Originally we bought this for a kiddy pool but our kid didn't like hanging out in the water. He figured it out at the neighborhood pool but now it is too cold to use this for swimming. We do, however, use it as a ball pit, which is awesome. The sides are low enough that our toddler can get in and out by himself with only minimally falling on his face but the ppl is also sturdy enough that it isn't damaged when he does get in and out. It folds up into its carrying case pretty easily, it takes some practice but what doesn't? Note: the spout part for emptying water should be folded on the long end, not the accordion part of the fold. Also, since the pool is a little flexible, it is easy to pour the balls (we got 800 to fill our medium pool) into their boxes for easy, quick cleanup.