Beat The Summer Heat With Backyard Ocean

***Disclosure: I received complimentary samples to facilitate my review. No other compensation has been provided and all opinions are 100% honest and have not been influenced in any way.***

During the summer months, there's nowhere my kids would rather be than outside. They love going to the riverfront to see the live music and play in the fountain, and they also really enjoy playing on the playground or swimming at the local waterpark. 

Sadly, scheduling visits to the waterpark is a bit harder than it should be. Our schedules are insanely busy this summer, and I just can't justify paying admission for 5 of us if we could only stay for an hour or so. That would get expensive, and rather quickly! 

I have always liked the idea of having a pool to bring the waterpark to my own backyard. We don't have a huge yard, though, and the kids are still pretty little. I wouldn't want to invest in a huge, deep pool just yet. Maybe in a few more years when the kids are more proficient swimmers.

 For now, I will settle for something smaller and easier to manage, like a float-to-fill ring pool.  We've been splashing away in a great 8' x 26" Float to Fill™ Ring Pool from Backyard Ocean.  This budget-friendly ring pool offers a 480 gallon capacity swimming area that's the perfect size for preschool-aged kids like Sophie and Xander. 

Before I get into how much fun we're having in our Backyard Ocean pool, let me cover some of the technical specifications of this product:

8' x 26" Float to Fill™ Ring PoolEasy Summer FunBackyard Ocean's Float to Fill™ Ring Pools make it incredibly easy to enjoy all of the benefits of a quality pool without any of the installation costs and hassles. All you have to do is lay out the pool on a flat surface, fill the inflatable ring with air, then fill the pool with water. The ring rises as you fill the pool, pulling up the rugged walls with it, making setup a breeze!

This 8 ft diameter x 26 in high Float to Fill™ ring pool will quickly bring endless summer fun to your own backyard with its easy setup. We even give you two free beach balls to get the fun started!

Features

• 485 Gallon Capacity (at 80% full)
• Strong Sidewalls: Extra-strong 24-gauge sidewalls made from three layers of vinyl for extreme durability

Includes

• Ring Pool: 8 ft diameter x 26 in high to the top of the ring
• Quick Instructions Sheet
• Beach Balls: Two 20" beach balls for instant summer fun!
• Note: This pool does not include a drain plug or opening to attach a pool pump. To keep your pool water clean and sanitary we recommend the use of the Ring and Frame Pool Maintenance Kit and 1" Chlorine Tablets which can be placed in a Floating Chlorine Dispenser (items sold separately).

Our Experience with the Backyard Ocean 8' x 26" Float to Fill™ Ring Pool:
It has been pretty rainy here in Ohio, so finding a day that was suitable for swimming has been a true test of patience. Not for me, of course, but for the kids. They have been so eager to "go swimming", and they're  a bit too young to understand that it's not a good idea to splash around in the pool during a lightning storm. That is one lesson I won't be letting them learn the hard way! 

Finally, we had a nice stretch of sunshine, so we decided to break out the pool so the kids could finally enjoy it. Setting up this pool was super-easy. Just inflate the ring, lay the pool flat on the ground, and place a standard hose into the pool to fill. As the water level rises, so does the pool. It took a couple of hours to pump almost 500 gallons of water into the pool, so be sure to start early! Otherwise, you might have to hear cries of "Mom, is it done yet?" over and over and over again. 

This pool is made from a very durable and puncture resistant triple-layer vinyl. I was actually surprised by how sturdy this pool is! I wasn't expecting such a strong material to be used in a tiny little pool. We were delighted to see that it's built to last and withstand the use and abuse of active children. 

While there is no filter for this pool, it is recommended that users purchase Chlorine tablets and a floating Chlorine dispenser to help keep the water clean and fresh. Backyard Ocean carries these items, as well as a convenient 8 ft Easy Set Pool Cover. These items must be purchased separately, but are definitely a worthwhile investment if you plan on spending lots of time in the pool this summer. 

We did have one tiny issue when setting up the pool. You see, my yard doesn't have any totally level surface. There is a very slight slope. My husband was absolutely convinced that the pool would never hold water and would collapse as it filled, or as soon as little people got in. Thankfully, he was wrong. Even with a slight slope underneath, the pool is holding water just fine. 

As you can see, this is a smaller pool. It's actually the perfect size for my little ones, who are 3 and 4 years of age. They have plenty of room to splash and play, but the water is shallow enough that they can move around without going underwater. 

This pool also came with 2 beach balls for added fun. One of the beach balls had a hole in it, so we couldn't inflate it. The other was just fine, though, and the kids had a blast tossing it to each other in the pool. 

Sophie and Xander absolutely loved having a pool to splash around in, and they were especially happy that it was just the right size for them. As you can see, Sophie can sit down in the pool without the water going over her head. This makes the 8' x 26" Float to Fill™ Ring Pool absolutely perfect for little ones whose swimming skills still need to be developed. 

Don't let the small size of this pool fool you, though. Sometimes great things come in small packages. Even my teen, who was bummed that we didn't receive a bigger pool, decided to get in and test out the waters. Of course once he got in, there was an all-out splash war! The kids had a great time dousing each other with cool water, and I even got splashed as I took pictures of them. 

Overall, we're definitely pleased with our Backyard Ocean experience. The pool we received is very well-made, easy to set up, and provided hours of fun for my little ones. Please note, while this pool is definitely too small to swim in, it is a wonderful way to cool off on hot summer days. If you'd prefer a larger, filtered pool, the folks at Backyard Ocean have you covered there, too! They have a broad selection of float-to-fill pools, but they also carry some very nice Hard-Sided above ground pools and even some fantastic Frame Pools, too! 

So if you're looking for an economical way to beat the summer heat, definitely check out Backyard Ocean. They have something for every age, every yard size, and yes, every budget! 

How to Connect :

You can check out the awesomeness that is Backyard Ocean on their website. 

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