# Toddler and Bikini



## VsAngela (Aug 12, 2015)

While I was shopping for a bathing suit for my 4 year old, I came across so many bikini options, and I didn't understand why they are even offered in kids clothing.

I don't think it's appropriate for that age group, and I was mainly looking for something that covered more for protection from the sun. 

I am really interested in the views and opinions from other parents on the topic.

Do you think a two piece bikini appropriate for ages 2-6?

Thanks


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## pulcetti (Sep 29, 2014)

what do you mean by appropriate?


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## TCMoulton (Oct 30, 2003)

Bikinis are all my kids wore when they were little. Not only do they make diaper changes and potty breaks easier but they are far more comfortable on my long torso kids. 
Personally I don't see anything inappropriate, especially since it's fine for little boys to swim topless.


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## newmamalizzy (Jul 23, 2010)

My views in this have changed a lot. I used to find it totally inappropriate, but then realized that that's only the case if you think there's something about your toddlers belly that you need to hide. It's not "sexual", because it's a toddler, and there's nothing that makes it necessary to hide a toddler girl's belly any more than a toddler boy's. 

That said, my primary concern is comfort. I like bottoms that don't ride up, and tops that don't need adjusting. Tankinis usually work best for us, particularly where bath rooming is concerned. Heaven forbid your daughter is wearing a shirt over a bathing suit and has to pee! Total fiasco 

An unexpected reason why I might go for a bikini for my 6 year old: she gets SO cold!!!! She turns blue in 85 degree water on 90 degree days. The more wet fabric she has on, the longer it takes for her to warm up. Bikini would help immensely, with a long sleeve rash guard to cover up in between.


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## MDoc (Nov 23, 2011)

Maybe it has to do with what you grew up with, a social norm. I wore bikinis as a baby. My children wear them almost exclusively (bikini, tankini). I see nothing wrong with it. Heck I think baby girls should be able to go topless. They are not sexual at all. Mostly, I prefer the two piece for potty issues and comfort. That is why I also wear a two piece.

Oh and another awesome thing about two piece bathing suits. They can fit in them for quite a few years and can be mixed and matched with long sleeve or short sleeve rash guards. 😊


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## MeepyCat (Oct 11, 2006)

I also want to vote for the convenience of two pieces for diaper changes and potty trips. 

A lot of the bikini options I ran into when DD was small were three piece sets - a top, a bottom, and a rash guard.


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## chickabiddy (Jan 30, 2004)

I think two-piece suits on little girls are fine, and they are definitely more convenient for pottying.

I dislike (and I know this is not very clear, sorry) bikinis and clothes in general for little girls that are designed to highlight where curves would be on a grown woman. So a top cut to look like a pushup bra and skimpy high-cut legs? No go. But a sporty-looking two piece suit? All good.


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## Ratchet (Mar 24, 2011)

I feel OK with my 4.5 yo daughter swimming naked (depending on the circumstances...), and OK with her wearing "rash guard" type tops, but bikinis make me squirm. Mostly because they are the shape of breasts, and designed to cover breasts, and accentuate breasts, and a 4 year old doesn't have or need it. So I see a string bikini as sexualizing children. There is no practical benefit to a bikini for a child IMO. I don't mean to say a 2-piece isn't helpful, but rather that those triangle top bikinis seem inappropriate. I prefer something that covers DD's shoulders, so a t-shirt type top, and whatever is comfortable for a bottom. Even swimming inside in a pool that tends to be what she wears. If she wanted to wear just shorts and no top, that would be fine too, I would just know I have to be more compulsive about sunscreen. But putting little triangles over where her breasts will someday be seems like putting on blue eye shadow and red lipstick.


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## Xerxella (Feb 6, 2008)

I agree with @Ratchet. A top and shorts or even a half shirt and shorts or bottoms alone is no big deal. But, to make it solely a nipple covering exercise seems odd. It does sexualize something that isn't sexual.

Once my dd knew how to swim, she was always jumping or diving in the pool and you really need a one piece for that.


