Water Games
Beginning Water Games
The following games are a few beginning swimmer games you will find in the E-Book, "Teach Your Child to Swim." For more beginning swimmer games,
download "Teach Your Child to Swim" here.
Raining
and Growing – With a watering can you can pretend it’s raining,
(we’ve even put umbrellas in the pool for the occasion) or
pretend you are a flower and as your child “waters” you, you
“grow” out of the water.
Young children will like to water your head more than they will
like you to water their head.
Duck
In Duck Out – Everyone holds onto a hula hoop.
The leader calls someone’s name and says “Duck in.”
That person ducks under the hoop and comes up in the center.
The leader then calls a name to “duck out.”
Multiple children can be inside the hoop at one time.
Mr.
Potato Head – To our surprise, one summer we discovered that most Mr.
Potato Head pieces sink.
This has become one of my students’ favorite games.
Have your children take turns retrieving a part and build Mr. Potato
head.
Splash
in the Puddle – Place a hula hoop on top of the water and tell your
child it is a giant water puddle to jump into!
Group Water Games
Name
of Game:
SINK OR FLOAT
Equipment:
House hold items, some that sink and some that float. (You may want to check
them before the game. You may be surprised what will sink and what will float.)
Number
of players:
Any number
Age
of players:
Any age
Swimming
ability:
None
Water
Depth:
Waist deep
Lake
or Pool:
Pool
Playing
Instructions:
Designate one side of the pool as the “sink” side and one side as the
“float” side. Show everyone an object and ask them if they think it will
sink or float. If they think it will float they go to the float side. If they
think it will sink, they go to the sink side. With everyone against the sides of
the pool, throw an item into the center of the pool. Those who guessed correctly
get a prize. (We pass out small laffy taffys to the side that guessed right).
Name
of Game: KICKBOARD WATER POLO
Equipment:
Four kickboards, ball
Number
of players: 8-12
Age
of players: Older child to adult
Water
Depth: Waist deep or the deep end of pool if everyone can tread water
well.
Lake
or Pool: Pool
Name
of Game: GREASED WATERMELON
Equipment:
Watermelon, shortening (maybe a back up watermelon if the first one breaks)
Number
of players: any number, enough for two teams
Age
of players: older child to adult
Swimming
ability: none
Water
Depth: waist deep
Lake
or Pool: Lake (best played in a lake due to the “grease” and
possible breaking of the watermelon). To play in a pool you would need special
permission from the pool owner or pool operator.
Playing
Instructions: Rub a watermelon all over with shortening. Divide into
two teams. The object of the game is like football. You have a goal and two
teams. Each team tries to get the watermelon through the other team’s goal.
Especially fun for family reunions and youth groups.
Name
of Game: POISON
Equipment:
Plastic 2 liter Pop Bottle
Number
of players: 10-12
Age
of players: Older child to adult
Swimming
Ability: None
Water
Depth: Waist deep
Lake
or Pool: Both
Playing
Instructions: Everyone makes a circle by holding hands or wrists of
the person next to them. Place an object in the middle of the circle and tell
everyone it is poison. I like to use a pop bottle with a poison label on it. (I
just print the label and use clear package tape to water proof it and hold it
on). The rule is, you can make any kind of body motion you can while still
holding hands to get the “poison” away from you and toward another person.
If it touches you, you are out. When a person is out, stop the game, reform the
circle, place the poison in the center and play again. Play until there is only
two people left. The person who can force the other person to touch the poison
is the winner. Hint: try to force the person’s hand you are holding to touch
the poison. If the poison leaves the circle, pause the game and have someone
from the outside place it in the middle again and resume the game.
