Fun Water Activities and Pool Play Ideas from Jim Richardson

It's the end of summer and the kids are bored. There are many games they can play in the pool that will teach them about swimming, help their skills and are also fun.

Activities that do not need any extra equipment:

• Copycat: One person swims down the lane in a particular style. All others must swim (one at a time) doing the exact same thing that the first one did. This might be keeping the right hand in the air the whole time, or waving on each stroke (let their imaginations run wild). After all have swum, take a vote on who "copied the cat" the best.
• Engine and Caboose: Break the group into pairs of swimmers. The "Engines" use their arms to swim while the "Cabooses" use their legs while holding the feet of the Engine in front. After some practice, you can have races.
• Engine and Caboose #2: Have multiple swimmers (4-8) per lane. Each successive swimmer must hold onto the person in front of them. See how many different ways they can find to configure themselves (right hand holds left leg, right hand holds right leg, pair side by side with right hand holding left hand while next pair holds inside feet of the first pair). Have them figure out which works the best.
• Corkscrew: Swimmer takes one Crawl stroke. At the end of the stroke they roll over onto their back and take one backstroke. They continue in this manner the length of the pool.

Activities that do need some type of extra equipment:

• Hula-Hoop: You need a hula-hoop. Tie a weight to the hoop and the drop the weight to the bottom of the pool; you can position the hoop partially or completely under the water (the use of string to nearby lane lines can help to keep the hoop in a fixed location).
  
  The kids then swim down the lane and must swim through the hoop. Variations could include multiple hoops at different depths, angles to the lane, positions within the lane; direction and/or orientation that you swim through the lane (face up, feet first, etc.). You could also use "noodles" instead of a hula-hoop.
• Ball Dribbling: You need a ball. Swimmers must swim the length of the pool keeping a ball in front of them the whole way, without touching it with their hands. Different size balls will behave differently.
• Tempo Training: You need a Tempo Trainer by Finis. The Finis Tempo Trainer is a small electronic device that can be placed under a swim cap. It transmits an audible beep. You can easily change the rhythm at which it beats. Set the rhythm to a particular number, and have the swimmers move their arms (or legs) to the rhythm while they swim. Different rhythms will cause the swimmers to alter their stroke greatly.

An excellent reference is "The Incomplete Book of Training Games and Gimmicks" by Bob Steele. Copies are available for $10 (postage included) from Games Book, 507 Dixon, Carbondale, IL - 62901 Include a check or money order for $10, and the address where the book(s) should be shipped.

Jim Richardson is Head Women's Swim Coach at the University of Michigan, and has organized summer recreation programs for years.