Animal Parade
Swimmers travel like different animals, trying out new ways of moving on the front and back.
- Stages
- Stage 2
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Skills
- Forward Travel, Backward Travel, Front Kick, Back Kick
- Equipment
- None, Float
- Age
- 4–9 years
- Group size
- 2–12 swimmers
- Time
- About 5 minutes
- In a lesson
- Introduction / Warm-up, Game / Consolidation
- Shared by
- SwimShare Resource
Safety notes
- Space swimmers so they don't swim into each other on the back.
What it develops
- Travel about 10 metres on the front
- Travel about 10 metres on the back
- Kick on the front and back
How to run it
- Call an animal and demonstrate its movement:
- Penguin – on the back, arms by the sides, little feet flapping.
- Crocodile – on the front, face in, arms stretched, gentle kick.
- Puppy – on the front, paddling hands under the water.
- Swimmers travel a short distance as each animal, then choose their favourite.
Teaching cues
- Penguins: tummy up.
- Crocodiles: eyes down, long body.
- Puppies: hands paddle under the water.
Make it easier
- Each animal uses a float or noodle.
- Travel half the distance.
Make it harder
- Add a 'seal' – roll from penguin to crocodile.
- Travel the whole width as each animal.
Common faults
- Standing up between animals to rest.
- Head lifting high on the front animals.
Corrections
- Shorten the distance so each animal can finish without stopping.
- 'Crocodiles hide their faces.'
Assistant / L1 role
- Travel alongside swimmers on the back animals, ready to support under the head if they sit up.