Fun Swimming Pool Games for Kids

When it's time to go to the pool, it may mean trying to figure out fun things to do in it. Although the pool itself may entertain your child, what better way for a child to have fun is a new pool game that will only benefit your child’s swimming skills. By introducing an enjoyable pool game to your child it can help build your child’s endurance, growth, and improvement on water safety, and feel more comfortable within the water.

With using these five different games during swim lessons, they have greatly benefited my swimmers as well as helped them become more comfortable in the water.

Swim Lesson Games:

Red Light, Green Light:

Equipment Needed: Kick Board.

Grab a kickboard, and start on one side of the pool. Have the parent call out red light, yellow light, or green light, letting the child know to stop kicking when saying red light. As for slow kicks on Yellow light, and All-out fast kicking on Green Light. The goal of the game is to start on one side of the pool and get to the other.

Extra Challenge: Fill a cup up halfway with water and place it on top of the board. The main goal is to not spill the cup from one end to another.

Skill: Developing a strong and fast kick. It allows for proper body position in the water.

Tip: Make sure the child’s hands are placed either at the very top of the kickboard or end of the kickboard – not the sides.

Writing fun swim exercises on ping pong balls:

Equipment Needed: ping pong balls – or any type of material that you can write on.

Grab a couple of ping pong balls and write a fun swim exercise on each ball. Place the balls into a cup. Let your child pick a ball out of the cup to decide which learning activity to do.

Skill: Being comfortable around the water. Pro of many different skills.

Examples of writing on the ball: swim to the other end working on specific stroke or technique, throw a ball out to the pool and swim to get it, practice jumping to the pool for a toy, bobs, scavenger hunt for toys at the bottom of the pool, or even Marco Polo!

Streamline through Hula Hoop:

Equipment needed: Hula Hoop.

Using one hula hoop, place it underneath the water. The goal is to have your child streamline through without touching the Hula Hoop. You can also add a toy to the end of the hula hoop to make it more rewarding for your child.

Each time is moving the hula hoop deeper, depending on your child’s progress.

Skills: Breath Control, Propulsion, Swimming Independently, Practicing Competitive Swimming Technique.

Tip: Have your child try to maintain a tight streamline glide through the water in a faster way. For a proper streamline, have your child put both arms straight above their head, having their hands placed on top of one another, as tight as possible. Their hands should be facing straight up towards the sky, with their thumbs locked in.

While your child is streamlining through the hula hoop, make sure they’re looking straight down at the bottom of the pool.

Streamline helps reduce drag while swimming for a faster glide through the water.

Superman/Superwoman Bobs:

No equipment needed.

Have your child start by standing on the bottom of the pool. It works best if they’re in the shallow end where their feet can touch the bottom. Have your child jump straight up from the bottom of the pool in a tight streamline submerging out of water.

The main goal is trying to get her higher and higher out of the water each time.

Skills: Preparing for pushing off the wall powerfully and becoming comfortable in a vertical position.

Tip: Make sure to use both feet to push off powerfully and make sure your child is squatting underneath the water.

If your child cannot reach the bottom of the pool, allow them to jump from a step that is closest to the bottom. It will give them a boost to the bottom of the pool In order to jump straight up strongly.

Treading Water for time:

No equipment needed.

Head over to a place in the pool where your child cannot stand. Have your child hold onto the wall. When you're ready to start, have them let go of the water and start treading water. Each round, the goal is to try to count out loud and have your child beat his time from before all by the self.

Skills: Swimming Safety skills, becoming comfortable in a vertical position, and strengthening your kick.

What is Treading Water?

• Stay in one place with your child's head above the water in an upright vertical position.
• Arms: have your child place their hands out of the water. – if that's too challenging, have them skull underneath the water with cupped hands moving back and forth.
• Legs: your child's flutter kick should have their kid's legs be slightly bent, almost like they're riding a bicycle. (This will create a powerful movement which makes it easier to kick).
• Practice by bringing both arms and legs together for a steady tread.

Tips: You can as well use a pool noodle placed under their arms for support. If you do not have a pool noodle, simply use your arms. Keep your arms underwater, ready to catch if your child starts to slip underwater.

Does your child need swimming lessons? Sunsational Swim School specializes in swimming lessons at your home or community pool. Learn more about private swimming lessons and bring the swim school to your pool today!

Alyson Currao’s bio:

Swim Instructor in Naples, FL

Hi! My name is Alyson Currao. I have spent the past 14 years as a competitive swimmer, with the opportunity to compete on an NCAA DII Woman’s Swimming team. I am currently graduating May 2020 from Lynn University with a Bachelor of Science in Event Management. I have over 5 years of experience teaching swim lessons from Infants to High Schoolers.