When you saw The Little Mermaid for the first time as a kid, there is no doubt that you were fascinated by Ariel and her ability to swim throughout the sea effortlessly with her long, glimmering mermaid tail.
Well, now you can live your childhood dream vicariously through your children thanks to modern mermaid tech!
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Mermaid tails are one-of-a-kind products that transform regular swimming into fantastical swimming.
The problem is, there are so many different kinds on the market that picking the best one can be difficult. What material is best? Which tails are the safest?
If you’re in the market for a good mermaid tail, this article is a must-read, as we’ll be going through all the advice under the sea so that you can have the best mermaid tail possible!
Best Mermaid Tails For Kids
#1 Best Overall: Fin Fun Mermaid Tail With MonoFin
- Comes with a Flexible and Durable Monofin!
- Made With Stretchable, Fade-Resistant Fabric
- Perfect For Ages 6 and Up
Our #2 Pick: Fin Fun Swimming Tail
- Comes In a Wide Variety of Unique Colors!
- Made With Stretchable, Fade-Resistant Fabric
- Perfect For Ages 6 and Up
Our #3 Pick: Galldeals 3-Piece Mermaid Tail
- 3-Piece Suit that is Perfect for Dress Up!
- Made With Lightweight, Stretchable Material
- Perfect For Ages 3-12
The Top 10
#1 BEST OVERALL: FIN FUN MERMAID TAIL WITH MONOFIN
The Fin Fun Mermaid Tail is easily one of the most popular and widely used mermaid tails in the world for a good reason. These tails are great for kids and adults of all shapes and sizes, and each is made out of a premium, fade-resistant fabric that is stretchy and comfortable. One of the best features when it comes to the Fin Fun Mermaid Tail is the patented monofin that is made out of a soft, dive-grade neoprene material. It secures nice and snug around your ankles to make swimming both easier and more comfortable. The polypropylene insert helps it to shape to your feet while still allowing you to flex and bend as you swim through the water.
While most monofins strap to your feet or ankles, the Fin Fun Monofin can be quickly removed in the water with the quick-release system, making it one of the safest on the market. They didn’t skimp out on durability either. The reinforced tail tip helps to guard against any rips or tears, adding to its longevity. Thanks to Fin Fun’s long line of products, you can also purchase swimwear, sarongs, doll tail sets, and headwraps to match!
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OUR #2 PICK: FIN FUN LIMITED EDITION SWIMMING TAIL
The Fin Fun Swimming Tail is a limited edition mermaid tail that comes in a wide variety of unique and colorful designs. If you want something for your child to shine, this tail is it! The fabric is made of an eccentric and fade-resistant material that stretches four ways for comfortable wear. The tails can be paired up with Fin Fun's array of matching swimwear and sarongs as well! Just like the regular Fin Fun mermaid tails, the limited edition tails come with reinforced tail tip technology that protects against rips and tears at the tips of the tail.
The Fin Fun Limited Edition also comes with the patented monofin that is durable, safe, and easy to swim with. These are easily the most beautiful suits out there, and they wash well too! Even after tons of use, you'll still find that it is in great shape!
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OUR #3 PICK: GALLDEALS 3-PIECE MERMAID TAIL
The Galldeals 3-Piece Mermaid Tail is perfect for little ones who want an entire set to swim around with. It comes complete with one top, one pair of underwear, one flower headband, and one mermaid tail. The material is a mixture of polyester and cotton for both comfort and durability, and it stretches nicely to provide a good fit. The fabric is made to be incredibly vivid, giving off the look of real fish scales, shimmering as your little one moves throughout the pool! The colors are long lasting too and won't fade anytime soon, even when washed.
This specific set is perfect for girls 3-12 years old and can be used anywhere from the pool to the beach to the masquerade! It does not come with a monofin, however, so if your child is going to be swimming, you will need to buy one separately.
