As the mother of two children, summer time is an extremely exciting time for them. Gone are the days of studying and waking up early to get to school. Summer is a time for fun and we try to enjoy our summers as much as possible. Since we live in Canada and after battling this past year’s “polar vortex”, my family and I were so ready for warmer weather.
During summer, I always like to treat everyone with a little something to enjoy the season. Hubby usually gets some new swimming trunks and a book that he’s been meaning to read forever. For myself, I usually opt for a super cuddly beach towel and a bathing suit that not only flattered but also made me feel really good about myself. Getting something for the kids was going to be a challenge as I knew that this summer was going to be one of fun and frolic. Keeping them from being outside in the summer is a challenge in itself so I choose not to struggle and let them enjoy the weather. That’s when it dawned on me; they didn’t need anymore toys but they did need something to protect them from the sun while they’re outside on their summer adventures.
I searched and searched, until I came across Platypus Australia. This company is a front runner in UV protective swimwear for children. As a company started by two moms in Australia who that spent a fair share of their time slathering their kids with sun screen to stave off sun damage, and then decided to take action be designing a comfortable and breathable line of bathing suits and rash guard clothing that would keep kids safe from the sun. I figured that I could trust them. It was a sort of mother-to-mother connection that lead me to check out the selection. Fortunately I was allowed to choose some items for review purpose.
For my incredibly active 6 year old daughter, I got her the Fitted Sunset with Boyleg Bikini. She’s the one that’s most likely to strike up a game of beach volleyball, build sandcastles or make sand angels. As much as she loves to be in the sun, I worry about how often her sunscreen may wear off so I picked this swimsuit for my daughter because of the level of sun protection that it provides. The whole outfit offers protection from the sun, blocking out over 97.5% of its rays. Since she enjoys being in the sun so much, she typically wears the shortsleeve top which keeps the sun off of her. Underneath of which she wears the included bikini top which allows her to change up her look if she feels like getting into the pool. She can easily go from playing a game or searching for hidden treasure in the sand to splashing around in the water. My daughter said that her suit was really comfy. I had no choice to believe her as there were times when she just wouldn’t take it off. When we did get it off of her, washing it was a breeze. I just rinsed it with cool water, used a mild laundry detergent and laid it out to dry. The next day it was bone dry and ready for her to go off on another summertime adventure. It’s breathable, resistant to strong chlorines and dries quickly.
Since my 19 month old son won’t be doing nearly as much running around as his older sister, I opted to get him the Kids Sun Hat to keep the sun off of his face when he’s not under our umbrella or slathered in SPF. Like my daughter’s swimsuit, it also offers sun protection, which is a relief as I don’t want the sun to scorch his face. As a bonus, it can be worn in the water, so if he decides to make his way toward the waves, he’ll be comfortably covered. Literally. And for someone like my son who is notorious for taking things off of his head, leaving the hat on all day without complaint or any sunburn is such a bonus!