GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KKCO)_Going for a swim is a great way to beat the summer heat. It's also a good way to pass the time during summer vacation. But parents need to be aware that floating pool toys can end up doing more harm to a child than good.

Floatation devices like water noodles, water wings or anything inflatable can be a blast to play with in the pool. The danger comes when parents rely on those devices to keep their children safe while in the water.

At Lincoln Park-Moyer Pool, life guards and staff don't allow inflatable devices anywhere except the Learn to Swim Tank.

If parents want their children to have something that floats with them at all times the pool provides Coast Guard approved life jackets.

Pool Manager Pete Ashman says most common floatation devices give parents a false sense of security when it comes to pool safety, "The water wings the rings the noodles all float but they don't necessarily hold people up the way that they need to be held up in order to keep from going under water and potentially drowning."

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention says among children ages 1-4 most drownings happen at residential pools. The CDC says there’s no substitute for swim lessons.