Now that school’s out for summer, you may want to avoid your children saying, “I’m bored!” So, what is a parent to do? The reality is that swimming is great for both kids and adults, providing physical and mental health benefits. In addition to being an enjoyable exercise, teaching children to swim and helping them get comfortable with water is essential for their safety in aquatic environments. Furthermore, swimming can be a great way to keep kids entertained and prevent boredom during the summer months.
Learning to Swim
Many parents wonder when the right time for a child to learn how to swim and where to get lessons. While opinions vary, most swimming coaches recommend that infants can begin learning from a trained instructor as early as four months old. Playing in a pool at home is also possible with adult supervision from the same age. However, it is important never to leave children unattended. To make swimming more enjoyable, you can introduce water games to entertain the kids this summer.
Creative Jump-In
You can teach your child different water-diving techniques if your pool is safe. You can introduce fun and creative ways like the cannonball, the dolphin, or diving (if the pool is deep enough!). This game will help build your child’s confidence and teach new swimming skills, leading to plenty of “Watch this!” moments.
Noodle Pool Wars
Are you searching for a fun pool activity? Pool noodles are the perfect solution! These versatile toys can spark the imagination in children while being enjoyable for adults. You can divide into teams and compete in the pool’s center using the noodles to stay afloat. The objective is to reach the other side, and the first team wins. The only rule is that no one can touch the ground with their feet. Get ready for a fun and exciting time in the pool!
Underwater Gymnastics Meet
Underwater gymnastics could be a fantastic idea if you have older children who can hold their breath underwater. You could encourage your children to plan and perform their own underwater gymnastics routine for the family, especially if you have multiple children. Some fun tricks to consider are summersaults, handstands, and underwater twirls. It could be a delightful experience for everyone involved.
Snorkeling
To help your child learn to breathe correctly while underwater, try introducing them to snorkeling in the pool. Start by encouraging them to put their mouth and face in the water, then gradually progress to using the snorkel to breathe. This gradual approach will help build their confidence and skills.
Ring Toss
When playing with your child in the pool, use floating or sinking rings depending on their swimming ability. Toss all the rings into the water and compete to see who can collect the most rings within a specific time frame. The time length can vary depending on the number of rings and your child’s age.
Hot and Cold
To play this game, select a floating object as the item to find. Then, ask one player to close their eyes and try to locate the item while the other players give clues by calling out “Hot!” when they are close or “Cold!” when they are far away. It is an excellent game to play with your child one-on-one.
Marco-Polo
One fun and beneficial pool game that encourages patience and tranquility is “Marco Polo.” In this game, one person is chosen to be “Marco” and must close their eyes and count to 10 while the other players disperse throughout the pool. Once finished counting, “Marco” keeps their eyes shut and attempts to tag another player by touching them. To locate other players, “Marco” calls out “Marco,” and the other players respond with “Polo.”
Playing in the pool can be a fun, imaginative time for children and adults alike.
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