Good toys for 4 year old to play by the pool

[vimtmp]

Hi,

I have a 4 year old daughter and we will be cruising first time on MSC Orchestra during March break. This is my first cruise. Up to know, we went just to all inclusive land vacations and my daughter spend ALL time by our side playing in the sand and swimming in the ocean. I'll do that with her during port days. But I cannot imagine right now what I'll do with her during the sea days by the pool. Anybody can recommend toys that your 4-5 year old really enjoyed by the pool? She is shy, so not likely we will use kids club. Also, I don't mind that too.

 

Thanks in advance for your suggestions!

[6rugrats]

Thinking back, I don't recall ever seeing a child play with a toy by a pool on a cruise. They are just playing in the water. It would have to be something small, but I have no suggestions for you; sure someone else will.

[cb at sea]

She won't need a "toy"---the pools will be "toy" enough, and the other kids (no matter how shy she is) will engage her. Just let her do her own thing!

[PattyW]

Umm . . . we bring toys to the pool.

 

Last year (my kids were almost 3 and 5) we bought a pack of water toys that were shaped like animals and were made of cloth with something stuffed inside (I can't believe my description is so bad - think of a nerf tennis ball covered in cloth) They were kind of like stuffed animals for the pool. My little one play acted with them, moving the animals along the side of the pool making up stories, etc and my older one would let them sink to the bottom and then go underwater to get them.

 

Other years, they've enjoyed small cups/strainers that that they fill and dump along the pools edge, pretending to be baking a cake, etc.

 

I don't know if this will work, but here's a picture of the little one last year with the octopus

 

[Paumavista]

I've bought a couple of these sets in the past 20 years.....and I've never found a comprable discount set at the stores.

 

They take up VERY little room for packing and are great for the beach, pool, or bathtub. They even come with a handout providing ideas for games and ways to play.

 

They're just 12 plastic, colored cups - but allow for lots of imaginative play, and work great when you need something little for travel. Check them out on the Discovery Toys website (I'm not a seller or anything - I bought my last 2 sets on Ebay!)

 

Judy

[imsmpls]

Hi,

I have a 4 year old daughter and we will be cruising first time on MSC Orchestra during March break. This is my first cruise. Up to know, we went just to all inclusive land vacations and my daughter spend ALL time by our side playing in the sand and swimming in the ocean. I'll do that with her during port days. But I cannot imagine right now what I'll do with her during the sea days by the pool. Anybody can recommend toys that your 4-5 year old really enjoyed by the pool? She is shy, so not likely we will use kids club. Also, I don't mind that too.

 

Thanks in advance for your suggestions!

 

Can she swim/dive? DD(5) loves the rings and rockets that sink to the bottom. I toss them in from the edge and she'll dive for them for hours! She never gets cold in the pool but I always do, so this arrangement works great!

[vimtmp]

Thanks everybody for your answers. I will look for pool animals and cups. My daugher still cannot dive, but otherwise she is very comfy in the water.

[CeleBrat]

A bucket and shovel also work really well, as the kids love to fill the bucket with water via the shovel, then dump it out. And, those toys are also usable at the beach.

 

We've also taken little plastic Disney figures to the pool. They float, and the kids would have adventures with the figures.

 

Bath toys are also fun.

 

CeleBrat