This is mostly for age-group swim coaches, but parents can also learn how their kids can get better at something, and have fun at the same time:
RELAYS
Teaches competitiveness, team spirit and respect
Can be any stroke or kick or whatever that everyone has to do, switch them up. Captains pick teams one by one, the losing team takes a bow in front of the winners as a sign of respect, or does ten push-ups, or something else like that
PLAY CATCH
Speed and competitiveness
Play catch with one swimmer starting behind the other one a few yards. Try to reach the goal before being caught. Any distance, stroke
FETCH THE PENNIES
Underwater kick and breath control
Toss a handful of pennies or any other small sinkable objects in the water (minimum 10 yards from the wall), kids have to go off the wall one by one, dolphin kick for 10 yards and then collect as many pennies as they can while taking no breaths
TUG’O’WAR
Kicking strength
Kids are on opposite side of some object while both hold on to it and try to push the other kid down the lane for 15 seconds
WATER CUP CARRY
Teaches stroke technique/streamlines and efficiency
Whoever can swim the farthest backstroke with a half-filled water cup on their head, wins. Or do it on stomach with flutter kick and let them hold the cup on front- helps with keeping arms together while kicking. Can also be done as relays
LONGEST FLOAT
Streamline practice, underwater dolphin kick, breath control.
Can be done with backstroke starts as well.
Dive off the blocks and float as far as you can (or underwater dolphin kick as far as you can) and then stay holding the lane line so you don’t interfere with others, but mark your spot. Person who gets the farthest wins
SOLE SURVIVOR
Kicking endurance
Hold the board above your head and vertically kick (pick a style- flutter, dolphin, breaststroke, alternating breaststroke etc.) Board touches the water = you are out. Last one wins
SHARKS AND MINNOWS
Breath control, if you have the real estate in pool to pull it off
More fun in big groups. Do it with tagging with small kids, college swimmers can try to drag each other up. Minnows have to make it across the pool underwater. You must go and not touch the wall after “Go”. Start with a few sharks and if you get tagged, you become a shark on next round. Last one standing wins
Swim Atlas 