Stage 5 swimming activities

Better, not just further: improving efficiency, breathing timing, rotation and coordination on all four strokes, with turns, underwater push-offs and stronger treading and sculling.

Swim England Learn to Swim · 88 activities.

Outcomes

Front crawl with breathing timed to the arm action
Backstroke with shoulder rotation and a steady rhythm
Breaststroke with effective kick, glide and timing
Butterfly rhythm with early full-stroke arms
Basic turns with a streamlined push-off
Streamlined underwater push-off with kick
Scull with control in different positions
Tread water efficiently
Controlled entries, including an introduction to diving
Swim with fewer, longer strokes
Swim continuously at a steady pace
Use floating and signalling for self-rescue

Activities

Backstroke Six-Kick Switch – Kick on the side with one arm up, then pull through to switch sides – links rotation, kick and arm action.
Body Wave Glide – From a streamlined glide, swimmers make a gentle wave from chest to toes – the movement that drives dolphin kick and butterfly.
Breathe with the Pull – Timing drill: the head starts to turn as that arm begins to push back, and returns as the arm recovers.
Bubble, Bubble, Breathe – A breathing rhythm of every third stroke, so swimmers breathe out steadily and learn to breathe to both sides.
Butterfly Arms Walk – Swimmers walk in waist-to-chest-deep water practising butterfly arms – the keyhole pull and low swinging recovery.
Catch-Up Crawl – One hand waits on a float until the other arm catches up – slows front crawl down so swimmers can feel each part.
Coach Says – A 'Simon Says' for older swimmers using technical commands – 'Coach says six-kick switch' – a lively warm-up that revises drills.
Cool-Down Float and Stretch – A calm finish: easy swim, gentle floating and simple stretches in the water, with a quick recap of the lesson aim.
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.
Deep Water Confidence Ladder – A step-by-step route into deep water: hold the wall, let go for a count, turn and swim back – each rung builds trust.
Deep Water Jump and Tread – Jump into deep water, surface, tread for a count, then swim back to the side – entries and survival combined.
Dolphin Kick Judges – A team relay where judges award points for good dolphin kick technique – not just speed – so everyone kicks properly under pressure.
Dolphin Kick on the Side – Dolphin kick lying on the side with one arm extended – swimmers can breathe easily and feel the kick go forwards and backwards.
Dolphin on the Back – Dolphin kick on the back with arms by the sides – swimmers can breathe freely while learning the undulating kick.
Double-Arm Backstroke – Both arms recover and pull together – a balanced way to feel straight arms and entry width before alternating.
Duck Feet – Swimmers practise 'duck feet' – flexed and turned out – so their breaststroke kick pushes water instead of slicing through it.
Easy Choice Swim – Easy continuous swimming on a stroke of the swimmer's choice – a warm-up or calm finish that builds distance without pressure.
Eleven and One – Imagine a clock above the head: the left hand enters at eleven and the right at one – fixes entries too wide or too narrow.
Entry Menu – Swimmers choose the right entry for the depth – step, slide, jump, crouch fall – and explain their choice.
Eyes on the Line – Swimmers keep their eyes on the line on the pool floor – a steady, low head gives a flat body and higher legs.
Feet-First Scull – On the back, swimmers change their hand angle to travel feet-first – real control of sculling rather than flapping.
Feet-First Surface Dive – From treading water, swimmers push down with the hands and sink feet-first with a streamlined body to reach the floor.
Fingertip Drag – Fingertips trail along the surface during the recovery – encourages a relaxed, high-elbow recovery close to the body.
Flags to Wall – Swimmers count their backstroke strokes from the flags (or a marker) to the wall so they never bump their head.
Float to Rest Positions – Swimmers try different ways to float and rest – star, vertical, tucked (HELP position) – and discuss when each helps.
Float to Survive – Swimmers learn to rest in a back star float for 30 seconds or more, with small hand movements to stay balanced.
Focus Point Swim – Each length has one focus – head, kick, reach, breathing – so swimmers practise thinking about their own technique.
Forward Roll to Push – Swimmers learn the forward somersault in open water before trying it at the wall – the first step towards a tumble turn.
Glide Count Ladder – Breaststroke with a counted glide – 3, then 2, then 1 – so swimmers find a glide that is long enough but not too long.
Heart-Shape Arms – Breaststroke arms that draw a small heart in front of the shoulders – stops pulling too far back.
Heel Touch Kick – On the back, swimmers recover their heels to touch their fingertips – keeps the knees low and the feet turned out.
Keep the Engine Running – A partner watches the swimmer's feet: the legs must keep kicking while the arms work – fixes kicks that stop when arms start.
Kick and Breathe Sideways – Kicking with a float, swimmers turn the head to the side to breathe instead of lifting it – the first step to front crawl breathing.
Kick and Hold – A breaststroke kick followed by a held streamline glide – teaches swimmers that the glide is part of the stroke.
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.
Kneeling Dive – One knee down, arms streamlined – swimmers overbalance forward into a shallow dive, the step between sitting and crouching.
Nod and Glide – A small nod to breathe, then the eyes return down for the glide – keeps breaststroke flat and streamlined.
One Goggle In – Holding the wall, swimmers turn to breathe with one goggle staying in the water – fixes lifting the head forwards.
Opposite Arms – As one hand enters, the other leaves the water at the thigh – continuous backstroke arms with no pause.
Press the T – Swimmers gently press their chest (the 'T' across the shoulders and down the breastbone) into the water to bring the hips up.
Pull and Peek – Breaststroke arms with a small forward breath as the hands sweep in – linking arm action and breathing without lifting too high.
Pull Buoy Crawl – Front crawl with a pull buoy between the thighs so swimmers can concentrate on the arm action and breathing timing.
