We know that our teachers are more than just awesome educators. They are also moms, dads, aunt and uncles who often have children of their own or nieces and nephews they adore. This summer, we want to help you make those moments with the little ones you love even more fun than they usually are. The three pool games below will have your children giggling aloud and learning without even realizing it. As always, make safety the first priority and closely supervise your children while they are in or around the pool. Never let a game compromise their safety and well-being.
Summer Pool Games
Wet Words
Older children who love diving to the bottom of the pool can have a blast with this fun spelling game. Purchase two sets of magnetic alphabet letters from the dollar store. Toss them into the pool and have children take turns diving for letters. They can only grab one letter at a time and the goal is to spell a word. You can assign a word for them or give them a general direction, such as, “Spell a word with five letters.” Depending on the number of children playing and the words they are spelling, you may need an extra set or two of letters to keep on hand.
Math Facts
Work on math and listening skills at the same time with this clever pool game. Tailoring math problems to the children’s various ability levels, ask them to each solve an equation. If they answer the question correctly, they are allowed to do the same number of an activity as the answer. For example, if they answer the problem “1+1=2” correctly, they can be directed to do two swirling splashes. It’s simple and fun and children love to play.
Beach Ball Word Association
Even if the pool is small, this funny beach ball game will have participants thinking creatively about language. Have everyone sit or stand an equal distance apart while facing one another. The first person begins by saying any word that comes to mind. That person then calls out someone else’s name and passes the ball to him. The person who now has the ball calls out a word that he associates with the word that the other person said and tosses the ball onto the next person. As the children make word associations, there are sure to be fits of giggles and some unusual combinations. Word association, abstract thinking and laughter will be a favorite summer game with this activity!
Do you have a favorite game that you play with your family in the pool? If so, share it with us below!