Did you know that every time you take your child to the pool they are learning? 2 of the most important keys to progress in your child's learn to swim journey are:
Exposure & Having Fun!
Most parents underestimate their own abilities [when it comes to teaching their child how to swim] & default to hiring expensive swim instructors to do the teaching. But simply put, this does NOT need to be the case.
In today's article we are going to cover 2 SIMPLE & FUN games that you can introduce to your children, at your own pool, to both increase their exposure & ratchet up the FUN... plus, the best part is... they won't even know they are learning!
FUN WATER GAMES
Our first game is called Obstacle Course:
Equipment needed:
1. Goggles: we strongly feel that goggles help speed up your child's learn to swim process
2. 2 inexpensive pool noodles: you can sub any object that floats, so long as your child can swim overtop of one & under the other
Swimming skills covered in this game:
1. Paddle Swimming
2. Kicking
3. Breath Control & Facial Submersion
4. Treading water
How to play the game:
1) Hold a noddle in each respective hand & hold these noodles out an arms length away
2) Queue your swimmer to swim from their starting position [most likely the side of the pool or a step] & to swim under the first noodle
3) Then have your swimmer swim over the 2nd noodle
4) Ramp up the positive encouragement & have your swimmer tread water while turning around [time to repeat the obstacle course!]
5) Swim under the 1st noodle and under the 2nd before swimming back to their original starting position or position of safety [the wall, a bench, or have your swimmer climb out of the pool]
This Obstacle Course Game is a super fun, super simple game that mimics 4 super important swimming skills. It is especially good because it mimics many of the activities your child will be doing while swimming around with their friends. Lets face it, kids who are playing in a pool are normally not swimming freestyle! What they are doing, however, is playing and having fun & this game is a perfect mimic of those activities.
GAMES TO PLAY IN THE POOL
Our 2nd game is a Noodle Hop: [yes, it is as simple as it sounds]
Equipment needed:
1. Goggles: we strongly feel that goggles help speed up your child's learn to swim process
2. 1 pool noodle: you can sub any object that floats, so long as your child can safely jump over the object.
Swimming skills covered in this game:
1. Jumping away from the ledge of the pool
2. Facial Submersion
3. Paddle Swimming
4. Climbing out of the pool
How to play the game:
1) Have your swimmer start by placing ALL 10 toes over the edge of the pool & ensure their goggles are on!
***please note that this is a MUST learning opportunity to verbally queue your child and ask, "Are all of your toes over the edge of the pool?" Do not allow your child to jump until they have acknowledged this important safety element. Our goal is to prevent slipping by using their toes to grip the side of the wall***
2) Hold the noodle a minimum of 3 feet away from the side of the pool - our goal is to ensure your child has to jump a reasonable distance, over the noodle, to avoid the possibility of hitting their head on the side of the pool
3) Ask your child to look around the pool and ensure that no other swimmers are swimming in their jumping area.
4) Once the coast is clear, we begin the count down.... 3.... 2.... 1... JUMP!!! [Be animated here & have fun!!] [I pretend I am a famous radio broadcaster or DJ and countdown in a silly voice]
5) Once your child jumps over the noodle and into the water, we want to verbally queue them to turn around and use their scoops to swim back to the wall!
6.) Queue your child to climb out of the pool by using our simple approach: Elbow, Elbow, Tummy, Knee, Push
By playing this simple game, we can help reduce the inherent danger with jumping in because we can ensure they are jumping a far enough distance away from the wall to avoid that experience. Now the only thing you will be having to avoid is repeating this fun game 10000000 times... I promise your kids will love it!
LEARN TO SWIM BY PLAYING
If you are looking for more fun ways to play in the pool and learn to swim make sure you check our our POWER OF PLAY PDF for more fun games.
Safer Swimming!