Pool game for baby: This is the way

As your child gets a little more confident in the water, they will begin to learn arm and leg motions. Help them along with some familiar tunes and sing-a-longs in the water.

What you need:

• shallow pool; waist deep for mum or dad is fine.
• supervising adult
• arm floats

Number of players:
2+

Activity:

Pop your child’s arm floats on and rest them under your arm so you are supporting them around the waist

Holding their wrists with your hands, motion their arms in a doggy paddle motion across the pool.

Sing:
This is the way we dig our hands, dig our hands, dig our hands. This is the way we dig our hands, early in the morning.

Now moving back across the pool get them kicking their feet.

Sing:
This is the way we kick our feet, kick our feet, kick our feet. This is the way we kick our feet, early in the morning.

Moving back across the pool again, lay the child on their back, supporting under their neck. Cross their arms over their chest and splash their toes.

Sing:
This is the way we splash our toes, splash our toes, splash our toes. This is the way we splash our toes, early in the morning.

Holding your child around the waist, lower them down until their face can reach the water. Show them how to blow bubbles in the water.

Sing:
This is the way we blow our bubbles, blow our bubbles, blow our bubbles. This is the way we blow our bubbles early in the morning.

Notes:
This activity has numerous educational qualities and helps to build confidence.

Sung to the tune of Here we go round the mulberry bush.