- Have swimmers form partners
- Give 1 little rubber duck to each group
- Swimmers must keep the duck on the kickboard any way they can while kicking
- Swimmers are not allowed to use their hands from the wrist down
- can use any other part of their body to either hold, or rescue their duck
- 1 partner goes first and goes down and back
- Pass the duck to the other partner without using hands
- Second partner goes down and back
- Continue for specified duration
Author: Jeff Test
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Swimming Game – Duck Partner Kick
This is a great game to play with both swim teams and swim lessons. Ideally your swimmers will be able to kick with a kickboard by themselves for more than 4 lengths. Start at one end of the pool with everyone -
Swimming Game – Noodle Race Partners
This game is good for developmental swim teams, large swim lesson classes, or the more advanced swimmers. You will need: 1 noodle for every 2 participants- Have swimmers form pairs or partners
- Give each pair 1 noodle
- Both partners are to be on TOP of the noodle in some fashion (some swimmers will straddle the noodle, others will lay over it; ultimately its up to you to choose which way to go).
- Race to the other end, or race to the other end and back.
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Parent Tot Games and Songs
Swim Lesson Games and Songs for Parent Tot Class
We recently did a comprehensive podcast on this topic: SIP 006: Songs and Games for Parent Tot classes
Sing the Hokey Pokey:
Hokey Pokey together as a group. Put all floaty toys in the middle of a circle.
You put your hands in, you put your hands out,
you put your hands in and you paddle them about,
you do the hokey pokey and you turn yourself around,
that’s what it’s all about….
You put your right arm in, you put your right arm out,
you put your right arm in and you splash it all about,
you do the hokey pokey and you turn yourself about
that’s what it’s all about…
You put your left arm in…
You put your lips in…. …and you blow bubbles all about
You put your hair in… …and you splash it all about
You put your whole self in… …and you splash about
The Hokey Pokey is a standard song and one most people are familiar with. We save it for the end of our classes and it makes an excellent end of lesson song.
Each time you chose a body part to put in, place that in front of you and splash it about either gently or furiously. The instructor’s enthusiasm will dictate the energy parents and swimmers will put into the game/song too.
Alligator, Alligator Song
Hold your child’s hands with yours. Sing the following:
“Alligator, Alligator, on the wall.
Alligator, alligator, in you fall!”
“One, two, three, go!”
On “go” gently pull the child into a hug by lifting and pulling their hands towards you and then wrapping their arms around your neck. Smile, laugh, and be happy.
Restrict the depth the infant goes underwater. Limit the water to only go up to their shoulders. Keep the infant’s face above water as you gently pull them into the water and into your embrace.
Motorboat, Motorboat
. Parents hands over the baby’s hands.
Encourage them to kick to toys, to the wall, to you.
-Play Motorboat, Motorboat with the children. Have parents do it
Too.
Sing the following:
Motorboat, motorboat, go so slow (drawn out)
Motorboat, motorboat, go so Fast…..
Motorboat, motorboat, STEP ON THE GAS!!!!
For each stage of motorboat, move quicker as you sing. When you do “step on the gas!” move quickly and change your tone of voice.
Twinkle Twinkle
Sing this song while doing back floats and encourage the child to look into the ceiling and look for stars.
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are.
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky.Twinkle, twinkle, little star.
How I wonder what you are.
How I wonder what you are.
Humpty Dumpty:
Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall,
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.
All the king’s horses and all the king’s men
Couldn’t put Humpty together again.Play this game while having your child sit on the side of the pool. When you either finish, or when you say “had a great fall” hold the child’s hands and pull them into the water into your arms. You can play this game at the beginning of your swimming lesson too. Have everyone sit on the side and then sing the song for each participant. Pull them in or let them jump into your arms when you finish the song each time.
I’m a little Teapot
I’m a little teapot,
Short and stout
Here is my handle here is my spout
When I’m all steamed up
Hear me shout
Tip me over,
And pour me out!!!Alternate version of the song:
I’m a little teapot,
Short and stout,
Here is my handle, here is my handle….
Wait a minute… I’M A SUGARBOWL!During the lyrics of the song, you should pantomime the different characteristics of the “teapot”
For “spout” and “handle” put your arms to your side: spout to your hip, and other arm out to the side. When you play the Sugarbowl version, put both hands at your hips.
You can further amplify this song by pouring water on the swimmers in your group at the end of the song. When you get to, “pour me out” pour a bucket of water over your participant’s heads. You can also give them each their own buckets or pails and sing the song as a group. When you get to the end, everyone pours their own water out!
Head and Shoulders Knees and Toes
Head, shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes
Head, shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes
And eyes and ears and mouth and nose
Head, shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes
Additional verses are sung by omitting the first word sung in the previous verse, and, instead, children touch their body parts, without actually saying the word. For example:
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- Verse 2
- —-, shoulders, knees and toes
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- Verse 3
- —-, —-, knees and toes
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- Verse 4
- —-, —-, —- — toes
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- Verse 5
- —-, —-, —- — —-
This pattern continues until the children are silently touching their body parts in rhythm with the song. The last verse consists of no actual singing, just touching what would have been sung or repeating the first verse in a quicker tempo.