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## pulcetti (Sep 29, 2014)

I personally let my 2.5 yo wear bikinis. I don't see nipples as a sexual object, they r just nipples like boys have. I give her the choice because she sees me wearing bikinis and girls want to imitate mama. She prefers anyway just the bottom or eventually naked because she is more free to move..dive etc. 
I think it really depends which is your mind set. Society it is what it is and we know that generally woman's boob are a sexual object. But my husband and me don't think that way. Boobs..nipples are not a sexual object. So for exemple I don't let her run naked where people would look at her in a weird way (in that occasion I put her on the bottom) and I do cover myself up if I breastfeed on public (always because people can look in a weird way). We are slowly teaching her that people can be weird and that for that reason sometimes we wait to nurse in the car...or we cover up some areas of our body just to protect ourselves from weird looks. But when I am with the circle of people I love...my community, well then she is free to do how she prefers because that is her safe space and there she will never get the weird look.


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## chickabiddy (Jan 30, 2004)

I agree that nipples on a toddler are not sexual. (Nipples on a sexually mature woman can be sexual, but that's not the point here.) I don't concern myself with showing skin, except for the amount of sun exposure. But I definitely think that some styles are designed to create the illusion of sexual maturity and sexuality, and I don't think those are appropriate for young children.


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## blessedwithboys (Dec 8, 2004)

I'm with Chickabiddy. String bikinis on little girls are creepy, gross, and inappropriate. Two piece bathing suit that don't look "sexy" are different, IMNSHO.


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## philomom (Sep 12, 2004)

Honestly, my daughter wore boy's swim trunks and no top under age 4. Then, she chose her own swimwear.. sometimes a one piece and sometimes a two piece. No big.


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## VsAngela (Aug 12, 2015)

pulcetti said:


> what do you mean by appropriate?


I am sorry I wasn't clear.

Mostly weather and covering up. I think a two piece is okay, but I am not a fan of a bikini for children at such a young age.


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## JoyfulOlivia683 (Jun 27, 2016)

When my girls were 2, I think I just picked out whatever I thought was cute.


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## Nenya (Apr 29, 2011)

I dress my one year old daughter in whatever I like, one or two piece. Sometimes she only wears a swim diaper. I remember running around playing without a shirt till I was seven or eight and being so disappointed when my dad told me I should probably start wearing a shirt outside. My opinion may change when she gets older, but I don't plan to transition her to one piece bathing suits until she starts developing breasts. I do agree with the previous posters who dislike suits specifically meant to mimic "sexy" aspects of adult suits.

My favorite bathing suits are by Janie and Jack, and they are usually one piece anyway.


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## Letitia (Aug 27, 2009)

Indoor pools, OK if they're not "sexy". Outdoor - no way. I have bought both my son and my daughter high SPF rash guards and stretchy shorts (our other suits have been hand-me-downs), and they're fine with it. My daughter is now 9, and she's not the only girl in the pool in sleeves. I'm not wild about sunscreen - the ones that do best with the EWG are often kind of annoying - and I always wonder how well it's staying on. I don't like that it's hard to know how well it's been working until after the fact. Nobody in our family has ever burned the slightest bit through an SPF swim garment.


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## Moda Ani (Jul 14, 2016)

While I do understand where you are coming from, and I personally believe in modesty, I also would only get a two piece for my toddlers. I got my 5 yo a tankini (as opposed to bikini) for sun exposure reasons, and she usually my t shirt in the baby pool as well to prevent too much sun exposure.

It's just more releastic, and practical. Especially for kids who are still in diapers.


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## Guy_Francis (Jul 25, 2016)

VsAngela said:


> While I was shopping for a bathing suit for my 4 year old, I came across so many bikini options, and I didn't understand why they are even offered in kids clothing.
> 
> I don't think it's appropriate for that age group, and I was mainly looking for something that covered more for protection from the sun.
> 
> ...


I mean hey, everyday they get to see others (moms, grannies, big sisters, friends, older children) that wear bikinis. It is something very normal, so if they like to wear a bikini, why shouldn't they. I mean we pick the clothes, that come into the closet of our daughter, but from that variety of clothes we offer her, she can decide by herself what she likes to wear. If she prefers wearing one of her cute bikinis, we let her wear it. If she wants to wear one of her swimsuits, that's fine with us. Why should swimwear be inappropriate for girls?


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## celeste_mom (Aug 17, 2016)

Moda Ani said:


> While I do understand where you are coming from, and I personally believe in modesty, I also would only get a two piece for my toddlers. I got my 5 yo a tankini (as opposed to bikini) for sun exposure reasons, and she usually my t shirt in the baby pool as well to prevent too much sun exposure.
> 
> It's just more releastic, and practical. Especially for kids who are still in diapers.


