Back Kick – swimming activities

Leg kick performed on the back.

Activities

• Animal Parade – Swimmers travel like different animals, trying out new ways of moving on the front and back.
• Backstroke Six-Kick Switch – Kick on the side with one arm up, then pull through to switch sides – links rotation, kick and arm action.
• Backstroke Windmills – Swimmers kick on their back and add one arm at a time, lifting it straight up and over like a windmill.
• Backwards Noodle Ride – Swimmers lie back with a noodle under their arms and kick backwards – early back kick and back position.
• Barrel Roll – Hugging a float on the chest, swimmers roll from their back to their front and back again – the float supports both positions.
• Boiling Pot – Kicking on the back, swimmers try to make the water at their toes 'boil' with small bubbling kicks.
• Colour Corners – Each corner of the area has a colour and a way of travelling; swimmers race to the called corner using the right skill.
• Cup on Forehead – A small floating toy balanced on the forehead while kicking on the back – it only stays put if the head stays still.
• Duckling Line – Swimmers follow the 'mother duck' across the pool on their backs, practising steady back travel in a line.
• Glide, then Engine On – Swimmers glide first, then 'switch on the engine' with a kick when the glide slows – linking glide and kick without losing shape.
• Hold On and Kick to Safety – Swimmers practise the survival habit of grabbing something that floats and kicking it back to the side.
• Hug the Teddy – Swimmers hug a float on the chest like a teddy while lying back – a secure feeling back float.
• Kick Tempo Changes – Swimmers switch between slow, long kicks and fast, small kicks on the back and front – they feel the kick coming from the hip.
• Kick Train – Three or four swimmers hold one long noodle and kick together as a train – everyone has to kick to make it move.
• Knee Tray – Swimmers kick on their back holding a float over their knees – if the knees bump the 'tray', they're bending too much.
• Rescue the Teddy – Swimmers travel on the front to rescue a floating toy, then bring it home on their back – combining front and back travel.
• Roll-Over Kick – Swimmers kick six on the front, roll to the back, kick six, and roll again – rotating without stopping.
• Rotation Relay – A team relay where every swimmer must roll from front to back at the halfway noodle – rotation under game pressure.
• Silent Kick Challenge – Kick as effectively as possible with as little splash as possible – fast, small kicks from the hip beat big, noisy ones.
• Soldier Kicks – Kicking on the back without equipment, arms by the sides like a soldier – a steady, flat backstroke kick.
• Streamlined Back Kick – Back kick with arms locked in a streamline above the head – a long, high body position and a steady kick from the hip.
• Throw a Float – From poolside, swimmers throw a float to a partner in the water, who grabs it and kicks back – rescue without getting in.