Motorboats
Holding a float, swimmers 'drive' their motorboat by kicking and blowing bubbles.
- Stages
- Stage 1
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Skills
- Forward Travel, Aquatic Breathing, Front Float, Front Kick
- Equipment
- Float
- Age
- 3–10 years
- Group size
- 1–12 swimmers
- Time
- About 5 minutes
- In a lesson
- Introduction / Warm-up, Skill Development 1, Skill Development 2
- Shared by
- SwimShare Resource
Safety notes
- Keep boats spread out to avoid crashes.
What it develops
- Move forwards about 5 metres
- Blow bubbles with mouth and nose in the water
- Float on the front with support
How to run it
- Each swimmer holds a float at arm's length with both hands on the sides.
- Start the engine: blow bubbles to make a 'brrrr' sound on the water.
- Drive forward by walking, then by kicking with legs out behind.
- Call 'slow', 'fast', 'reverse' and 'park at the wall'.
Teaching cues
- Arms long, float flat on the water.
- Chin on the water and blow – that's the engine.
- Long legs, little kicks from the hips.
Make it easier
- Walk with feet on the floor the whole time.
- Use a noodle under the arms instead of a float.
Make it harder
- Engine noise with the face in for 3 seconds.
- Drive a figure-of-eight around two toys.
Common faults
- Pressing the float down or pulling it into the chest.
- Bending knees and 'cycling'.
Corrections
- 'Hold the float like a tray of drinks.'
- 'Kick from your hips, legs like floppy spaghetti.'
Assistant / L1 role
- Walk backwards in front of a swimmer holding the far end of their float, easing off as their kick takes over.