Every little kid dreams of spending their summer in the pool! However, sometimes kids get restless in the water and find themselves ‘bored.’ That’s where you come in to the rescue! We need to make sure that our kids are active, healthy, and take lots of breaks from screen time during the summer months. Swim activities are perfect for just that. Check out these 5 swimming pool games that will keep your kids active and entertained in the water this summer.
Invisi-Bottle
This first one is super easy to implement and incredibly fun! It’s called Invisi-Bottle. To play Invisi-Bottle, get an empty 2-liter plastic bottle, one that has a white or clear cap. Fill the bottle with pool water, and line the players up on the deck with their backs to the water, or along the inside edge of the pool. Throw the bottle in the water, when the kids hear the splash, they can turn around, jump in and try to find the bottle. This is a fantastic swim activity as jumping in and out of the pool (safely) is great physical activity, and gives kids a chance to refine their underwater swimming skills.
Sharks and Minnows
This next swimming pool game is also fun and free. Sharks and Minnows is a swimming-themed game of ‘tag.’ Even tiny tots can play with their friends at splash pads! The basic game is that there is one ‘shark’ and the rest of the players are ‘minnows.’ The shark lurks around the middle of the pool while the minnows try to make it to the other side. Any minnows who get tagged become sharks until there’s one little minnow left. That little minnow is the shark in the next round.
Popsicle
Do you remember playing Freeze Tag as a kid? A version of Freeze Tag, called Popsicle, can be played in the water. Popsicle teaches kids to become comfortable swimming and holding their breath while underwater. When someone is tagged, they have to stand straight up with their hands up, like a popsicle. If your child is just starting out swimming or is too little to stand in the shallow end you can hold them to help. An extra twist in this version is that you can submarine. When a player is completely under the water, they can not be tagged and they can also swim past popsicles and unfreeze them. Make this extra special by having some yummy popsicle treats available after the kids have played!
Red Light, Green Light
Next is a game that is played by some swim instructors with their students. Red light, green light teaches kids to kick in the water. Have your kids hold on to the edge of the pool, and when you say “green light” they kick like crazy. Red light means stop kicking, and yellow light means kick slowly. This is a great way for kids to work on kick strength and stamina. Plus, splashing in the water is so much fun!
Marco Polo
Now for a classic (that was even made into a popular insurance company commercial), Marco Polo. Not many other 13th century explorers have pool games named after them! This game has been played as a pool game for years, and kids and parents alike love it. Whoever is “it” closes their eyes and yells, “Marco!,” while the rest of the kids try to avoid them and yell, “Polo!” Marco Polo is a great way to get your kids comfortable standing, swimming, and walking in the water – and you only need 2 players to start.
Contact us for more information on how to have fun in the pool, or with any questions regarding our swim lesson and how they can benefit your little one. We’d love to see you in the pool!
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