You can play this game/song while having your swimmer sit on the edge of the pool where you point to different body parts with each verse. If your child doesn’t mind either, you can take a small bucket or cup and sprinkle water over the body part during the song. Pour water over the back of the head on “head,” over the shoulders on “shoulders,” and continuing to all parts. When you omit words you can have the swimmer pour water on themselves when they say the word, or you can pour water once they sing the lyric.
Another adaptation is to kneel down in the water to that depth for each portion of the lyrics if you can bend or lower yourself that well or lift your swimmer up.
- If you’re Happy and You know it
If you’re happy and you know it, splash your hands!
- (splash water, splash water)
If you’re happy and you know it, splash your hands!
- (splash water, splash water)
If you’re happy and you know it, and you really want to show it;
If you’re happy and you know it, splash your hands!
- (splash, splash)
You can change the lyrics with each round. Here are some ideas!
“… turn around!”
“… snap your fingers!”
“… bob your head!”
“… blow some bubbles!”
“… splash your face!”
“… kick your feet!”
“… splash your feet!
Alphabet Song
A, B, C, D, E, F, G…
H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P…( “l, m, n, o,” spoken twice as quickly as rest of rhyme)
Q, R, S…/ and T, U, V… (/kjuː ɑr ɛs, tiː juː viː,/ pause between s and t)
W… X…/ and Y and/& Z. pause between x y, w and x last for two beats
Now, I know my ABCs.
Next time, won’t you sing with me?
Alternate fun version: BACKWARDS!!!
Z-Y-X-W-V-and-U–
T-and-S-and-R-and-Q–
P-O-N-M-L-K-J–,
I-H-G-F-EDCBA– (EDCBA said like LMNOP in original alphabet song)
Now I know my CBAs;Next time, won’t you lead the way?
While singing the Alphabet song you can hold your child in the back glide or back float position where they can relax on their backs, or you can hold them in the front float or glide position. Either way works and we’re using the song to create a peaceful stimulating experience where participants are calm and enjoying the sound of their parent’s voice while also doing a float of some kind. Sometimes the song takes their mind of the fact that they ears are in the water, or their mouth is touching water.
Row Row Row your Boat
Row, row, row your boat,
Gently down the stream.
Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily,
Life is but a dream.Row, row, row your boat,
Gently down the stream.
If you see an alligator,
Don’t forget to scream.Row, row, row your boat,Gently down the stream.Throw your teacher overboardAnd listen to her scream.Row, row, row your boat,Gently down the stream.Ha ha, fooled ya,I’m a submarine.Most of the time we play this song while doing back or front floats. With the additional ‘silly’ versions you can incorporate some fun and excitement beyond just the singing and joining in. When you say “See an alligator” have the other participants do Alligator walks and when you run into them after the float make sure you time it to the song. Encourage the participant to ‘scream.’ During the “ha ha, fooled ya, I’m a submarine” you can pull yourself underwater and if you have an advanced participant you can say, “Ready, Go!” and pull them under too.More Songs:
We created Swim Lesson Plans for Parent Tot classes using these songs
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Swimming Game – Log Roll Streamline
Log Roll Streamline
Log Roll is a great game for both advanced and beginning swimmers. It focuses on the single most important swimming position: Streamline. You can have your swimmers do this activity by waves, individually or repeatedly in a cycle. This game/activity is very well suited to variation, and feel free to adapt the basic guidelines.Log Roll streamline is basically, do a streamline and rotate along your spinal axis. Remember to continue kicking the entire time.
For beginner swimmers:
Each time, push off in streamline:- 1st on your back
- 2nd on your side
- 3rd on your stomach
- 4th on your other side
For average swimmers:
Each time, push off in streamline starting on your stomach:- slowly rotate to your side
- slowly rotate to your back
- slowly rotate all the way around back to your stomach
For advanced swimmers:
Each time they push off at the beginning of a short 25 set they should streamline and:- rotate their body completely around before they reach the surface, before their first stroke.
Log Roll Streamline GAME
How far can each swimmer get underwater while continuously rotating around in the same direction? How many complete rotations can you do before you get to the flags? While in streamline, do 2 fly kicks on Back, 2 on Side, and 2 on stomach before the flags.What variations of this have you played? How have you incorporated it into your lessons or practice? Let us know in the comments below.
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Parent Tot – Buckethead – The best game ever
“Child in the water – ideally 0 depth, or where they can sit, or stand, if not then in the “”saddle”” being held by parent. Parent, in the water next to child or holding child.
Fill a bucket with water. Pour bucket over child’s head and smile and shout, say, yell “”BUCKETHEAD!!””
Modify this by pouring water over the back of child’s head so doesn’t go in their eyes.
Offer child to do Buckethead to the parent. Encourage them to yell “”BUCKETHEAD!”””
Also see: https://www.swimminglessonsideas.com/game-buckethead/
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Swimming Game – True or False
We play this game at the end of our swim team practices. Typically we go to the diving well (if we have one).
