Make a splash with fun water games

POLOKWANE – The upcoming school holidays provide children the time to have fun in the pool and improve their swimming skills. This is one of the ways that  help both children and their parents stay in shape during the holidays, according to personal trainer Liana Fourie.
Swimming instructor Joshua Malibane tells Review swimming is a lot of fun and by playing games, people can sharpen their skills in the water.
Joshua’s suggestions:
Water Games
• Marco Polo – Probably the most famous pool game, is just like playing tag, but in water. The person chosen stands in the middle of the pool with their eyes closed and calls “MARCO”, everyone else yells back “POLO” and the person in the middle has to try and tag the other players.
• Atomic Whirlpool – Line up single file along the edge of the pool in the shallow end. Walk for a couple of minutes, then jog for a couple of minutes, then “run” around the edge another couple of minutes. The current will eventually “carry” the participants around the pool. Now have everyone go against the current and see what happens.

Funny Games
• Watermelon Push Relay – Funny relay race for one person or for teams. Participants need to push a watermelon from one end of the pool to the other without touching the bottom of the pool with their feet.
• Belly Flop Contest – Participants belly flop into the water and best flop wins.
• Popsicle – This is like freeze tag for the pool. One person is it and tries to tag the other players. If a player is tagged, they must stand frozen like a Popsicle (with hands straight in the air) until another player thaws them by swimming between the players legs. Change the “it” person every few minutes.
• Canon Ball – Participants hold their legs up to their chests and wrap their arms around them while jumping into the pool making a splash. The winner is the one with the best splash.
Games for Swimming Lessons
• Submarine Race – See who can race the farthest underwater holding their breath.

 Adult Swim Game
• Noodle Jousting – Grab a two noodles and two pool rafts. Participants sit on rafts and then “joust” until one falls off the raft.
• Chicken Fight – Four people are required. One participant gets on a second participant’s shoulders and the opposing team members do the same. The two people on their friends’ shoulders must try and knock each other down.
 Swimming Games
• Shark – This is another variation of tag. The “shark” is “it”, and they have to swim around until they tag someone and they become the shark. Make up your own rules just like in tag.
• Ping Pong – Ping Pong Balls won’t sink so you can play games with them on the surface of the water.
 Diving Games
• Wishing Pond – Dive for treasure. Have someone toss loose coins into the pool and the participants have to dive into the pool and fish them out.
• Scavenger Hunt – Throw pairs of items in the pool, for example two diving sticks, two coins, two pool noodles or two pool rings, have teams try to collect one of each item. The first team to collect one of each wins.
• Invisi-bottles – Fill water bottles with pool water and then hide them at the bottom of the pool. Have everyone else find the bottles.
Water Games for Kids
• Bobbing Heads – One player is “it” and the other players are the “bobbers”. The “bobbers” must not cross their line and the “it” tries to hit them with a pool noodle while they bob up and down in the water.
• Colours – One person is “it”. They stand with their back to the other player (who are across the pool) and call out colours. If a player’s colour is called, they must silently start swimming towards the “it” player and try to touch the wall without being tagged. If they get tagged, they are “it”.
• Duck Push – Have three to four players at one end of the pool and give them one rubber duck each. When you say go, they must use their noses to push the duck to the other end of the pool.
• Follow the Swimmer – This is a game where the “followers” must copy the leader exactly. If they don’t, they get picked off. Pick a “watcher” to eliminate the kids who don’t follow the leader exactly.

Games for Girls
• Splash Dance – Have teams choreograph water ballets to their favorite pop songs. They can get super creative with props. Invite friends and family over for a show.
“Swimming is fun but people must remember that water can be dangerous and it is important that safety should always come first,” Joshua warns.
riana@nmgroup.co.za