Noodle Slalom
Swimmers weave in and out of a line of floating noodles, learning to steer while travelling on the front.
- Stages
- Stage 2
- Difficulty
- Developing
- Skills
- Forward Travel, Coordination
- Equipment
- Float, Noodle
- Age
- 5–10 years
- Group size
- 2–10 swimmers
- Time
- About 5 minutes
- In a lesson
- Skill Development 1, Skill Development 2, Game / Consolidation
- Shared by
- SwimShare Resource
Safety notes
- Send swimmers one at a time with a gap between them.
What it develops
- Travel about 10 metres on the front
How to run it
- Lay four or five noodles across the water a short gap apart, like slalom poles.
- Swimmers travel on the front, weaving left and right between them.
- Steer by reaching and pulling more with one hand.
- Finish at the wall and return along the side.
Teaching cues
- Look where you want to go.
- Reach and pull to turn.
- Keep your legs kicking.
Make it easier
- Hold a float and steer by kicking and leaning.
- Fewer, wider-spaced noodles.
Make it harder
- Weave on the back.
- Weave without touching any noodle.
Common faults
- Standing up to turn.
- Grabbing the noodles.
Corrections
- Make the gaps bigger so the turns are gentle.
- 'Noodles are hot – no touching.'
Assistant / L1 role
- Stand at the far end of the slalom and call each swimmer through, reminding them which way to turn next.