Daniel Thompson
December 12, 2021
Is there anything better in Australia than watching your children grow and develop into little people, learning new skills as they go, feeling incredibly pleased with themselves every time they master something different? It’s a wonderful feeling indeed, which is why we are going to share some fun and exciting games which you can place with your little ones in the swimming pool in order to tire them out, whilst teaching them to swim at the same time!
Please note that one of the most important things of all is of course, pool safety. It’s very easy to allow your pool to fall into disrepair and this can become a dangerous place for your children to be. So, if you have paint peeling, discolouration, damaged or faulty pool equipment or even a hazardous decking area surrounding the pool, then you should get on top of that and have it renovated at your earliest convenience – look for a reputable company who have ‘before and after’ pictures on their website for some inspiration!
In the meantime, check out our 3 favourite pool games for you and your children to play together! These games are only suitable for pools that have a shallow end, unless you’re comfortable supporting your child at all times if they can’t touch the bottom.
1 – Talk to the Fishies
This is a really fun and exciting game which not only inspires the imagination, but breath control as well! You have to submerge your face in the water and blow bubbles, after that put your ear to the water and listen to what the fishies have to say back! Your little one will then have a go themselves, encouraging their breath control and preparing them for swallowing a bit of water now and again. This will make them feel much more comfortable, whilst having a laugh at the same time.
2 – The Plunge!
No, this doesn’t involve throwing your tod into the deep end and seeing how they get on! Simply tuck your knees in when sat at the deep end a few feet away from the wall, then have them push off your knees and towards the side of the pool. For the first few attempts the momentum from the push will carry them comfortably to side of the pool where they can cling on.
As they get more comfortable with it, slowly start to increase the distance and before long they’ll have to paddle a little bit to reach the side. Obviously, encourage them to point their feet and kick like crazy in order to proper themselves that little bit further! This will get them used to their weight in the water and trying to stay afloat!
3 – Go, Stop Slow!
This game is great for building up the strength in their legs and getting used to kicking in the water. Have them hold onto the side of the pool and support their weight. It’s a simple game really – first of all you shout ‘Go!’ and they have to kick their legs as hard and fast as they can until you tell them to stop. Then following that you say ‘Slow’, and they kick their legs slowly and controlled, then again you shout ‘Go!’ and they have to kick has hard and fast as they can and so on and so forth – perfect if you want to have an early night as by end of this game they’ll be absolutely shattered!
Take care of your swimming pool and afford it the care and consideration that it deserves – if it needs a little bit of a love, then have it renovated into a brand new, fresh and exciting pool for you to share and enjoy with the family.
To the Australian family, the swimming pool is where memories are made, and you should enjoy it as often as you can. It’s these special moments that you share with your kids that you’ll cherish once they turn into teenagers!
