Racking your brains for ways to occupy the little ones this summer? We can't recommend a paddling pool enough! Not only are they endless fun, but they're the perfect way for kids (and grown-ups) to cool down on sunny days. The internet has some brilliant options available to buy, from unicorn-shaped pools to pump-up plastic ones with a slide. There are plenty of cheap choices too, including pools for babies and toddlers.
We've selected the 10 best paddling pools from trusted sites like Amazon and Argos, to help transform your garden into a water wonderland. Check out our detailed buying guide and ranking of the top products, rated with practicality, size, design, and price in mind. We're sure that you'll spot something splash-worthy on our list!
For those after a quick look, here is our Top 5:
Image | 1 ![]() Intex | 2 ![]() Intex | 3 ![]() Jojoin | 4 ![]() Intex | 5 ![]() Summer Escapes | 6 ![]() Bestway | 7 ![]() Chad Valley | 8 ![]() Chad Valley | 9 ![]() Sunshine Smile | 10 ![]() Bestway |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Name | Rainbow Ring Paddling Pool | 8ft Easy Set Round Family Pool | Inflatable Unicorn Spray Pool | Lazy Snail Baby Paddling Pool | Summer Waves 10ft Round Frame Family Pool | Rectangular Family Pool | Volcano Paddling Pool | Ocean Fill-N-Fun Paddling Pool | Mermaid Paddling Pool | Summer Set Paddling Pool |
Features | Rainbow Coloured Kids Paddling Pool With Slide | Large 2,000 Litre Pool for Families | Unicorn Paddling Pool That Sprays Water | Inflatable Paddling Pool for Babies and Toddlers | Perfect Above Ground Pool for Parties and Big Gardens | Extra Deep Paddling Pool for Kids and Adults | Inflatable Castle-Themed Pool With Mini Slide | Affordable Two Meter Paddling Pool for Summer | Mermazing Pink Pool With Slip-Proof Bottom | Budget-Friendly Paddling Pool for Kids |
Price | £49.99 | £97.00 | £16.99 | £21.80 | £225.00 | £22.79 | £85.00 | £19.00 | £20.16 | £9.48 |
Dimensions | L297 cm, W193 cm, D135 cm | L244 cm, D76 cm | L230 cm, W126 cm, D106 cm | L145 cm, W102 cm, D74 cm | L305 cm, W305 cm, D76 cm | L2.62m x W1.75m x D51cm | L300 cm, W140 cm, D155 cm | L183 cm, W183 cm, D38 cm | H90 cm x W25 cm | L1.02 m x D25 cm |
Capacity | 193 litres | 2242 litres | - | 74 litres | 4792 litres | 778 litres | 90 litres | 749 litres | - | 110 litres |
Best For | Families, young children | Families, swimming | Families, young children, small gardens | Families, young children, small gardens | Families, bigger gardens, swimming | Families | Families, bigger gardens, young children | Families, small gardens | Young children, small gardens | Small gardens, families |
Inflatable | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
Slide | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | No | No | No |
Air Pump | No | No | No | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | No |
Repair Kit | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | Yes |
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The most important factor to consider when shopping for a paddling pool is the size - you'll need to make sure that it'll fit in your garden and will be large enough to accommodate your household or any guests that you might plan to share it with.
If you have a large family and a decent-sized garden, a bigger pool of around 2-3 metres in diameter will obviously be preferable so more of you can enjoy it at once! For smaller households or less spacious gardens, try a pool measuring around 1.8 metres in diameter. Need an extra small pool for under fives or babies? Try one that's around 1-1.5 metres wide; these will also fit snugly into tiny gardens.
For larger gardens, why not consider a full-size garden pool? Check out our buying guide!
Next, consider what your paddling pool priorities are! If you want to encourage little ones to swim (safely supervised) or even do a mini lap yourself, the pool you buy will need to be able to hold a certain amount of water. For swimming or doing a forward roll under water, you'll want a pool with a capacity of 2,000 litres or more.
