|
 The
better you and your friends get at swimming, the more fun you
can have and the more stunts you can attempt. Before you get
set to play games in the water, check out the following
additional safety rules:
- Don't play any game beyond
your ability and comfort level.
- Make sure everyone
understands the rules before playing, and have a time-out
signal for individuals and for the lifeguard.
- Never hold or dunk people
under the water. Don't tackle people in the water.
- Always respect a person's
need for a time out.
New Games
What Color Is My
Umbrella?
-submitted by Katy,
lumbermack@cox.net
How To Play:
Have a the group stand/sit in a line or circle. The IT thinks
of a random color and then asks each group member "What color
is my umbrella?" When a group member guesses the color IT
chose, IT dumps a cup/bucket/sponge over their head. This
person then becomes the IT. To prevent any "cheating" have
bystander verify the correct chosen color.
Water Poison
-submitted by Meghan age 14 from Amador
Valley High
How To Play:
Have the kids form a circle holding hands. Throw as many balls
as you have into the center of the circle. A person is out if
they break the circle or touch a ball. The object is to drag
your friend's hand in to touch a ball while keeping your hand
safe.
Balloon Dodge
Have the kids wait in a
designated space (in or out of the water) and toss water
balloons at them - similar to Dodge Ball. Every time you
break a balloon on someone, they are out. If they catch the
balloon and throw it back, breaking it on you, they win.
Underwater Race
Have the kids line up beside a
length of a pool. One by one they have to start at one end
and swim as far as they can underwater, until they have to
come up for air. Once they surface, have them sit on the pool
deck, beside the place where they came up. Count the laps
they completed. The winner is the one who can swim under
water for the longest amount of time before coming up for air.
Diving for Hidden Treasure
This
game should be played in clear water, within an area defined
by the lifeguard/leader, based upon swimming abilities.
- The players should line up
with their backs to the playing area while the game leader
drops pennies or other weighted objects into the water.
- The players can count to
twenty, or the game leader can notify them when they can
turn around and go into the water.
- The person who finds the
most pennies within a set amount of time can be declared
the winner.
- Note: The game leader
should be sure to count the number of items thrown into
the pool. Challenge the group to find all of the objects.
Cannonball Contest
Have two groups; one for the
cannonballs and the other group a team of judges. The
cannonball group line up behind a diving board and have to
make the biggest splash to get the highest vote. The judges
are the voters and give each person a vote out of ten. An
adult is needed to decide what the majority of the judges want
to give each person.
Frozen Tag
Preferably in a smaller pool;
it's just like regular frozen tag, but once tagged, a person
has to swim under your legs to free you.
Marko Polo
This is a traditional summer
swimming game for two or more people. One person is IT. IT has
to close their eyes and count aloud from 1 to 10. Then, IT
swims around and searches the pool for the other players. IT
can call out "MARCO" as often as they wish. When IT does, the
others must reply "POLO". If IT tags someone, that person
becomes the new IT.
Water Limbo
Get a garden hose and turn it
on full. Put your thumb over the left or right half of the
opening to create one jet of water. Now you limbo under the
water stream. Each time the group walks under the water you
lower it. The losers are obvious because they get soaked.
Water Balloon Volleyball
Set up two teams with a sheet
on either side of a net. While team members are holding on to
the sides of the sheet, place 5 water balloons in the middle,
have them toss the balloons to the other side. They must catch
them with their sheet and toss them back over.
|
