, and certainly more difficult to get off. I assume if you put it on and took it off after removing all the floats it would be easier - but that in itself would be a bit of a trial. Once Marcus had it on he was fine - but he didn't much like getting it on and off. Because it is all integrated it definitely fits well, and cannot ride up the way that jackets are prone to also the flexibility of being able to remove floats as the child improves. It did help Marcus in the waster although we still used armbands as well as he is only just over two. I found that this suit caused a quite horizontal position in the water, which is great for learning to swim, but he did need the extra buoyancy to keep him above the water to start with. Overall this is a good product and if I had been testing this on my daughter I probably would have given 4.5. The only draw backs are the slight difficulty getting it on and off, and the look of it (at least for a boy). But it definitely did the job.

When we first lifted this case out of the box, everyone had a big grin on their faces! We were all really excited about the case and it just looked like fun! This is definitely the family favourite! The boys both loved this one from the minute they saw it. The Trunki is so well designed and the Cow design is genius. The size is perfect for either hand luggage or an overnight stay. This bag is packed with special features, the boys took turns riding and pulling it along. They never tired of this and it would be perfect way to get around any airport, the wheels just glide, no more tired feet or constant complaining! It is made from hard plastic, so it was tough enough to withstand their constant knocks. It has two catches either side, which can be locked with a key, the key is attached securely to the carry handle and so you always know where it is! Being able to lock the case is a real plus; it means no accidently spilt clothes or toys. My youngest was constantly opening and shutting the case so the soft rim meant he didn't hurt his fingers. Inside are two tiny secret compartments, where Callum likes to hide his sweets from Adam! The Trunki comes with a "Passport" which contains full instructions on how to use it, also I was able to go onto the Trunki Website to access additional pages to put inside i.e.: tickets, tips and games to make travelling less stressful and more fun. This case was very easy to clean, being made from plastic - it came up good as new every time. Both boys found it very easy to carry, move around and ride. It is fantastic value for money and I would definitely recommend the Trunki to other parents.

"I love it, can we keep it?!" was the first impression amid laughter and giggles. This is a suitcase which shouts FUN, FUN, FUN. Plenty of storage space yet all contained within a very compact overall size. I doubted its plastic build would be robust enough but it got a thorough ride around and was absolutely fine. Being plastic inside and out it is easy to clean. Can be carried by a shoulder strap, or a handle, or pulled along by strap. Soft rubber edges to avoid little fingers being trapped. Small enough to take on as hand luggage on an aeroplane this is the perfect choice for travel that could involve waiting around. I would recommend this for ages 2-5 years. I just wish they did an adult version...

The children both loved the look of the Trunki and couldn't wait to scoot around on it! It held more than I thought it was going to. The wheels obviously eat into some of the space, but it would be OK for an overnight trip, or a fun piece of luggage for toys etc to take as hand luggage. The main special feature is that you can sit on it and the children definitely enjoyed that aspect. I haven't needed to clean the case, but I am sure it would be easy as it is all plastic. I feel it offers good value for money, I actually thought that Trunki's were more expensive, so I was quite impressed with the price. It is a good size for small people, and manoeuvrable with the strap and the handle. I would definitely recommend it to other parents looking for a fun, easy to use bag that is guaranteed to be a hit with children.

This bag looked really good when I opened the box, the nautical theme and the colouring is really eye catching. It looked smart, sturdy, yet light weight. Adam really liked the Pirate theme and he really enjoyed having his own case. It is definitely the right size for an overnight stay or hand luggage. The bag is fully lined in red and the zip lining makes it great to separate clothes (i.e: dirty clothes from clean on the return journey.) The bag comes with a game of "Tick Tack Toe". Embedded into the moulded case front are shark indentations, at the back of the case are 2 velcro pockets – 1 of white and 1 of grey sharks. The boys really enjoyed the game; it kept them amused for a while. Whilst having an overnight stay at Nana's, we found that the sharks could also double up as bath toys and once wet would stick (not permanently) to the tiles. They had great fun! The case is water resistant and I just wiped any dirt/mud off with a damp cloth. I really like this case; however, it is expensive £59.95. It was very easy for Adam to move around and carry. The handle came up with ease and it unzipped smoothly. Yes, I would recommend this to other parents.