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Sun Tail Mermaid Designer Tail
The Sun Tail Mermaid Designer Tail is probably the best match for the Fin Fun Mermaid Tail, as it delivers a monofin that gives your little one max propulsion in the water. This is because the Sun Tail monofin is made with a heavier rubber and plastic that makes taking advantage of currents or deeper water much more manageable. The neoprene pockets help to keep the feet nice and secure so that it's easier to perform mermaid tricks like turns or flips.
As for the actual design, there are a wide variety of colors to pick from! Each of them is bright and realistic with shining and shimmering scales that will reflect in the pool. That all said, these sparkles can rub off when scratched against surfaces, so you have to be careful. The cool thing is, Sun Tail provides you with a repair kit to take care of any rips that may occur. Overall, the Sun Tail Designer Tails are lightweight and easy to swim with, perfect for the real veterans of mermaiding!
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Daxiang Little Girls 3 Pcs
If you're looking for a classic 3-piece set for your little one, the Daxiang Little Girls 3-Piece is about as traditional as you can get. It comes complete with one clamshell top, one pair of underwear, and one mermaid tail. There are a few colors to pick from including pink, green, and blue, each of which can be mixed and matched. They've hollowed out the bottom of the mermaid tail, allowing your child to walk around in it comfortably. This makes it one of the safest mermaid tails around. It's suited for girls 3-12 years old and is more or less for walking around and hanging out rather than swimming.
Overall, the set is bold and bright, and the colors look amazing! You have to make sure to be careful not to get it in contact with rough surfaces or wash it in the machine, as the fabric is very fragile and will rip or fray.
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Fin Fun Sparkle Tail
With a mixture of sturdy nylon and stretchy spandex, the Fin Fun Sparkle Tail is one of the most comfortable mermaid tails around. The Sparkle Tails are different from the regular Fin Fun tails in that they are made with iridescent and shimmering patterns that help the tail to sparkle as it moves through the water. The sparkle fin is available in three different colors, purple, pink, and blue, each which have a magical reflective characteristic when you combine that with the safe and comfortable patented monofin, you have a glamorous and functional tail that is difficult to beat.
The four-way stretch of the tail makes it easy to fit into, though it is essential to check the sizing chart to get the right measurement for waist, hips, and tail so that your child can get the most out of their mermaid experience! The Fin Fun Sparkle Tail is suited for those ages 6 and up.
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Owone Box Girls 3-Piece Mermaid Tail
The Owone Box Girls 3-Piece Mermaid Tail is another great mermaid tail for kids who just want to play dress up and not actually swim around in the water. This is because the bottom of the tail is hollowed out for feet so that your child can walk around in it. There is no monofin included. Even with that said, it is 100% able to go in the water, so if you have a kiddie pool or bathtub at home, it can go inside safely! The material is a mixture of polyamide and elastane for a stretchy and comfortable fit.
The set comes complete with one pair of underwear, one top, and one tail. There is only one color available which is a bright rainbow, though it looks great! For those parents who are on a bit of a budget, yet still want to be able to provide a fun mermaid set for their little one to play around in, the Owone Box Girls 3-Piece Mermaid Tail is one of the best around!
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TFJH E 3-Piece Swimmable Fish Tail Set
The TFJH 3-Piece Swimmable Fish Tail Set is very similar to the Daxiang set, though it comes in a wider array of colors and is made with a few different materials. The set comes complete with one clamshell top, one pair of underwear, and one long tail. The colors are bright and vivid and come in that classic mermaid design with shimmering scales. While this particular tail is not necessarily for swimming, you can have your child walk around in it, hang out in the bath with it, or enjoy a dip in the kiddie pool.
The underwear has a cute fitting bowknot on the waist, and there are partial ruffles on the leg opening trimmings for a bit of extra texture. The material is nice and stretchy for a great fit, though you must be careful not to get it near any rough surfaces, as it will rip and fray. Otherwise, for little girls between the ages of 3-8, this set is perfect!
