SwimSchool flotation toys

3 reports to CPSC, the latest made Jun 19, 2017. A report isn’t a recall.

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At a glance

From SaferProducts.gov, released Oct 25, 2026.

3reports to CPSC
Jun 19, 2017the latest report was made
Aug 3, 2014the earliest
1with the company’s comments

Brand: SwimSchool
Maker: Aqua Leisure Industries, IncMakers, importers or sellers, as the reports name them
Product: Flotation toysNot official life-saving devicesCPSC’s product type: Flotation Toys (Excl Official Life-saving Devices) (code 3279), in Sports and Recreation: Pools & Water Sports

Other ways the reports write the brand (2)

“Swim school swimming vest” and “SwimSchool, Aqua-Leisure”

By month

1 report from July 2016 to June 2017; the most in June 2017, 1. 2 earlier reports, since August 2014, are in the table.

The numbers, as a table

Reports to CPSC by the month each was made, newest first
Month	Reports
June 2017	1
July 2015	1
August 2014	1

How badly anyone was hurt

Emergency room 1 CPSC: Injury, Emergency Department Treatment Received
No one hurt 2 CPSC: Incident, No Injury

As each report says it, in short words; CPSC’s own words are under each.

The reports, as CPSC published them

Reports people made to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. CPSC publishes each one after sending it to the company named, and doesn’t guarantee they’re accurate. A report isn’t a recall.

Each report is the words of the person who made it, as CPSC published them. The company’s comments, where CPSC published any, are set apart as the company’s own.

CPSC, SaferProducts.gov public database export. Released Oct 25, 2026. Updated daily.

Emergency room
Made Jun 19, 2017, sent to the company Jun 27, 2017, published by CPSC Jul 19, 2017

The product, in the report: Swimming Vest

We had purchased a swimschool vest for our youngest daughter. Everything was fine until she went forward onto her stomach and she was trying to turn over but the vest kept her face down in the water. Luckily we were right there and able to grab her within 3 to 4 seconds. She was conscious but coughing alot and we immediately took her to a local children’s ER. Luckily she didn’t have any water in her lungs and they had her hooked up to monitor her heart rate and oxygen levels. When we returned home I did some more in depth research on these vests and apparently every horror story I read is the same thing with kids being stuck face down on their stomachs. These vests need to be recalled before a child dies from it. Hospital told us exactly what vests to buy and they are the ones that are Coast Guard approved. They look like the vest you used on a boat.

Bought from
Walmart, Pennsylvania
Bought
Jun 10, 2017
Where
Pennsylvania: Home/Apartment/Condominium
Who was involved
Age 2, Female
The reporter’s relation to them
My Child
As this report names them
Brand Swim school swimming vest, made or sold by Aqua Leisure Industries, Inc
How badly, in CPSC’s words
Injury, Emergency Department Treatment Received

The company’s comments, in its own words

(6/30/2017) Aqua Leisure Industries, Inc: Aqua Leisure Industries, Inc., founded in 1970, has nearly 50 years of experience manufacturing and distributing swim gear and aquatic products throughout the world. We take great pride in the quality, safety, enjoyment and effectiveness of all our products.
Introduced in 1993, the SwimSchool® System is a progressive training program that allows new swimmers to gradually increase their confidence level and swimming ability through a series of SwimSchool® Levels – Level 1, 2 & 3. These “Levels” consist of purpose-built products, designed to “Introduce” (Level 1), “Build Confidence” (Level 2), or “Develop Swim Skills” (Level 3) -- see “Intended Use” statement at bottom of page for further explanation regarding SwimSchool® Levels.
The SwimSchool® System products are designed and manufactured with care. Appropriate swim position, buoyancy, quality, performance, safety, and range of motion are all considerations in the design and manufacture of these products.
It is important to understand that SwimSchool® System products are not designed as life jackets or life-saving devices. Children must always use these products under adult supervision. The warnings on SwimSchool® System products are prominent and clear--they appear on product packaging, marketing materials, and sewn-in product labels. Please see the accompanying attachments. Level 2 products, which include suits and vests, would generally be age-appropriate for the child described in this report, and are designed as swim trainers, which allow for transition to a position appropriate to swimming.
We have attempted to contact the commenting customer, without success, to obtain more information about her child’s experience and to recover the product for inspection. It appears from the comment, however, that the customer may have been seeking a life jacket-type flotation device for her child, based on the recommendation (apparently followed) that she obtain a Coast Guard-approved flotation device. Coast Guard-approved devices are not swim trainers, and do not serve the purpose that the SwimSchool® System products have served for many thousands of Aqua-Leisure customers.
One of the most important factors in safe and proper use of SwimSchool® Swim Training Vests is to ensure a proper fit for the user’s weight and body type. The vest should be neither too small nor too big, and should achieve a snug fit without exceeding the marked weight range. As stated previously and clearly described in product warnings in multiple places, users must exercise caution at all times when using this device and adult supervision is mandatory.
As stated previously we have not been able to reach this customer despite several attempts, so we unfortunately do not have facts available to assess the exact cause of the incident. We would need to examine facts such as: user weight and body type, age, chest size, swimming ability, and specific product information, such as production date and batch/lot coding. Importantly, we would also like to recover the actual product to analyze it.
Our investigation of the facts available to us confirm that these products, under reasonable use or misuse, are not defective and do not present an unreasonable product risk.
If the commenting customer would like to contact us directly, we would be happy to work with her to better understand the particular situation and ensure her child receives a product better suited for her level of ability. All of our flotation suits come with a performance warranty and satisfaction guarantee. Please email customercare@aqualeisure.com
Intended usages for the different Levels of SwimSchool®:
What do SwimSchool® Levels 1-2-3 indicate?
The SwimSchool® product line contains items for infants, toddlers, and children aged 2 to 8. The products in each level have been uniquely designed to accommodate a child’s age, weight, and skill range. Each item is only available in one level because it has been crafted with a specific purpose that corresponds to the three distinct levels of swimming skills:
Level 1 - Introduces babies aged 6 months + up to the water, and helps them overcome their fear of it.
Level 2 - helps children aged 18 months + to build water confidence, allowing them to enjoy the water with their family.
Level 3 - helps children aged 3+ to learn and develop basic swimming skills.

