Most young children enjoy playing in water and so anything that helps them grow in confidence and take control of their bodies while part-submerged is a plus. There is certainly a wide range of useful and fun accessories available from leading brands such as Zoggs, Polyotter, Floaties, Konfidence, Hydrokids and Splash About.

As a guide it makes sense to stock products that are targeted towards a particular stage of water confidence. So for babies, most mothers agree that cold is the biggest problem.

First on the baby swim products are of course swim nappies which most manufacturers of cloth nappies produce including Kushies and Bambino Mio. These are made from soft, stretchy bathing suit material or cotton which allows water to escape, but hopefully contains any solids. They can be washed and re-used after each use. Disposable swim nappies such as Huggies Little Swimmers come in packs and each one is thrown away after use. They still have an absorbent core but one that does not swell up in the water. Some pools have a policy of two layer minimum swim nappies, so it makes sense to check with the local pool to make sure you stock ones they accept.

Once a baby begins to shiver, that's it; nothing will calm that baby down until it's up and out of the pool and wrapped up in a snug towel. That's why baby wetsuits are so popular. Retailing at around £20, these colourful neoprene shapes, fold and secure with velcro giving a young baby a layer of warmth that means they can relax in the water, and concentrate on bonding and having fun. Splash About and TWF make them in a choice of colours.

Hooded towels for babies are ideal for swimming. Cuddledry has some humorous animal designs in the softest towelling and Coochicoo has a thick apron-towel that you wear while drying your baby.

A swim seat makes the experience of swimming more enjoyable for the parent and gives a degree of stability to the baby as long as it's always used with close supervision. Floaties, Hydrokids and Zoggs all make comparable inflatable designs, but always advise to avoid using these in the sea or anywhere the baby is out of depth, as they can easily drift off and a strong baby could potentially be tipped out.

As the fashion for Aussie-style sun protection suits, so we are much more geared towards products that help young children swim. There are conflicting points of view on whether buoyancy aids are a good thing or not, but if a baby toddler hasn't had the experience of learning to swim ‘naked' very soon after birth, an adjustable float suit will give them the extra security to take the plunge. These are far better than standard armbands, since they are made to keep the head above the water, rather than the elbows. Zoggs, Konfidence and Swim Coach all have slightly differing styles, some of which enable the level of buoyancy to be adjusted.