DIP, dip, hooray! Paddling pools at the ready, as temperatures this Bank Holiday Monday are forecast to hit 31C.
It’s great timing, as schools are out for half-term.
The Sun’s Lynsey Hope got in on the paddling pool fun with her kids… and reveals her top pick Credit: Oliver Dixon
With blue skies expected to remain for the week, Lynsey Hope and her children Jacob, 11, eight-year-old Olive, and Ivy, six, try out paddling pools for £20 or less.
Bestway Teal Rectangular Family Pool, £20, thetoyshop.com
The Bestway Teal Rectangular Family Pool only took six minutes to inflate and has sturdy walls Credit: Oliver Dixon
Age: 6+
STURDY walls meant the water did not pour out every time one of the kids got in – and this pool is a pretty generous size.
Even when I put just a few inches of water in it, Ivy had great fun splashing around.
Of the pools we tested, this was one of the easiest to set up, taking just six minutes to inflate.
It was ready and filled in less than half an hour, so no kids squealing at me to hurry up.
Everyone happy.
Rating: 4/5
Hapello Rectangular Classic Paddling Pool, £15, direct.asda.com
The Hapello Rectangular Classic Paddling Pool is way better than the Bestway rectangular pool – and is even big enough for adults to sit in Credit: Oliver Dixon
Age: 6+
MY favourite. Even my eldest child, Jacob, enjoyed cooling off in this generously sized beauty, which was deep enough for him and me to sit in and relax.
Only two sections to blow up, which took around four minutes. The pool is decent quality for the price.
It is recommended for children aged six and over but would also be fine for slightly younger kids, under supervision.
Way better than the Bestway rectangular pool and £5 cheaper.
Rating: 5/5
Intex 4 Ring Sunset Glow Paddling Pool, £12.99, smythtoys.com
The Intex 4 Ring Sunset Glow Paddling Pool is super pretty – but it took 45 minutes to inflate Credit: Oliver Dixon
Age: 3+
I OPENED this expecting a baby-sized pool but it is a decent size, with four inflatable rings and capacity for 617 litres of water.
It was not hard to set up but did take for ever to inflate – around 45 minutes – and each ring needed filling separately, which was fiddly.
On the plus side, the colours are super-pretty, the children loved it and it comes with a repair patch in case of puncture.
Great price for the size but the time spent blowing it up spoiled the party for Mum.
Rating: 1/5
Bestway Sharktastic Sprinkler Play Pool, £12.97, amazon.co.uk
Bestway’s Sharktastic Sprinkler Play Pool is great for younger children and it’s a great choice if you’re on short on space Credit: Oliver Dixon
Age: 2+
A GREAT option for younger children. This one features fun shark graphics and an inflatable UV sun shade to protect hem from harsh rays.
My kids were kept entertained for hours by the brilliant water sprayer.
The pool blew up in around ten minutes and took even less time to fill.
No need for that much water, as the sprinkler was fun enough.
The compact design makes this pool a great choice for a small garden, or even a patio, and it folds up neatly, so is nice and easy to stash away during the colder months.
Rating: 4/5
Inflatable Shaded Pool, £16.99, smythstoys.com
The Inflatable Shaded Pool from Smyths was a little tricky to get in and out – but it’s comfortable for the kids to sit in Credit: Oliver Dixon
Age: 3+
DURABLE design with integrated UV-protective sun canopy, so ideal for hot days to make sure your little ones do not get burned by the rays.
It was relatively quick to inflate, although there were five separate areas to pump up.
I did not need to put a lot of water in for the kids to have fun but there was enough to cool them on a warm afternoon.
The cushioned sides made this comfortable to sit back in and my daughters adored the cutesy sea-creature prints on the sides.
But the low canopy meant it was a little tricky for them to get in and out of. All part of the fun, maybe.
Rating: 3/5
Sea Creature Paddling Pool, £8.59, amazon.co.uk
The Sea Creature Paddling Pool is not a bad size for the price – but it looks flimsy and water gushed over the top Credit: Oliver Dixon
Age: 2+
EASY to set up. This was very quickly ready for the kids to leap into – no need to inflate, just pull up the sides and it is good to go.
It does look a little flimsy and wobbly when filled up and, although it held up OK for us, I do wonder if it would be good for a whole summer.
Also, a lot of water gushed over the sides and I had to keep adding more.
But it was easy to empty at the end of the day – fold the sides inward and the water drains out. Not a bad size for the price, big enough for two or three toddlers.
Rating: 2/5
Funsicle Colour Fun Pool, £8, argos.co.uk
The Funsicle Colour Fun Pool looked small and underwhelming – but could double up as a ball pit Credit: Oliver Dixon
Age: 2+
A TINY pool that also took too long to inflate. The nozzles were fiddly and everything had to be very particular for the air to get in.
Once pumped up, it then looked underwhelming – not worth the hassle.
The pool took just a few minutes to fill, as capacity is only around 79 litres.
It did at least seem durable, made of puncture-resistant material, so could double up as a ball pit on not-so-sunny days.
Rating: 1/5
Bestway Fast Set 6ft Pool, £12.45, amazon.co.uk
It takes around 940 litres of water but once up it was brilliant and plenty big enough for all three kids to enjoy, says Lynsey Credit: Oliver Dixon
Age: 6+
Lynsey says: “Simply inflate the top ring and this pool rises as it’s filled with water.
You need a level surface for these pools to work so don’t buy this if you have a lumpy or sloping garden. It’s not as labour intensive as others but it did take longer to fill – around an hour from start to finish with the hosepipe on full blast.
“It takes around 940 litres of water but once up it was brilliant and plenty big enough for all three kids to enjoy.
“As it takes so long to fill, I’d recommend buying a cover too, which for around £7 would be a good investment if you can leave it up for longer.”
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