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Play Tailor Mermaid Tail
The Play Tailor Mermaid Tail Set is perfect for swimming, although you will need to purchase a separate monofin to go along with it! It is made out of a mixture of high-quality materials including polyester lycra and spandex for a smooth, stretchy, and breathable fit, making it excellent for the water. The variety of tail designs are unique to the designers over at Play Tailor, and you can find a wide range of vivid, eye-catching colors for any taste or style.
There are five different sizes to pick from that have a standard range of ages 4-14. The large size tail cover is 23 inches wide, making it perfect for fitting almost any fin on the market, as most fins range from about 16-20 inches wide. When not swimming in it, it’s easy to walk around with thanks to the open bottom design.
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Camlimbo 4-Piece Mermaid Tail Set
The Camlimbo 4-Piece Mermaid Tail Set comes complete with one top, one pair of underwear, one mermaid tail, and one garland. While the monofin is not sold with the set, you can buy one separately and be sure it will fit thanks to the wide opening. The design is unique thanks to the partial ruffles at the leg openings and the snaps near the bottom that allow your child to get in and out of the skirt much faster. The material is shiny with a realistic, fish-scale texture that is both flexible and comfortable. They have made this tail so that the color does not fade either, even when the tail is washed!
As for the actual colors, the set can be purchased in a wide variety of bright and bold designs that are unique to the Camlimbo brand. For a set that is both budget-friendly and high quality, the Camlimbo 4-piece is perfect!
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How To Swim With a Mermaid Tail
While mermaid tails can take a while to get used to, it'll become second nature after a few swims. The mermaid tails that your child will use for swimming will come with a monofin. This monofin is fitted to the end of a tail and is essentially a pair of diving flippers/fins that have been molded together into one larger piece.
Begin by slipping your child’s legs through the tail and then out the other side into the pockets of the monofin. Tell them to slowly dip down in the water and pump themselves around by kicking like a dolphin. This will help to propel her forward while her arms and torso will be used to turn her from side to side.
How To Choose The Best Mermaid Tail
Material
Not all fabrics are made equal when it comes to mermaid tails, though most all of them will attempt to mimic the look and feel of what we imagine a mermaid's tail would look like. When searching for tails, we recommend looking for either nylon, spandex, polyester, or a mixture of some of three. These materials are easily the most breathable, the toughest when it comes to keeping them from fraying, and the easiest to move around in. The best thing about these materials is that they aren't costly to produce, which is the reason that many mermaid tails don't cost an arm and a leg to purchase. If you're dead serious about getting the best quality you possibly can, we recommend looking into silicone mermaid tails.
These tails are far stronger than fabric tails, are typically made to order, meaning you can get custom patterns and designs, and look and feel more realistic overall. The issue with silicone mermaid tails is that they are far out of most people's price ranges. They're also not that great for children, as they are much heavier and harder to swim in because of their limited flexibility.
Machine Washable
If you want to make life a little more convenient, you'll likely want to get a mermaid tail that is machine washable. While most tails can get a good cycle wash, some aren't, so you need to pay attention to make sure you don't ruin yours. You'll want to treat your mermaid tail just like you would a bathing suit, washing it after every swim to make sure that salt, chlorine, grime, or anything else, is not left on there for a long time. If it is, the bacteria will start to eat away at the fabric.
Size / Fit
Getting the right fit is incredibly important if you want the tail to be comfortable for your child to wear and easy to swim around in. We recommend looking for the specific size chart of the manufacturer to see how their particular tails fit, as no tail manufacturer is the same. You will typically have to measure your child's waist, hips, and leg length to get the best fitting tail. Also consider that if you want to get a mermaid tail for swimming, you must get one with a fitting monofin. Again, whether or not you buy the monofin from the same manufacturer, make sure to look at the sizing chart and find one that fits your child's shoe size.
Monofin?
Some tails come with monofins while some do not. Some aren't even built for monofin compatibility, as they are more or less meant for costume use than actual swimming. You need to make sure to look into this as you purchase your fin, as there are too many bad reviews thanks to people who didn't take the time to look into the fin to see if it was suitable for water activities.
