Ignite the Olympic spirit with our Paris Olympic-inspired swimming lesson games and activity ideas!
Try out some of the following Paris-inspired swimming games in your swimming lessons for the 2024 Olympics:
1. Olympic-themed Rings
The teacher sets up rings to act as goals, and the swimmers carry items or balls of varying sizes to the ring and score a goal.
- Allocate space for the rings (goals) using hoops or noodles, either at the edge of the pool or floating in the pool area.
- Each swimmer collects an item or ball, enters the water and has to travel with the ball to the goal.
- If the swimmers are at Stages 5, 6 or 7 they can tread water for a count of 10 before throwing the ball into the goal.
Equipment and numbers
- Coloured noodles or hoops
- Coloured balls or other items
- Individuals or teams
Teaching tips and points
- Enter the water whilst holding their ball or item
- Keep head up to focus on where they are swimming
- Hands positioned on the side of the ball with fingers spread to aim and shoot the ball
- Use an eggbeater or breaststroke kick for treading water and heads up
- Allow plenty of space and ensure swimmers have spacial awareness
Adaptions
- To make it easier – swimmers work in pairs, taking turns to travel with the ball. You can also reduce the distances between each goal or use any method of travel.
- To make it harder – Treading water before shooting the ball in the goal, hold the ball in one hand and switching hands before shooting.
2. Aquatics Athletics
The teacher creates an obstacle course to mimic the different athletic sports.
In the water you can create an athletics circuit, incorporating obstacles and throwing
Swimming around a circuit
- Running around a track – aqua running (deep end), skipping, jumping through the water (shallow end)
- Hurdles – running and jumping over obstacles in the water
- Javelin – throw the noodle to a target
- Discus – throw a float to a target.
- Long Jump – travel through the water and proceed to jump in the air and sit on the bottom of the pool before surfacing.
Equipment
- Noodles
- Sinking hurdles
- Rings
Teaching points and tips
- Monitor each time each pupil stays on each activity so that all have a go at each.
- Create your circuit to match the number of swimmers in your group
- Make sure swimmers are following the direction of the circuit
- Activities can be done in shallow water or deep water depending on the level
3. Cross Country Challenge
Swimmers are put into pairs and responsible for taking a country’s flag successfully through an obstacle course.
- Allocate a county to each pair of swimmers, and use a laminated card of the country’s flag for them to be responsible for.
- They work as a team to take their flag through a set obstacle course, they could use different skills at each station.
Equipment
- Laminated flags
- Floats
- Equipment for the obstacle course
Teaching points and tips
- Figure out the route before setting off
- Use a range of strokes
- Allow plenty of space
- Head up for travel
4. Relay Races
In equal teams, swimmers travel or swim a set distance carrying a baton (float) before passing onto the next swimmer.
How to Play:
Use a float or a small floating object as the “baton”. Teams relay swim while holding the baton, passing it to the next swimmer at each turn.
Olympic Twist:
- Add an obstacle (like swimming under a floating hoop) halfway through the course.
- The baton could be held above the water or tucked under an arm.
Equipment:
- Float or small floating object (baton)
Game Tip: Vary the stroke or method of travel (walk, kick or swim) for each leg of the relay to add complexity. If using backstroke make sure they stop before they get to the edge of the pool.