So last weekend I decided to tackle swim toy shopping for my nephew’s birthday, figuring it’d be a breeze. Boy, was I wrong. Staring at that wall of colorful dive toys at Walmart, I just froze. Plastic rings, squirting fish, sinking torpedoes – how’s anyone supposed to pick?
Step 1: The Reality Check
Grabbed three random packs: some squishy frogs, neon sticks, and mini submarines. Dunked ’em in my bathtub first. Two sank like rocks – bad sign. The frogs? Left weird chemical-smelling suds on the water. Trash bin. Realized safety ain’t just about not drowning.
Step 2: The Toy Hunt
Hit up Target next. Started scanning labels like a detective:
Floating Test: Tossed toys in a bucket right in the aisle (got weird looks). Anything sinking got put back. Found these octopus rings that popped right up.
Material Check: Sniffed everything. If it reeked like cheap plastic? Nope. Looked for “BPA-Free” stamps on packaging.
Choke Test: Stuck toys through a toilet paper roll. Anything fitting through? Too small. Axed tiny rubber ducks immediately.
Step 3: The Kid Test Drive
Took my finalists – glow dive sticks and weighted dive coins – to the community pool. Watched my nephew’s crew play:
Fun Factor: Kids fought over the sinking coins but ignored floating balls. Lesson? Quick-sinking = thrilling treasure hunt.
Durability: Those “indestructible” torpedoes? Cracked when thrown. The rubber dive rings lasted.
What Actually Worked
Ended up with four winners:
- Semi-transparent dive rings (easy to spot underwater)
- Heavy rubber coins with sand inside (sinks fast)
- Glow-in-the-dark sticks (soft material, no paint chips)
- Big foam “treasure” bars (can’t swallow ‘em)
Watched kids play for hours with no tears or broken toys. Victory!
Biggest surprise? Price didn’t mean squat. The $$$ dolphin squirter jammed after two dunks in chlorine water. Cheap rings outlived it easily. Now I’m that aunt who brings the good dive toys – no regrets.