As the weather turns, you’re likely looking for new swimwear for your quickly-growing little ones. Yet, before you select suits in darker hues, Natalie Livingston, lifeguard and co-founder of Alive Solutions, a water safety consulting and education company recommends opting for swimsuits in neon colors – tones that can easily spotted during an emergency.
“Visibility is important in drowning recognition,” Livingston previously HuffPost. “Many parents were selecting swimwear that was super cute and fashionable, but would cause their children to potentially disappear under the water.”
In 2020, Livingston and Alive Solutions conducted an informal study testing the visibility of different colored swimsuits in light-bottomed pools, dark-bottomed pools and lakes. The company determined that neon pink and neon orange offers the most visibility in light-bottomed pools, while neon orange, neon green and neon yellow stood out the most in dark-bottomed pools and lakes (neon pink did not perform as well in this area).
They said that blues, whites and lighter colors offer the least contrast and are therefore significantly less safe. You can see the results for the rest of the colors in our previous coverage.
It’s important to note that these “safe” swimsuit colors will be rendered meaningless without additional precautions in place. (According to the CDC, drowning is the leading cause of death for kids ages 1 to 4 and the second leading cause of unintentional injury death for children 5 to 14 years old.)
For the strongest water safety, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends a multi-layer approach. In addition to having your kid wear a visible suit, you want to know the signs of drowning, ensure fencing around residential pools, get kids in swim lessons and ensure little ones are always in arm’s reach of an adult. (Or they should be in a life jacket, according to the National Drowning Prevention Alliance.)
Other water safety experts recommend having adults rotate in 15-minute shifts of designated water-watching when hanging at the pool, lake or beach.
In researching for this article, we found it’s harder than you may think to find neon swimwear for kids, and we’re happy to offer you a selection of rash guards, two-pieces, swim trunks and others, just in time for summer.
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A pair of patterned quick dry swim trunks
A bright color doesn't have to be a solid. This set of quick dry boy shorts comes in a ton of fun patterns, including many with a neon background. They have a soft inner mesh lining and come boys sizes 2-12.
A neon orange rash guard
This short-sleeve rash guard is an Amazon bestseller and fits like a comfortable T-shirt. It promises UPF 50+ sun protection, is machine-washable and available in toddler sizes 2-5 and regular boys' sizes 6-16. If orange isn't doing it for you, this swim shirt comes in other high-visibility options including
electric yellow and
lime.
A bright pair of trunks with a compression liner
If your kiddo is sensitive to mesh or like more compressive fabrics, gran this set of boy's swimming trunks with a stretchy performance liner. It comes in a few different neon hues in sizes 5-20.
A colorblock one-piece
The soft and stretch ribbed fabric of this one-piece offers UPF 50+ sun protection that can block up to 98% of harmful rays, and features a knotted cut-out detail on both the front and back of the suit. It's available in girl's sizes XS-XL.
A long sleeve swimshirt for older kids
Running in sizes 5T to 16 years, this long sleeve swim shirt comes in a selection of neon colors like this yellow as well as green, orange and pink for your older or bigger kids. It's made with a with lightweight and breathable fabric that's designed to comfortable when wet or dry.
Boys two-piece swim set
How cute is this rash guard and swim trunk set with lizard spikes on the side? It's made with UPF 50+ which blocks 98% of UVA and UVB rays. This comes in baby sizes 3-6 months up to boys sizes 5-6 years.
A charming color block one piece
This color block one-piece comes in a selection of neon tones in girls' sizes 12 months to 7 years.
An adorable rash guard sets
Grab a rash guard and a pair of trunks with this fun patterned set. The trunks have that compression stretchy liner that can be more comfy than mesh and run in sizes 2T to 16.
A girl's three-piece set
Get your little one a whole outfit with this girl's three-piece set including a neon bikini and a quick-drying coverup. It comes in girl's sizes 5-12 years, but check the size chart for a proper fit.
A Reebok tankini set
This trendy Reebok set gives your little one the convenience of a two-piece while still offering more coverage. It's made with quick-dry fabric that offers UPF 50+ sun protection and comes in girl's sizes 4-12.
A bright tie-dye tankini
Another tankini option, this option comes in a couple different neon options with a lined front and back. It offers UPF 50+ protection and comes in girls' sizes 2T through 14.
Or a full zip-up rash guard
With a full zipper, this neon rash guard is easy to take off when it's wet and easy to wrangle your little one into at the beach. It comes in neon green, yellow, orange and pink in 0-3 months to 12-14.
