![[Childcare] 13 ideas for fun in the pool! From warm-up exercises to crafts](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/2PaPXMhE7ik/sddefault.jpg)
Speaking of summer, it’s all about playing in the pool.
While teachers look forward to the children’s smiles, many may struggle to come up with ideas for what to play.
Since safety management is also essential, it can be tricky to choose which activities to include.
For those teachers, we’ve gathered a collection of pool play ideas for early childhood settings.
They range from activities that don’t require any toys to ideas where you can have fun starting from making the toys yourselves.
Let’s enjoy pool play to the fullest and turn the hot summer into a special season!
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[Childcare] 13 Ideas to Make the Most of Pool Play! From Warm-Up Exercises to Crafts (1–10)
playing duck-duck (pretending to be a duck)
Let’s turn into cute little ducks and try walking in the pool! Like ducks, crouch down and waddle as you walk through the water.
It’s best to do this in a pool where you can walk comfortably even while crouching.
Make a beak with your hands and try adding quacks of “quack, quack” as you walk.
Rather than having children start swimming right away, begin with an easy game like this to help reduce fear and tension and get them used to the water.
From there, let them gradually discover how fun water play and pool play can be!
[Craft Toy] Fishing Game
![[Craft Toy] Fishing Game](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/1ho52_w775I/sddefault.jpg)
Float handmade fish in a pool and try fishing! Playing in the water is fun when you actually get in, but it’s also great to introduce other ways to enjoy water play.
Make the fish from water-resistant materials like milk cartons.
Combine chopsticks and pipe cleaners to make a fishing rod, and your fishing set is complete! It’s better to do this in a small inflatable pool rather than a large one.
For children ages 4 and up, have them help make the fishing set; for children 3 and under, have the teachers prepare the set so the kids can focus on enjoying the play.
water balloon
Incorporating squishy, bouncy water balloons into pool play can give kids wonderful summer memories! Their bright colors are visually appealing and sure to catch children’s interest.
Besides letting them float lots of water balloons and play freely, you can set up relays or enjoy tossing them like a snowball fight.
Trying to pop them with a toothpick is also recommended.
However, because there’s a risk of children swallowing balloon fragments after they burst, water balloon pool play is best suited for kids around ages 3 and up.
plastic bottle shower
Let’s make a cool, refreshing shower using a plastic bottle! Cut off a small portion of the mouth side of the bottle, and make holes in the bottom so the water can spray out like a shower.
Since the cut edge can be sharp, cover it with vinyl tape or similar.
After that, decorate the bottle by drawing on it or adding stickers, and attach a handle to finish! You can also make one by poking small holes in the bottle cap, so try whichever method you prefer.
Water gun play
A water gun that shoots out water with force is a lot of fun.
How about adding popular water guns to your pool playtime for kids? There are many types of water guns available for purchase, and you can also make your own using items like plastic bottles.
There are many ways to play: set up targets and have kids shoot at them, or have them transfer the water from the water gun into another container like a bucket to collect it.
However, be careful not to aim at friends’ faces or shoot at close range, as it can be dangerous.
[Panel Theater] Pool Play Rules
![[Panel Theater] Pool Play Rules](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/RCVwTugvo3U/sddefault.jpg)
Pools are a lot of fun, but they can be dangerous too, so there are many rules we have to follow.
To share these rules with kids in a clear and enjoyable way, how about using a panel theater? You can use characters and figures from stories that children love to present pool rules in a storytelling format.
Instead of just giving warnings, tell the rules like a picture book: do proper warm-ups before getting into the pool, don’t run on the poolside, and don’t dive into the pool.
Presented as a story, children will listen much more attentively.
Try incorporating this before pool playtime!
Warm-up Exercise: Penguin Pool Exercises
What you absolutely must do before getting into the pool is warm-up exercises, right? If you want kids to do their warm-ups properly, fun exercises are recommended! This “Penguin Pool Exercise” is an adorable routine that incorporates penguin-like movements.
Keep your hands turned outward the whole time to mimic penguin flippers.
Then exercise by jumping, moving your head up, down, left, and right, and stepping your feet.
The song is easy to learn, so sing along, get your body moving, and enjoy the pool!