On the other hand, if you're simply after something for water fights, sink-or-float games, and playing with toys, a pool with a lower water capacity of anything between 100-700 litres should do just fine!
Don't have a garden big enough for a paddling pool? We also have other fun ideas - browse our favourite garden games.
There are two main types of paddling pool walls: flat and inflatable. The first type is simply a thin plastic wall which is held in place once the pool has been filled with water. As it doesn't require inflating, you don't need to waste time pumping it up. However, you can't lean back fully onto this type of wall. Most pools like this are cheaper overall, so it's a good choice for those on a budget.
In contrast, inflatable paddling pools have bouncy walls that are comfortable to lean on. They do require a pump though, which is often sold separately, and they can be susceptible to punctures or popping.
To really push the boat out and treat your little terrors to a top-notch paddling experience, invest in a pool with a slide - it'll keep them entertained for hours! Or how about a pool that can be rigged up to your hose pipe? It'll create a seriously satisfying spray effect that kids will love frolicking under on a hot day.
If you decide to go for an inflatable paddling pool, you might need to invest in a few extras. Firstly, check if your new purchase comes with a pump for blasting your pool walls full of air - if not, you'll need to buy this separately. You also may want to buy a repair kit, if it's not already included. This will enable you to patch up punctures and tears in no time, so the fun can continue with minimal interruption!
Discover our best water guns for even more fun with the family!
This ranking has been compiled by the writing team at mybest UK via careful evaluation of the points made in the buying guide and thorough research of each product and comparing multiple verified customer reviews across the EC sites used.
£49.99
Dimensions | L297 cm, W193 cm, D135 cm |
---|---|
Capacity | 193 litres |
Best For | Families, young children |
Inflatable | Yes |
Slide | Yes |
Air Pump | No |
Repair Kit | Yes |
£97.00
Dimensions | L244 cm, D76 cm |
---|---|
Capacity | 2242 litres |
Best For | Families, swimming |
Inflatable | Yes |
Slide | No |
Air Pump | No |
Repair Kit | Yes |
£16.99
Dimensions | L230 cm, W126 cm, D106 cm |
---|---|
Capacity | - |
Best For | Families, young children, small gardens |
Inflatable | Yes |
Slide | No |
Air Pump | No |
Repair Kit | No |
£21.80
Dimensions | L145 cm, W102 cm, D74 cm |
---|---|
Capacity | 74 litres |
Best For | Families, young children, small gardens |
Inflatable | Yes |
Slide | No |
Air Pump | No |
Repair Kit | Yes |
£225.00
Dimensions | L305 cm, W305 cm, D76 cm |
---|---|
Capacity | 4792 litres |
Best For | Families, bigger gardens, swimming |
Inflatable | No |
Slide | No |
Air Pump | Yes |
Repair Kit | Yes |
£22.79
Dimensions | L2.62m x W1.75m x D51cm |
---|---|
Capacity | 778 litres |
Best For | Families |
Inflatable | Yes |
Slide | No |
Air Pump | No |
Repair Kit | No |
£85.00
Dimensions | L300 cm, W140 cm, D155 cm |
---|---|
Capacity | 90 litres |
Best For | Families, bigger gardens, young children |
Inflatable | Yes |
Slide | Yes |
Air Pump | No |
Repair Kit | Yes |
£19.00
Dimensions | L183 cm, W183 cm, D38 cm |
---|---|
Capacity | 749 litres |
Best For | Families, small gardens |
Inflatable | No |
Slide | No |
Air Pump | No |
Repair Kit | No |
£20.16
Dimensions | H90 cm x W25 cm |
---|---|
Capacity | - |
Best For | Young children, small gardens |
Inflatable | Yes |
Slide | No |
Air Pump | No |
Repair Kit | No |
£9.48
Dimensions | L1.02 m x D25 cm |
---|---|
Capacity | 110 litres |
Best For | Small gardens, families |
Inflatable | Yes |
Slide | No |
Air Pump | No |
Repair Kit | Yes |
Written and researched by Annie Hopkins
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