CPSC report 20170619-0E592-2147399612. Submitter: Consumer Search for it on SaferProducts.gov
No one hurt
Made Jul 5, 2015, sent to the company Jul 13, 2015, published by CPSC Aug 3, 2015

The product, in the report: UPF50 Swimschool Life jacket by Aqua-Leisure Industries, Inc

My son was wearing the Swim School UPF50 life vest by Aqua-Leisure Industries, Inc. (purchased at Walmart in Victor, NY). He wore it twice while swimming and when he lost his footing in a pool and again wading waist deep in a lake, the jacket flipped him face forward. He tried to raise his head and flip himself over but could not. We scooped him up quickly and he is not injured but afraid to hop back in the water.

Bought from
Walmart
Bought
Jul 4, 2015
Where
Lakeville, New York: Home/Apartment/Condominium
Who was involved
Age 4, Male
The reporter’s relation to them
My Child
As this report names them
Brand SwimSchool, made or sold by Aqua Leisure Industries, Inc
How badly, in CPSC’s words
Incident, No Injury

CPSC report 20150705-B5E8D-2147430538. Submitter: Consumer Search for it on SaferProducts.gov
No one hurt
Made Aug 3, 2014, sent to the company Aug 13, 2014, published by CPSC Aug 27, 2014

The product, in the report: Aqua Tot Swimmer vest with arm floats that detach. blue, 30-50LBS. Grow with me 2-in-1.

Placed the Aqua Tot swimmer vest on the baby by putting arms through the arm pieces and buckling the body piece around her torso with a clasp. As soon as I placed the baby in the water the clasp unbuckled and the body piece was no longer supporting the baby. Multiple attempts were made to close the clasp, but it instantly would unbuckle putting the baby at risk of drowning.

Model
Model ET-9050
UPC
044194090508
Serial number
28813GLAR
Bought from
Kmart, Illinois
Bought
Aug 2, 2014
Where
West Chicago, Illinois: Home/Apartment/Condominium
Who was involved
Age 1, Female
The reporter’s relation to them
My Child
As this report names them
Brand SwimSchool, Aqua-Leisure, made or sold by Aqua Leisure Industries, Inc
How badly, in CPSC’s words
Incident, No Injury

CPSC report 20140803-30998-2147442322. Submitter: Consumer Search for it on SaferProducts.gov

CPSC’s disclaimer

Disclaimer: CPSC does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the contents of the Publicly Available Consumer Product Safety Information Database on SaferProducts.gov, particularly with respect to information submitted by people outside of CPSC.

Word for word, from the disclaimer in CPSC’s export.

Sources

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, SaferProducts.gov public database export.

Released Oct 25, 2026 and checked Oct 25, 2026. Updated daily. Public domain (U.S. Government work). CPSC asks to be credited, and that no endorsement be implied.

Reports of harm are from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), on SaferProducts.gov. CPSC does not endorse Hearth Record.

SwimSchool flotation toys

At a glance

By month

How badly anyone was hurt

The reports, as CPSC published them

CPSC’s disclaimer

Sources

How to read a record

Every fact names its source.

A number never stands alone.

What needs attention is marked.

The public record comes first.