Weight
The weight of the tail you purchase matters, especially if your little one isn't that great of a swimmer. Tails that are too heavy can make it pretty hard to swim, especially if it's not something that your little swimmer has already built up confidence in doing. The tail and the monofin should never really weigh more than 2-3 pounds.
Mermaid Tail Safety Tips
- Find a Safe Tail for Swimming: A great tail for swimming is one that is both lightweight and flexible. This will help so that your little one an swim easily.
- Keep a Close Eye on Your Little One: Never, under any circumstance, should you leave a child unattended at the pool, especially when they are wearing a mermaid tail. Mermaid tails can be difficult to swim in, and if your child isn't confident, he or she may get tired and not have the ability to swim back to the deck. Being there in case of an emergency is vital.
FAQ
Are Mermaid Tails Safe?
Mermaid tails are 100% safe as long as the person who is using it knows how to use it correctly. There are certain things to consider when buying a mermaid tail, as well as when you feel like your child is ready to use them.
For starters, if your child cannot swim regularly, they should not be swimming with a mermaid tail whatsoever. Even if you do believe that your little one is the best swimmer in the world, you should never leave them unattended.
Once you're in the water, try to keep your tail away from the sides or bottom as much as you possibly can. The last thing you want is for your tail to snag on something or rip open. If there is ever an emergency, your child should know how to get the fin off. Some fins have quick-release buttons while others are a bit more complicated. You and your child should spend some time getting to know that specific feature so that they can get it off if they need to.
How Do You Put a Mermaid Tail On?
Depending on your child's age, they will most likely need a bit of help getting their mermaid tail on and off. Even if they don't need help, it's always good to keep your eye on them as they get ready so that you can make sure everything is on correctly. This will ensure that they are safe and secure within their fin too!
Begin by putting the tail on before you even touch the monofin. The tail is the long, colorful part that is made with fabric. Begin by pulling the tail up over their legs and onto their waist. If you got the right size, the end of the tail should be hanging down by their ankles. The tail should also fit snugly, though not too tight. If it's too tight, it could be difficult to stand up or swim with. If it's too loose, it could fall off while swimming.
When the tail is finally on, you can fit the monofin on. Some children are flexible to the point where they can bend over and put their feet in the monofin, though some will need a bit of extra help. Monofins are a bit like slip-on shoes. Some come with straps for reinforcement while some come with quick-release tech like the Fun Fin Monofin. Make sure that whatever kind of monofin they have, that the tail is secured nicely.
Where Can I Use My Mermaid Tail?
Mermaid tails can pretty much be used anywhere, as long as you are a good swimmer. You must also consider a few things though. For starters, many public pools have actually banned mermaid tails because they raise many safety concerns. You will need to make sure to call ahead of time or check that specific pool’s website for the answer.
Secondly, we don’t recommend ever going into the ocean until you are 150% comfortable swimming with your mermaid tail in the pool. Factors like currents and waves can make swimming with your tail much harder,
Can I Wash My Mermaid Tail?
You'll find that, for the most part, a majority of mermaid tails are machine-washable. Always make sure to check the instructions on washing that should be present within the tail on the tag. As a general rule of thumb, you should only ever use cold water when machine washing. If your tail is not machine washable, you must hand wash it with soft soap and water.
Final Thoughts - Which Should You Get?
Hopefully, you now have a solid idea of just about everything you need to know before buying a mermaid tail for your child! We know there are tons of things to consider when looking, so we tried to narrow it down for you to make the search easier.
If we had to recommend our favorite, it would be the Fin Fun Mermaid Tail With Monofin. It comes with a monofin that feels great for swimming, has tons of different colors to choose from, and is stretchy and comfortable to wear.
Swimming with the fin will take a while for your little one to get used to, though you may be surprised how much better a regular swimmer using a mermaid tail will make them. Remember to consider the things we listed above, take care of your tail, and ALWAYS make it a priority to be safe.
