Entrepreneur Michael Harkins has developed a new swimming aid that is designed to make learning to swim easier and more accessible for children between the ages of three and six.

Turtle Pack is a patent pending flotation device that consists of a neoprene vest and a set of three stacked EVA foam shells that decrease in size. The multifunctional shells, which can also be used as floats and pool tools, are removed as the child gets more confident in the water.

The vest is designed to free up the user's arms, enabling them to learn the correct strokes, whilst the backpack-like setup ensures that they maintain the correct body position in the water.

"Turtle Pack has been designed to promote correct technique but also ensure that swimming is a fun experience for kids. If we can make swimming safe, fun and efficient then everyone wins," said Harkins.

“The idea for Turtle Pack really came from my own experiences as a swimming instructor. I could see that when kids were getting frustrated or not making progress this often translated into them not wanting to continue their lessons," Harkins continues.