If you answered yes to any of the above, you might be prone to some common swimming injuries. Hold on, before you panic, I'm here to provide you with ways you can avoid these injuries! Here are the top 5 MOST common swimming injuries along with tips about avoiding them!

Scavenger Hunt

Players: 3 and up

Items: Goggles/coins/etc

Provide everyone with some friendly competition in this game. Scatter small, sinkable items at the bottom of the pool, and let the kids race to get them. Anything from goggles, coins, small plastic sticks or even a transparent bottle of water will work. The one who gathers the most items within a minute wins! Be careful not to play at the deep end of the pool though; safety should always be the number one priority.

Piggyback Tag

Players: 6 and up

Items: -

Take the classic game of tag to a splashing new level! Get the adults to piggyback the children and pick a pair to be the catcher. This pair would go round tagging the rest of the teams in the pool. As the adults move around, only the child can tag/be tagged. The subsequent tagged pair will be the next catchers, and so on. The game should spark some adrenaline and get everyone’s heart rate going. Not to mention, this activity is great to help your child be more comfortable in the water if you plan to start them on swimming lessons soon!

Pool Dog-and-Bone

Players: 8 and up

Items: Weight/ball

If you have a sizable number of participants and a stretch of the pool’s edge to work with, this dog-and-bone spinoff is the perfect game for your pool party. Drop a weight/ball as the ‘bone’ in the middle of the playing area. Split the group in half and line them up along two edges of the pool, and ensure everyone from each team is numbered. Then, shout a number and two players (one from each team) with that number must swim over to grab the bone before the opponent does so. After the bone is grabbed, the opposing player is allowed to tag them to make them drop the bone, and the round restarts.

Bobbing Heads

Players: 4 and up

Item: Foam/beach Ball

Think whack-a-mole, but swimming pool version. Players will duck under the water to avoid getting hit by the thrower’s ball. If they get hit, they sit out for the rest of the round. The last surviving player can become the new thrower. This is not only a great opportunity to get your children to gain water confidence by putting their head into the water, but makes swimming more enjoyable as they would be with their friends. The fun and pressure-free environment will definitely help them ease into being more comfortable in the pool.

Tug of War

Players: 6 and up

Items: Rope/pool noodle

All you need is a rope or pool noodle for an intense game of strength and grit. Two groups can either stand in the swimming pool or at the edges of an inflatable pool, and tug the rope/noodle until the opposing team loses their grip and splashes into the water. Anticipate many laughs, as well as for your core and arms to be sore the next day. This can also be used as a beach activity— so don't forget your trusty noodle the next time you head to the beach!

Splash Dance Showcase

Players: 2 and up

Items: Speaker/mobile phone

Feeling creative and not (too) shy about slaying those moves in the pool? Turn up your favorite dance tracks and choreograph your very own dance routine. Whether you do it in groups or individually, this showcase is guaranteed to make for some light hearted moments and memories that will stick for time to come. Invite a parent or friend to be the judge, and may the best moves win!

Underwater Obstacle Course

Players: 1 and up

Items: Hoops, string, weights

This last one may need more pool space and take a little more effort to set up, but it will be well worth the energy. Place hula hoops at varying heights in the swimming pool and secure them with string and weights. The differing placement of the hoops will add some excitement and variation to the course. Once you are done, sit back and watch your little one conquer the course! You might even want to have a go at it yourself after that.

Conclusion

Be it a casual swim with just your child or an all out pool party, there is a game for every occasion. Feel free to modify any of the ideas, or even use them as inspiration to come up with your own water games. Not only are these a great source of entertainment for the kids, engaging them in games will definitely cultivate their love for the water or help them transition into learning to swim.

Stay safe, remember to put your sunblock, and have fun!

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I’m Isabel, your friendly uni student who’s always waddling knee deep in readings and projects. But I’ll go through hell and high water to have regular suppers with my friends. You can find me with a film camera in one hand and a flat white in the other on the weekends. Also am able to rescue you if you ever capsize from a sea kayak.