Tweens – those kids who aren’t quite teen-agers yet but who are too old to be called little kids. It usually means the ages between 10 and 12. Most kids that age are aware of the basic swimming rules, or at least one would think so but it isn’t always true. At this age the love to rough house and try to outdo each other so swimming pool games can get a bit rough. Parents and care givers should constantly be reminding them of pool safety especially when playing swimming pool games. Here are few of the swimming pool games kids enjoy and how you can help keep your child safe in the pool.
Volleyball in the Pool
You can find several games that tweens can play in the water such as volleyball that involves the use of some type of equipment. The rules are very similar to a regular volleyball game with each team trying to score points by getting the other team to miss hitting the ball. Volleyball in the water can get just as intense as it does on land. Make sure your tween understands that getting smashed in the face with a ball is easier in the water and it is also easier to slam into others as the playing area is usually much smaller. You can help with swimming pool game safety by buying equipment that is designed just for the pool. These are usually much softer than the real balls. Make sure everyone understands the rules before the games begin and remove those who don’t follow them immediately for a time out.
Chicken Fighting
This is one of those games not only tweens but adults love to play in the water. There are two teams, as a rule, and two people on a team. One member of the team sits on the other one’s shoulders. The goal is simple. Knock your opponent down before they knock you down. This game can get very dangerous if the teams are not in the middle of the pool. You run the risk of kids falling onto the sides of the pool or the concrete floor. Things can get a little rough when the kids are trying to topple each other as well. If you are going to allow chicken fights in the water establish some ground rules for your tweens. The must be in the middle of the pool and the teams should be evenly balanced strength wise.
Find the Object
Tweens love to play diving games where someone tosses either pennies, or weighted items into the water and they sink to the bottom. The kids dive to find them. This is a favorite swimming pool games for kids of all ages. When kids all dive at once for the objects heads can bump. There is also the risk of a child who does not swim well getting into water too deep for him. If your tween is going to play this swimming pool game make sure he wears goggles so that his eyes are always open and he can see where he is diving. Be very clear about where the game is allowed to be played. For example, you might not let the kids play in anything over 4 feet of water.
When you do these simple things swimming pool games for your tweens can be fun. Kids love the water and they will literally spend hours in it playing games. You can keep them happy, entertained and safe this summer easily.