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Getting on a boat is a great experience to say the least, but it also needs to be safe, not least for our little ones. It's not just a matter of putting on a life jacket - you need to have right life jacket. In this article, we go through everything you need to know about life jackets for children!

Are there different types of lifejackets for children?

Yes, there are life jackets and sailing jackets. A lifejacket always has two large floatation blocks in the front, over the shoulders and a collar. The collar is for turning the face upwards, which is obviously vital if the child falls in and loses consciousness. The sailing vests are for older children and require swimming skills. However, these do not turn the child over like the lifejacket does.

What are the most common mistakes made with lifejackets?

By far the most common is to use older siblings' outgrown life jackets for small children that do not fit. A lifejacket that is too big will not fit properly and, in the worst case, the child may slip out of it.

So how do you know that your lifejacket is on properly?

All lifejackets are labeled with sizes according to weight recommendations and you should try to follow this. If your child weighs a few kilos more or less than what is marked on the lifejacket, it is not necessarily wrong, these are approximate recommendations as everyone looks different in terms of length and width.

The lifejacket must not be so big that the floatation blocks go too far down the legs or that it turns the wrong way round on the body. Of course, the child must not slip out of the lifejacket either - it should be relatively tight. Straps should be tight and there should be no gaps.

How do you get your children to accept lifejackets?

The best thing is to let children try swimming with the lifejacket on, so that they understand what it is for. Few children will say no to a swim!

Is there anything else you should know about life jackets and boating?

Yes, not letting children sit at the front of a motorboat. If a wave comes and the child falls in, the child will be run over by the boat. This mainly applies to motorboats, but it is always best to leave children in the cockpit. It is also a good idea to remove the life jacket when the boat is in port and stationary, especially if the child finds the life jacket difficult. When the boat is in port, it is absolutely best that you as an adult are so attentive to the child that it can be without a life jacket.

What insurance applies in the unlikely event of an accident?

In child insurance and accident insurance in boat insurance. We are usually careful about insuring things like our cars, where most people have full insurance, but we forget to insure the most valuable things we have. Children's insurance helps your family financially in the event of injury or illness and provides peace of mind up to the age of 25. Take out your child insurance and read more with Reading Insurance.