I also bought for my Amy, 3y.o., tankini. Her skin is sensitive and it is better than bikini, when she is exposed to sun


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## shoeg8rl (Feb 20, 2015)

To clarify my answer, let me first define terms:

swimming briefs: a one-piece swimming costume that resemble a pair of underpants - sometimes called a "speedo"
one-piece: a one-piece swimming costume that covers the torso and bottom; may have sleeves that cover the shoulders or thin shoulder straps that hold it up; may come down to cover the upper thighs (much like a unitard or short wetsuit) or include an attached skirt
bikini: a two-piece swimming costume that resembles women's underwear (bra & knickers) 
tankini: a two-piece swimming costume that resembles a pair a of pants and a sleeveless top that may or may not fully cover the torso
swimming trunks or shorts: a one-piece swimming costume that resembles a pair of shorts
two-piece: a two-piece swimming costume that includes a top that fully covers the torso - may have full sleeves or shoulder straps - and a bottom that is either a swim skirt or swim trunks/shorts 
rash guard: a top that provides full shoulder coverage with either short or long sleeves, and, due to the fabric, offers a high SPF

Now, if we're talking about babies in the 2-6 year range, I personally believe that a bikini is inappropriate. Why? Because it's highlighting breasts that aren't there, which sexualises a prepubescent child. If you don't agree with this belief, then answer me this: would you dress your 4 y/o in a bra? Because that's essentially what a bikini is: it's a bra made out of stretchy, quick drying material so that it can become wet and dry easily. As with a brassiere, there is no reason to wear one until one develops breasts. 

After reading that, you might think that I'm an advocate for one-piece suits instead, but I'm not (at least, not for 2-6 y/o's). I agree that a one-piece is a pain for nappy changes and toilet use. And while we're on the subject, I don't believe in swim trunks for this age range, either. Babies at this age have absolutely no waist and trunks have a tendency to fall down once they're heavy with water (it doesn't take much at this age!). What's more, swim trunks tend to bunch up while one is swimming, and the netting often will give the wearer a wedgie - no fun. 

I think the answer to the, "What swimming costume should my 2-6 y/o wear?" question is simple: swimming briefs. They don't sexualise children, they don't ride up or bunch, and they're easy to pull on and off. What to do about sun exposure, though? Well, for parents who feel sun exposure is a greater risk for their children, there are full length swimming costumes (to the wrists & ankles & neck) that protect against UV rays. This swimwear isn't as popular as the options mentioned above, but they do work and are an excellent solution to the risks of overexposure to UV rays. It's also pretty easy to put a rash guard on in addition to swimming briefs. And for those parents who don't feel sun exposure is as big of a risk for their children, a simple cover up, wide brimmed sunhat, and some sun screen will do the trick.


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## Jina Scaria (Nov 5, 2016)

VsAngela said:


> While I was shopping for a bathing suit for my 4 year old, I came across so many bikini options, and I didn't understand why they are even offered in kids clothing.
> 
> I don't think it's appropriate for that age group, and I was mainly looking for something that covered more for protection from the sun.
> 
> ...


There is nothing complicated in this topic. let the kid choose what he want to wear. The sunlight during 6.30 to 8 am is good for kids, you just need to take care only at the noon. Doesn't need to be tensed for these kinds of silly matters and live happy.


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## Honey Lamb & I (Nov 22, 2016)

I'll admit some little kids bikinis are really cute but growing up I wasn't allowed to wear them. My mother-in-law got my daughter a Minnie Mouse Tankini, and I found it a lot easier to put on and take off for bathroom breaks. It covered almost all over her stomach, and but when she grew a little it bothered her she couldn't pull it all the way down. I recently started wearing a one piece, and they ARE NOT convenient when you need a potty break!!


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## Markons92 (Mar 23, 2017)

I agree with you. There is no need for bikini at that age.


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## lilycarrbff (Jul 8, 2020)

*couple swimsuits*

Last year me and my husband took a flight to Thailand island Koh Chang. It is an amazing place like you are in heaven. Before our vacation my husband made me a present that was really amazing. When I opened the box I saw a couple swimsuits. I don't know how he realized that i wanted them but this present made me smile. Everyone on the beach was looking only at us. When we came back I wanted to make a present for our friends and found this place called matchinggear.com and there were a couple swimsuits of all types for a reasonable price.


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