THE temperature’s rising and what better way to cool off than with the best paddling pools around this summer.

And they’re not just for kids – there’s no reason why mum and dad can’t join in the fun as well, as there are loads of large pools available that are suitable for families.

Whether you opt for a traditional round paddling pool, one with add-on activity features, a large pool to lounge in or one that’s almost a swimming pool, we’ve found something to suit.

You don’t need to splash out a fortune either as there are paddling pools to suit all budgets and if you do go for a more expensive model, you can be sure it will last more than one summer, so future fun in the sun is guaranteed!

Remember: always supervise young children playing in or near water. A pool doesn’t have to be very full to pose a drowning risk.

Read on for our roundup of the best paddling pools to cool this summer.

Best paddling pools at a glance:

• Best paddling pool with cover: Polygroup Summer Waves Paddling Pool
• Best paddling pool for toddlers: Summer Waves Dinosaur Pool With Sun Shade
• Best paddling pool for little kids: Chad Valley activity play centre
• Best paddling pool for older kids: Bestway Splash-in-Shade Swimming Pool
• Best for adults: Intex Swim Centre family lounge pool

John Lewis Summer Waves Dinosaur Pool With Sun Shade

• Summer Waves Dinosaur Pool With Sun Shade, £15.99 from John Lewis – buy here  

This cute dinosaur pool is sure to be a hit with toddlers – and mum, thanks to its built-in shade that protects youngsters from the sun.

As well as inflatable sides it has an inflatable floor for extra comfort, and is easy to put up and take down. It also comes with a self-adhesive patch that you can cut to size in case of any punctures.

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One happy customer said: “I bought this for my 10-month-old granddaughter, it's great in protecting her from direct sunlight and has a good padded base so very comfortable, she's had great fun in it during nice weather and can double as a play area without water. Would recommend.”

Suitable for children from 1 – 3 years old.

Capacity: unknown, material: durable PVC, size: unknown, age: from 12 months

Very Bestway Splash-in-Shade Swimming Pool

• Very Bestway Splash-in-Shade Swimming Pool, £74.99, currently half price at Very – buy here

This elegant pool is ideal for older children who still enjoy splashing around in the paddling pool, but who don’t want to play in the primary-colour plastic pools designed for little kids.

It’s a great size (8ft) so there’s plenty of room for play parties and the canopy has a UPF 40+ rating, so you can be sure they’re protected from the sun while they’re in the water. The canopy also features a water mister that connects to a garden hose for a continuous shower of cooling water.

The pool has a steel frame, which is corrosion-resistant, and the lining is 83% more puncture resistant, 33% more stretch resistant and 15% more tear resistant than standard PVC.  

Easy to assemble and take down again.

Capacity: 1,688L material: steel frame, DuraPlus PVC enhanced three-layer liner, size: 2.44 m x 51 cm, age: older children

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Argos Polygroup Summer Waves 10ft Quick Up Paddling Pool

• Polygroup Summer Waves 10ft Quick Up Paddling Pool, £50 from Argos – buy here

If you love the idea of a paddling pool but hate the thought of spending ages blowing it up and filling it, then this novel pool could be just what you’re looking for. You just inflate the top ring and then the rest of the pool rises as it fills with water!

It’s a great size for families – or for the kids and their friends – and the puncture-resistant material means it should last for several summers.

This pool also comes with a cover, which is a useful addition if you’re going to leave it up in the garden overnight to stop leaves, insects and garden debris from ending up in there. It is also supplied with a filter pump and puncture repair kit in case of mishap.

Capacity: 3,982L, material: 3-ply Toughmesh material, size: 10ft, age: children from six years old

Argos Chad Valley Sand and Water Pit

• Chad Valley Sand and Water Pit, £15, currently half price at Argos – buy here

The great thing about this apple-shaped paddling pool is you get two for the price of one, as the cover doubles up as a second pool or fills it with sand and you have a sandpit.

It’s also made from solid plastic so there’s no chance it will puncture and it’s robust, so will happily live in the garden over the winter. Keep the lid on it though to stop insects, debris – and if you leave sand in it – cats getting in.

It’s easily transportable in the car for play dates at friends’ houses or for setting up in the garden at grandma’s.

Capacity: each half of the apple holds up to 111L water, material: plastic, size: 106 x 92 x 23.5cm, age: 12 months and over

Bestway basketball play pool

• Bestway basketball play pool, £24.98 from Amazon – buy here

This inflatable pool has a huge 636L capacity so it’s perfect for when their friends come round to play.

There’s a basketball hoop on each end of the pool and it also comes with two inflatable basketballs for hours of fun. The sides are extra wide for comfort and for stability, and the pool is made from durable vinyl.

It takes around half an hour to inflate, but once it’s up it stays up, and it’s simple to drain – just open the valve to release the water.

Capacity: 636L, material: vinyl, size: 254 x 168 x 102cm; age: from 3 years old

Intex Swim Centre Paradise Seaside pool

• Intex Swim Centre Paradise Seaside pool, £31.16 from Amazon – buy here

This lagoon paddling pool is a hit with parents, who love that it's great value for money.

It's also bigger than it looks and should comfortably fit a family of four.

The plug is at the bottom of the pool to make draining it easier and it comes with a repair kit in case of any mishaps.

One happy Amazon shopper comments: “Very happy with this pool, easy to set up and much bigger than I was expecting, fits the whole family in. Perfect for cooling off on hot days, kids loved it.”

