Bubble Orchestra
Swimmers make different bubble 'instruments' with their mouth and nose, learning to control how they breathe out.
- Stages
- Stage 2
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Skills
- Aquatic Breathing, Submersion
- Equipment
- None
- Age
- 4–99 years
- Group size
- 1–15 swimmers
- Time
- About 3 minutes
- In a lesson
- Introduction / Warm-up
- Shared by
- SwimShare Resource
Safety notes
- Allow rests; lots of forceful breathing can make swimmers light-headed.
What it develops
- Blow bubbles with mouth and nose under
How to run it
- Teach the instruments: drum (one big burst from the mouth), trumpet (long steady mouth bubbles), violin (humming nose bubbles).
- The teacher 'conducts' by calling an instrument.
- Everyone puts their face in and plays it.
- Finish with the whole orchestra: a long nose-and-mouth bubble together.
Teaching cues
- Breathe in above the water.
- Blow out under the water.
- Hum for nose bubbles.
Make it easier
- Only mouth instruments, with chin in.
- Hold the wall.
Make it harder
- Play the violin for a count of 5.
- Play the instruments while gliding.
Common faults
- Breathing in under the water.
- Water up the nose on the violin.
Corrections
- 'In on top, out underneath.'
- Keep humming until your face is out.
Assistant / L1 role
- Face a swimmer who struggles with nose bubbles and play the violin together, humming out loud before and during the face-in.