Kick Train
Three or four swimmers hold one long noodle and kick together as a train – everyone has to kick to make it move.
- Stages
- Stage 2, Stage 3
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Skills
- Front Kick, Back Kick, Coordination
- Equipment
- Noodle
- Age
- 5–12 years
- Group size
- 3–12 swimmers
- Time
- About 4 minutes
- In a lesson
- Introduction / Warm-up, Game / Consolidation
- Shared by
- SwimShare Resource
Safety notes
- Keep trains in separate tracks; check nobody is kicked in the face.
What it develops
- Kick on the front and back
- Kick on the front, back and side
How to run it
- Swimmers line up side by side holding one noodle (or float each, holding the swimmer ahead).
- The train driver calls 'Go!' and everyone kicks on the front.
- The train travels across the width.
- Swap the driver; try the train on the back with the noodle across the tummies.
Teaching cues
- Everyone kicks.
- Long legs.
- Keep in line with your team.
Make it easier
- Short journey.
- Walk and kick alternately.
Make it harder
- Face in with bubbles on the front train.
- Back train with arms stretched overhead holding the noodle.
Common faults
- One swimmer does all the work.
- Knees bending.
Corrections
- Teacher checks each carriage's legs as the train passes.
- 'Straight legs, floppy feet.'
Assistant / L1 role
- Be the station at the end, checking each carriage kicked all the way, and swap drivers.