The game is True or False, and there are two ways to play:
1) Swimmers stand on the side with their toes curled over the edge. If the coach says something true, then the swimmers need to jump in, and the last to jump in is “out” until there is a winner.
If the coach says something False, then the swimmers do not jump in. If someone does jump in, they are out until there is a winner.
The winner is the final person still in.
Every round there will be at least 1 person out. If there is a true statement, and some jump in and some do not, then the only those that did not jump in are out as technically they would have been “last.”
2) Swimmers line up on the wall IN the water. When the coach says something true, swimmers have to swim to the other side of the diving well. The last person to touch the wall is out, or if you do not swim, and it was true, the swimmer is out.
If a swimmer lets go of the wall completely and comes back, it is considered a “true” guess, and if the coach said something false, then the swimmer is out.
When we play this game, we focus on swimming related topics, though the questions can range in anything you deem appropriate. Here are some examples:
“This is a 50 meter pool.”
“This is a 50 yard pool (false)”
“In the 100 yard IM there are 3 flip turns (false).”
“The order of a 100 IM is Fly, Back, Breast, Freemile” (false freemile /= Freestyle)
“There is 1 flip turn in a 50 meter freestyle, long course. (False).”
“You should always streamline first in any stroke.”
Have you played this game? or a version of it?
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Swimming Game – Slalom
We play this game with the middle groups of our swim team.
Have at least 7 people in each lane.
Have 6 people stand on the middle line down the middle of the lane (on the bottom of the pool)
1 swimmer will push off the wall, and then slalom around the standing swimmers. They must weave back and forth between people until they reach the other end of the pool.
If you have enough people do have 2 lanes, then the swimmers can race each other.
Once the swimmer has completed the slalom, all swimmers should shift forward one space, and then the next person can slalom.
We generally only play this game when doing FLY kick on your side. The goal is the periodically exaggerate the fly kick motion with the hips while on the side. Swimmers are DQ’d for going on their back or stomachs. We encourage them to “Swim like a shark.”
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Swimming Game – Driving the Stake
You’ll need a deep pool to play this game!
Have your swimmers find a partner.
One swimmer gets in as straight as a body position as possible, hands at sides, feet together, and head in line with the spine (basically streamline with hands at hips).
The partner pushes the straight swimmer by the shoulders straight down.
The goal is to get to the bottom as fast as possible while keeping the body straight.
Each pair should perform the pushing down 3 times to their partner, and then switch and do 3 times.
Put rings or toys at the bottom for the swimmers to “aim” at to make more challenging and fun.
This game works on teamwork and, most importantly, body position.
In swimming, maintaining a strong core and almost rigid body position is crucial for gaining significant speed in freestyle and backstroke. Rotating from the hips and locking the spine and legs in as straight of a line as possible ensures a faster swim.
Playing this game tricks the swimmers into practicing a straight body in a way they may not always experience: going feet first and down. The hidden benefit is that the more they are used to getting long, tall, straight, strong body line, the more likely they’ll remember that feeling as they swim doing their streamlines, glides, or freestyle.
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Swimming Game – Champion Swimmer
Advanced swimmer game:
Have each lane pick one “champion” that will participate. Do not tell the swimmers what stroke or activity they will be doing.
After each lane has chosen a Champion, tell them what they will do. EXAMPLE: Champions must swim a 50 Freestyle with flip turn and correct streamline.
If the champion passes or succeeds, then the lane does the same activity together. Champion gets to rest. EXAMPLE Lane does 50 Freestyle.
If the champion fails, or does an illegal stroke, the lane and the champion has to do 2x the activity KICK. EXAMPLE: 100 FREE Kick.
Tips: Include correct streamlines with locked thumbs and squeezed ears to increase challenge. Include specific steps of an open turn, flip turn, underwater pullout, or fly kicks off the wall, or breathing in and out of turn.
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Swimming Game – Spider
Game Name: Spider.
Skills Developed: Breath control, confidence and swimming under water.This game is meant for private classes that do not have too many learners. There are two roles: one swimmer will act as the web while another acts as the spider.
The thing that should act as a pre-requisite for this game is that the swimmers have to be willing to swim under water, or at least that is the skill they are going to hone through playing this game.
The “spider” puts a foot and hand on each wall in the corner. Instructions:
Have one swimmer go to the corner of the pool and have their right hand holding onto one side of the pool and the left hand holding onto the other. The same with their legs, the right to one side of the pool, touching the wall and the left to the other, touching the wall as well. The point is to have some space between them and the corner walls of the pool. This is the swimmer that will act as the web.
The swimmer that will act as the spider is to try and swim through the webs limbs. They are to swim between the right arm and right foot of the web and go through to the left arm and left foot, passing between the web and the corner walls. Like threading a needle. They are then come up under both legs to end up inside the web. The trick is to do all this without resurfacing for air and without touching the web at any one point.
As the teacher, you can have the spaces between the webs limbs vary according to the desired skill level. You could start off by letting the swimmers touch the web and resurface for air as you horn in on the skill levels you are aiming for. As time goes, they are to do this without touch and breath. Have the players continuously switch roles.