Hobbies And Interests
Individual Games
Children will enjoy a variety of exciting swimming games that involve playing as a group. If your campers are swimming in a pool, stage a scavenger hunt by gathering a variety of items that sink in the water, such as coins and spoons. Choose items that are not made of glass and do not have sharp points or edges. Throw the items into the pool so that they sink and provide each camper with a list of the items. The campers must retrieve the items; the camper who gathers the largest number of items on the scavenger hunt list wins the game. For a game called Piranha, have campers stand in a circle and hold hands. Toss a beach ball, the "piranha," into the center so that it is floats in the middle of the circle. The goal of this game is to not get bitten by the piranha, or bumped by the floating beach ball. Players who touch the ball are out of the game.
Team Games
Many swimming games require campers to be divided up into two or more teams. To play "Whales and Sharks," line two teams up opposite one another with five feet of water between them. The camp counselor leading the game must then shout out one of the team names; the team called upon must run away from the opposite team in an attempt not to get tagged. Any camper tagged by a member of the opposite team must then switch sides. This swimming game ends when there is only a single, large team left. You can also play a swimming version of dodge ball, wherein campers are divided into two teams and must attempt to tag one another with soft beach balls. Campers who are hit must exit the water, and the team left standing is the winner.
Group Games
Swimming games played in groups help campers to develop a sense of teamwork. In "Freeze," campers play a game of freeze tag in the same way in which it is played on land; one camper is "it" and must tag as many others as possible. Those tagged must remain frozen in position until the round is over. The campers can take turns playing until everyone has had a turn at being "it." Campers can also band together to play a game called "Centipede." This swimming game involves the campers lining up back to front and, while attached to one another in a similar fashion to a centipede, swimming across the pool. A game with no clear winner, young campers will especially enjoy this silly game.
Relay Games
Many children enjoy participating in relay games, which, typically done on land, can be played in a similar fashion in water. While relay games can involve any number of obstacles, such as swimming in butterfly strokes, diving for items and dog paddling, the "Dolphin Relay" game involves campers swimming a designated length, such as to the other end of the pool and back, while pushing a beach ball with their forehead in the manner of a dolphin. This can be done in teams or individually. Develop your own swimming relay race and customize it according to the age and skill level of the campers. If the campers are currently learning different strokes in swimming, incorporate practice into the game.