Capacity: 572L, material: vinyl, size: 262 x 160 x 46cm, age: from 3 years old

Chad Valley Activity Play Centre Paddling Pool

• Chad Valley Activity Play Centre Paddling Pol, £24 from Argos –buy here

Parents love this activity centre paddling pool for youngsters – it has a sprinkler, slide and a ball pit, which also doubles as a second pool.

The shallow water level means it’s ideal for younger kids, though we bet their older brothers and sisters will want to play in it too.

One happy customer states: “I can safely say my children are 2 and 4 and both love it! Both can use the little slide and the water fill is just enough. They also love the sprinkler! So happy we bought it.”

Comes with a repair kit in case of any damage during use. Air pump not included.

Capacity: 109L, material: PVC, size: 264 x 137 x 68.6cm, age: from 3 years

Munchkin white hot inflatable duck tub

• Munchkin white hot inflatable duck tub, £18.81 from Amazon – buy here

This adorable duck tub is perfect for babies and is small enough to fit inside your regular bath. It has a headrest too for extra comfort and a non-slip surface.

The 'white hot' safety disc built into the pool tells you when the water is too hot for the baby – approximately 40C.

You can use it as a bath at home, a travel bath and a paddling pool.

One happy Amazon shopper wrote: “Favourite duck !! Lil one loves bath time with this duck .. we take it everywhere (soon to be packed in our suitcase for our holiday ) .. from the bath to the beach .. even a splash in the garden.. we don’t go anywhere overnight without this duck.”

Capacity: unknown, Material: PVC, size: 100 x 48cm, age: 6 – 24 months

Intex pineapple with awning

• Intex pineapple with awning, £13.49 from SwimInn – buy here

This is an ideal first pool for toddlers who haven’t been in a paddling pool before. It’s shallow so they won’t be frightened by the water and it has a built-in shade to help protect them from the sun.

The base is inflatable too, so they’ll be comfortable sitting in the pool.

Use it without water as a ball pit in the house during the winter, or use it with sand as an alternative to water, in the garden during the summer.

With its capacity of 45 litres, this pineapple pool is perfect for young children – though we bet their older brothers and sisters will love playing in it too.

Capacity: 45L, material: vinyl, size: 102 x 94cm, age: from 2 years

Intex Swim Centre family lounge pool

• Intex Swim Centre family lounge pool, £45.99 from Amazon – buy here

This paddling pool might not have whirlpool jets, but with plenty of space and seating, it's great for grown-ups.

It has two built-in drink holders and should comfortably fit a family of five.

The plug is at the bottom of the pool to allow for quick drainage, and there are two valves for inflation and deflation.

One happy Amazon reviewer comments: “It’s our 3rd year with this pool and it is going strong! My children have jumped on the seat and hung off the sides and it’s been great. It’s quick to inflate with our air pump, emptying can be time-consuming but at least it’s not so big, perfect size for us. I love the seat so I can dip my legs in without getting in completely. I’d recommend this pool!”

Capacity: 590L, material: vinyl, size: 229 x 218 x 76cm, age: from 3 years old

Summer Waves family pool

• Summer Waves family pool, £230 from Argos – buy here

If you're after a more spacious pool for the whole family to enjoy, this Summer Waves pool has a capacity of over 4,700 litres and a sturdy design.

It comes with a pool cover and pump so you can use it all summer long – make sure you get chemicals to keep it clean though.

Ideal for older kids to play in and parents to chill in, it's even big enough to throw in some pool floats or have the kids practice their swim strokes.

Capacity: 4,792l, material: metal frame, puncture-resistant material, size: 305 x 305 x 76cm, age: from 6 years old

Chad Valley inflatable funhouse with slide

• Chad Valley Inflatable Funhouse with Slide, £210 from eBay– buy here

Who needs a soft play centre when you can transform your backyard into one with this bouncy castle-meets-paddling pool? There's even a slide.

Parents rave about it as it takes just two minutes to inflate (a blower is required but it's included in the pack).

It's not cheap but looks so fun – and it's well worth the investment if you want to keep your little ones entertained for the whole summer.

It also comes with a one-year warranty and is suitable for children aged three years and older.

Capacity: not known, material: PVC, size: 186 x 290 x 240cm, age: from 3 years old

How much do paddling pools in the UK cost?

Paddling pools in the UK are available to suit all budgets.

The pools in our round-up range from less than £14 all the way up to more than £200, but there are cheaper and more expensive products available, depending on where you shop.

Generally speaking, you pay more for a paddling pool that’s going to last – so one made from a more durable material that is likely to last several summers.

Also, the bigger the pool the more it will cost – the largest pool in our round-up costs £230, but that said, we’ve also included a family pool that gets great reviews on Amazon and costs less than £50.

Where can I buy a paddling pool?

With the sun shining, paddling pools are hot property at the moment, but there are a handful of retailers that almost always have something in stock.

These include:

• Amazon
• Wilko
• Argos
• Sports Direct
• B&Q
• John Lewis
• Wayfair
• Very UK
• ELC

How often should you change paddling pool water?

Unlike swimming pools, which have filter systems, most paddling pools will be filled with water from the mains.

The amount used in paddling pools is usually small so it doesn't seem worth using chemicals to clean it.

But you do need to change it regularly if you don't want the water to get cloudy and filled with bacteria.

Most experts agree that it should be changed each day after your children are done playing in it.

Can babies go in paddling pools?

Yes. According to the NHS, playing in a paddling pool is a good way of keeping babies and children cool when it's really warm.

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For safety reasons make sure an adult is supervising the children carefully at all times, and that the pool is a suitable size.

You should also keep the pool in the shade even if it comes with an awning.

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