This looked smart and boyish. The smallest capacity of the three we tested but still big enough as an overnight bag and easy to wheel along with the extendable handle. It includes an integral game of tic tac toe using foam shoulders in recesses on the front of the case. These foam shapes are stored in velcro pockets on the back of case. A really clever idea although I think in reality the shapes/pockets could get lost very easily. I didn't think this trolley offered value for money and I would have expected more for the price - an outside pocket, a better game idea etc.

This is a beautiful girly case. Grace loved it and she was keen to see what else was available in the Princess Lillifee range. It was quite a large case, certainly would hold far more than an overnight stay and I think would be too big for hand luggage so perfect for holidays. For a wheeled case the design was very good. Usually the handle eats into the storage space, but not with this case, the handle is external, so you have good flat space for packing. The case comes with a cover to keep it clean when being stored which I thought was a nice touch. Also, I liked the fact that the case opened along both long sides, I haven't seen that on a case before and it did somehow seem to help with packing. I didn't see the price of the case before I did the review, and I must admit that I was quite taken aback that it is so expensive. It is definitely well made and well thought out though, and it was my favourite of the three in terms of its ease of use and practicality, but I do think that it is very much in an upper price range. I would highly recommend this to parents who have a bit more of a budget to spend on a children's case and it would have scored 5 out of 5 for me if it had been slightly more affordable.

When I opened the box, the bag looked very practical, it separated into a large section at the back ideal for clothes, middle section great for toys or nappies and a smaller front pocket great for pens, pencils and paper. I personally am not a fan of the camouflage design and the boys were not as interested as they were with the other cases. Adam did like this bag, but it did not hold his interest at all. I feel that the bag may be better suited to an older child. This bag would be ideal for hand luggage or an overnight stay; it certainly accommodated everything Adam wanted to take with him. It is a trolley bag which doubles as a back pack. The wheels have a little cover which pulls down and stops any dirt from transferring onto your clothing when using it as a back pack. Adam tried this but he didn't find it comfortable and preferred to use it as a trolley bag. Being the camouflage design it didn't really show any dirt, I just wiped the wheels down and it looked fine. The size of the bag is brilliant value for money, Adam could move the bag very easily and it is very light weight. I would recommend this bag to parents; it does the job just fine, but without the fun factor of the other two. But for £19.99 it is a bargain!

"It's cool" were the first words uttered as we opened it. The camouflage print got the thumbs up from my son. Ample storage as an overnight bag and we liked the two external pockets. It has an extendable trolley handle, a carry handle or backpack straps (which are ideal for older child, or for parent to carry when little one tired) so 3 ways to use. I felt it offered a lot for the price and was therefore very good value. I think the design would suit a wide range of ages and it would be the case that I would buy for my five year old son. Great product at a great price.

Grace liked the cupcake design - lovely, bright and cheerful. It was a good size. I actually didn't like the way that this had to be packed though, as it is very much a backpack design and hence more difficult to pack things flat, but it did hold more than I had thought it would. I had not looked at the prices before I reviewed the items, and I am very surprised at the low price of this item. Definitely excellent value. If anything, this bag was a bit big for my little girl who is nearly 5, and quite tall. She certainly wouldn't have managed it as a backpack at this age. In terms of wheeling it along, the handle only extends to one point, so you can't make it lower for youngsters and higher for older children / adults, this made it a bit more difficult for her to handle, and also I found that the backpack straps got in the way if you tried to wheel it. For slightly older children I think that the backpack element would be more useful. Definitely good value and a lovely design though. Based on look and price only then I would have given this bag a 4. The only drawback I found was having to pack it as a backpack - i.e. a limited opening at the top, and difficult to pack things flat as you would in a suitcase, hence a slightly lower mark of 3.