Pull Buoy Knees – A pull buoy held lightly between the knees during breaststroke kick – stops the knees splaying and focuses power in the feet.
Pull, Breathe, Kick, Glide – The breaststroke timing progression: arms first, breathe, then kick, then glide – built step by step to full stroke.
Push, Glide, Kick, Break Out – A short, controlled underwater push-off: streamline, a few kicks, then rise gently into the first stroke.
Safe Relay Changeovers – Teams practise safe relay takeovers – wait until the incoming swimmer touches, enter safely, move away from the wall.
Sculling Boat Race – A head-first race on the back using hands only – builds sculling propulsion and a flat back position.
Sculling Shapes Relay – A relay where each leg uses a different scull – head-first, feet-first, canoe – with points for control, not speed.
Short Underwater Swim – A controlled underwater swim of a few metres through a hoop, breathing out steadily – never a breath-holding challenge.
Shoulder Peek – Kick on the back and roll so one shoulder then the other peeks out of the water – the rotation that powers backstroke.
Show Your Shoulder – Front crawl where swimmers roll enough for one shoulder to break the surface each stroke – easier breathing and a longer reach.
Side Kick Breathing – Kicking on the side with one arm extended; the face rolls down and back to the side – the easiest way to learn to breathe without lifting.
Side Push-Off – Push off on the side and rotate to the front during the glide – the push-off used after open and tumble turns.
Silent Kick Challenge – Kick as effectively as possible with as little splash as possible – fast, small kicks from the hip beat big, noisy ones.
Single-Arm Backstroke – One arm works while the other rests by the side – isolates a straight recovery and an entry in line with the shoulder.
Single-Arm Butterfly – One arm does butterfly while the other stays extended in front – timing the kick with the arm and breathing without the effort of full stroke.
Single-Arm Front Crawl – One arm works while the other stays extended in front – isolates the arm action and breathing to the working side.
Sitting Dive – The first head-first entry: from sitting on the edge, arms over the head, swimmers overbalance forward into a shallow glide.
Six-Kick Switch – Six kicks on one side, one stroke to roll through to the other side – teaches rotation and breathing without stopping the kick.
Spear Entry – Hands enter fingertips-first in front of the shoulder, then extend forward under the water – fixes slapping and overreaching.
Stop at the Top – Swimmers pause each arm straight up at the top of the recovery to check it is straight, thumb-first turning to little-finger-first.
Streamline Dolphin with Forward Breath – Streamlined dolphin kick on the front, breathing with a low forward lift – rhythm and breathing without the arms.
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.
Streamlined Front Kick – Front crawl kick with arms locked in a streamline – builds a long, flat body and a kick that starts at the hip.
Stroke Bingo – Bingo cards with skills and strokes – swimmers complete a row by performing each skill correctly.
Stroke Count Challenge – Swimmers count strokes per width, then try to take fewer while keeping the same effort – rewards efficiency, not speed.
Stroke Detective – Pairs take turns as 'detectives' watching a partner swim with a simple checklist, then give one clue to improve.
Stroke Scramble – Swimmers change stroke whenever the teacher calls – instant, controlled switches with the right body position for each stroke.
Stroke Switch Relay – Each relay leg uses a different stroke or kick, so swimmers practise switching between skills under light pressure.
Swim and Scull Circuit – Stations around the pool – scull head-first, tread water, tub turn, float – swimmers rotate every minute.
Swim Passport – A personal distance log: each lesson swimmers add continuous distance while keeping a technique 'stamp' – distance with quality.
Swim, Stop, Float – Swim a set distance, roll onto the back to float and recover, then carry on – teaches swimmers to rest without standing.
Symmetry Check – Kicking breaststroke on the back so swimmers can see both feet do exactly the same thing – the fix for a scissor kick.
T-Shirt Swim – Swimmers float and swim wearing a T-shirt to discover how clothing changes swimming – real-life water safety.
Technique Relay – A team relay where points are awarded for technique points the teacher calls – fast swimmers with poor technique don't win.
Technique Treasure Hunt – Cards around the pool edge each hold a technique task; swimmers find a card, do the task well and collect a treasure token.
Tight Streamline Test – Pairs check each other's streamline – locked hands, squeezed ears, pointed toes – then test it on front, side and back push-offs.
Touch and Turn – An open turn for front crawl: touch, tuck, turn, push off on the side – quick, controlled and safe for learners.
Train Tracks – Hands enter the water on two imaginary train tracks in line with the shoulders – stops crossing over and keeps swimming straight.
Tread and Talk – Swimmers tread water while answering questions or playing a word game – they learn to stay relaxed long enough to talk.
Tread and Wave – Tread water while signalling for help with one arm – combining two survival skills.
Treading Water Basics – Upright in deep water with a noodle, swimmers learn slow cycling legs and flat sculling hands – then gradually loosen the noodle.
Tub Turn – Sitting in a 'tub' (knees tucked, shins on the surface), swimmers scull to spin round – great for control and confidence.
Two Kicks, One Pull – An extra kick between arm strokes – forces swimmers to separate kick and pull and to glide in a streamline.
Two-Hand Touch Turn – The breaststroke and butterfly turn: both hands touch together, one elbow drops back, turn, push off in a streamline.
Two-Kick Rhythm – Butterfly timing: one kick as the hands enter, one as they push past the hips – the rhythm that makes the stroke flow.
Vertical Breaststroke Kick – Breaststroke kick while upright in deep water – builds a powerful kick and doubles as a treading-water skill.
Wall Approach – Swimmers learn to judge the wall using the T on the pool floor and stroke counting – safer, more confident turns.