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Treasure Chest Relay

Teams swim out, dive for a sinker 'treasure' and bring it back – combining travel and submersion under light pressure.

Stages
Stage 2, Stage 3
Difficulty
Developing
Skills
Forward Travel, Aquatic Breathing, Submersion
Equipment
Sinkers, Hoops
Age
5–12 years
Group size
4–14 swimmers
Time
About 6 minutes
In a lesson
Game / Consolidation
Shared by
SwimShare Resource

Safety notes

  • One swimmer per team in the water at a time.
  • Keep all treasure within a safe depth for the group.

What it develops

  • Travel about 10 metres on the front
  • Go fully under and pick up an object
  • Submerge confidently and retrieve objects
  • Swim about 10 metres on the front

How to run it

  1. Scatter sinkers in the middle of the area (the treasure ship).
  2. Teams line up at the wall with a hoop as their treasure chest.
  3. One swimmer at a time travels out, collects one piece of treasure and brings it back.
  4. Stage 2: sinkers in shallow water. Stage 3: deeper sinkers and a set stroke there and back.

Teaching cues

  • Travel out, feet up.
  • Blow out as you go under.
  • Eyes open to find it.

Make it easier

  • Treasure on the steps or in very shallow water.
  • Walking allowed for part of the route.

Make it harder

  • Treasure at chest depth.
  • Swim there on the front and back on the back holding the treasure.

Common faults

  • Running on the pool floor.
  • Grabbing with eyes shut.

Corrections

  • Deduct treasure for walking.
  • Name the colour of treasure each swimmer must fetch.

Assistant / L1 role

  • Stand at the treasure ship, watching every swimmer go under and come up, and restock the treasure.

Helps with