Crab Walk
Sideways stepping away from the wall, building balance and independence from the side.
- Stages
- Stage 1
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Skills
- Water Confidence, Sideways Travel
- Equipment
- None, Floating Toys
- Age
- 3–8 years
- Group size
- 2–12 swimmers
- Time
- About 3 minutes
- In a lesson
- Introduction / Warm-up, Game / Consolidation
- Shared by
- SwimShare Resource
- Rating
- 1.0 out of 5 from 1 rating
Safety notes
- Keep the travel distance short and in standing depth.
What it develops
- Move sideways along the wall
Video
Watch a demonstration on YouTube
How to run it
- Swimmers stand facing the teacher with their backs to the wall.
- They take sideways steps like a crab, arms pushing water to the side.
- Travel to a cone or toy and back.
- Add 'crab claws' – clap hands under the water.
Teaching cues
- Stay low, shoulders under.
- Feet stay apart – don't cross them.
- Look where you're going.
Make it easier
- Crab walk holding the wall with one hand.
- Hold a partner's hands and move together.
Make it harder
- Move sideways with feet off the floor using sculling hands.
- Crab race with bubbles.
Common faults
- Crossing the legs and tripping.
- Standing up tall and wobbling.
Corrections
- 'Step together, step apart.'
- 'Crabs live on the sea floor – get low.'
Assistant / L1 role
- Hold hands with a swimmer who is afraid to leave the wall and crab walk together.