Making a Splash: Fun Pool Games to Boost Your Child’s Confidence in the Water

At AustGrade Swim School, we understand that learning to swim is not just about safety—it’s also about having a blast in the water! Our swim school places a strong emphasis on skill development while ensuring that every lesson is enjoyable and tailored to your child’s needs. This is our list of fun and engaging pool games that not only make a splash but also help your child feel more confident and comfortable in the water.

It’s important to familiarise your child with water and create a comfortable environment for them. A great way to introduce them to the pool is through fun toys and games. We recommend starting with bath time games using toys that can be brought along to the pool, making the transition easier. Soakers are perfect for this stage as they help build your child’s confidence by familiarising them with the sensation of water on their skin. These characters float and can be squeezed over your child’s head, arms, and body, making for a fun pool game suitable for all ages.

Once your child is more comfortable in the water, it’s time to boost their confidence and skills. Our favourite game for this stage is Dive Sticks. This dive-and-retrieve game consists of sticks that sink to the bottom of the pool, encouraging confident swimmers to dive down and retrieve them. It’s a fantastic way to develop swimming skills while adding a bit of healthy competition to the mix.

These are some of our other favourite fun pool games for all stages:

Beach Ball Relay: This game involves swimming laps around a floatie in the pool while pushing a beach ball. It’s a great way to improve swimming technique and can be done individually or in teams, adding an element of fun and teamwork.
Kickboard Obstacle Course: Arrange pool noodles around the pool to create an obstacle course. Kids can use a kickboard to navigate the course, improving their swimming skills while having a blast.
The Milkshake: Using a kickboard and backfloat, encourage your child to kick their legs while holding a horizontal position in the water. This fun activity helps build confidence with kick technique and encourages proper swimming form.
Sequence Search: Place dive sticks or rings at the bottom of the pool and challenge your child to retrieve them in a specific order. This game promotes underwater confidence and breath control while adding an element of challenge.

Superman: Using a backfloat, encourage your child to glide through the water in a Superman pose. This activity helps improve body position and encourages forward motion in the water.
Horse Race: Kids can race against each other using inflatable or foam noodles as “horses.” It’s a fun and interactive way to improve kicking and paddling skills.
Toy Collector: Encourage your child to swim to floating toys, collect them, and bring them back to the starting point. This game builds confidence in the water and encourages independent swimming.

By incorporating these fun pool games into your child’s swimming routine, you can help them build confidence, improve their skills, and most importantly, have a blast in the water! At AustGrade Swim School, we’re committed to ensuring that every child enjoys their swimming lessons while learning essential life skills.