Abstract: The invention relates to a swimming and bathing aid especially for young children with a chest ring 19 and with two arm floating elements 17, 18 which are connected with the chest ring 19. The chest ring has such a volume that it creates along the buoyancy necessary for swimming. The arm floating elements (17,18) do not dip into the water in a static swimming position and they are used as balancing elements against lateral swimming movements. For this the arm floating elements extend in a sideward upper direction from the upper arms (34, 35) and they are connected with the upper arms (34, 35) and with the chest ring (19). The chest ring (19) is divided at its rear side by a gap so that it can be adapted to different chest dimensions. The chest ring (19) is held together by a strip (30) which forms with the strips (26,27) a harness in which the arm floating elements (17, 18) the chest ring (19) and a child (33) are contained.