Games and Songs for the Pool #1

Games and songs make swimming fun for children! Games with aims can help you teach specific skills. Lots of games and songs can be adapted to work on different skills. Here are some examples of games and songs that you can use with your child in the pool with some suggestions of what to use them for. 

Bullfrog

Here’s Mr. Bullfrog
Sitting on a rock.
Along comes a little boy Mr. Bullfrog jumps kerplop!

This song is great for practicing entries into the water. Have your child jump in the water after singing the song.  

London Bridge

London Bridge is falling down, Falling down, falling down, 

London Bridge is falling down, My fair lady—O

Build it up with sticks and stones, Sticks and stones, sticks and stones, 

Build it up with sticks and stones My fair lady—O.

Actions
Two people make a bridge. Everyone else goes under the bridge as it sinks lower and lower in the water. Then, the bridge rises up. (or use a noodle)

This song can help with submersion. Have your kids go under the noodle ( underwater) when it gets to its lowest point. Or have them blow bubbles to make the bridge go back up. 

Old McDonald Had a Pond

Old McDonald had a pond

Ee ei ee ei oh.

And in his pond he had some fish

Ee ei ee ei oh.

With a blub blub here, and a blub blub there,

Here a blub, there a blub, everywhere a blub blub

Old McDonald had a pond

Ee ei ee ei oh.

Additional verses:

• Frogs that go ribbit

• Ducks that quack

• And so on

For this song your can put some sinky animals on the bottom of the pool and have your kids go down and touch the animal that you are singing about. If you put it deep enough you can make them put their face in the water to do that. 

Little Ollie Otter

Little oli otter swimming through the water, scooping up the star fish and bonking them on the head.

Along came the sea monster,

And she said little oli otter I don’t wanna see you scooping up the the starfish and bonking them on the head,

You have 3 more chances and then I’m turning you into a bubble monster ( blow bubbles).

Then repeat until there are no more chances where you are turned into a bubble monster.

For this song can be used to practise bubbles (as indicated in song). You can take it one step forward and have them put their whole face in the water while they blow bubbles.