Whether you are splashing around with the family on a beach vacation or giving your child a bath, you can always incorporate fun games that will help them improve water skills and get them ready to learn to swim! Remember that the best way to learn is by having fun. Games are a way for children to practice their swim skills, and the whole family can be involved.
Red Light Green Light
Playing the Red Light Green Light game is a fun way to help teach both kicking and scooping (isolating each skill or practicing simultaneously). Calling out green light means your child should be kicking (or scooping) fast in the water. Yellow light means they need to slow it down and red light allows them a quick break. Take it up a notch and see if they can kick with their toes pointed to improve technique.
Pancake float
Singing silly songs while having a child on their back can not only get them comfortable but help them learn how to rotate to their stomach. We sing the Pancake song which goes “I’m a little pancake on my back, I’m a little pancake nice and flat. I’m a little pancake on my back, flip me over just like that” to the tune of I’m a little teacup.
Ask your child to lay on their back in the tub or in a body of water. Since a tub is shallow it will allow them more independence. Put their head on your shoulder if in a pool or large body of water for additional support. Place objects on the child’s chest and stomach for extra fun to see if they can keep it on. Then allow them to rotate on their side from their back to their tummy.
Treasure Hunt
As your child becomes more comfortable putting their face in the water, you can place various objects on the pool steps or at the bottom of your bathtub. Whether it’s spare coins, dive rings, or sinkable toys, see how many they can get. Can you count to ten and see if they can grab all of the objects?
Talk To The Fish
Playing this game will help kids learn how to blow bubbles and get their face in the water. Pretend that there are fish swimming by and have your child blow bubbles to talk to them. You can then have your child listen to the fish by putting their ear in the water. Get silly and make up funny stories to tell your child what the fish are saying.