Motorboat Song
The child sits on the side of the pool with feet in the water. The parent stands in front of them, holding their feet. Move the child's feet like kicking while singing the song:
"Motorboat, motorboat, go so slow,Motorboat, motorboat, go so fast,Motorboat, motorboat, step on the gas!!!!"
At each line, move the feet kicking faster. This activity builds comfort with kicking and water movement.
Supported Front Floats
Hold the child with palms up and thumbs wrapped around their shoulders. Alternatively, hold the child like catching a football, with thumbs wrapped around the rib cage and fingers around the shoulder blades.
This position supports the child securely while allowing them to feel the water and practice floating.
Throw a Toy and Get It
Have the child or a parent throw a toy into the water. The parent does their cueing, "1, 2, 3, Go!" and then pulls the child into their arms in the water, into a front float. Do a front float to the toy and get it. Return to the wall and repeat.
Encourage the child to reach for the toy. Support the chest and remain low in the water. The goal is to lay flat and stretch out with kicking to "help" move.
Song: Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes
Child seated on the wall. Parent in the water. Sing while touching your head and shoulders as you match the lyrics. Touch the child's "head" and "shoulders" with hands or splashes in tune to the lyrics.
This song reinforces body awareness and makes water play fun and interactive.
Passing to the wall
Child held by parent.
Parent holding child in front of body facing away.
Parent should hold child horizontal facing towards the wall.
Count “1, 2, 3, GO!” and pass the child forward by extending arm.
Child should reach out and grab the wall.
Beginner: Parent holds onto child entire time.
Intermediate: Parent lets go of child just before they reach the wall.
Advanced: Parent pushes child underwater to the wall about 1 body length away, and child grasps wall independently.
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star Song
“Twinkle twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are.
Up above the world so high, like a diamond in the sky,
Twinkle Twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are.
When this blazing sun is gone,
When he nothing shines upon,
Then you show your little light,
Twinkle, twinkle, through the night.
Then the traveller in the dark
Thanks you for your tiny spark;
He could not see where to go,
If you did not twinkle so.
In the dark blue sky you keep,
And often through my curtains peep,
For you never shut your eye
Till the sun is in the sky.
As your bright and tiny spark
Lights the traveller in the dark,
Though I know not what you are,
Twinkle, twinkle, little star.
Parent Tot – Itsy Bitsy Spider
Child in the water, sitting or being held. Parent in the water, next to, or holding child.
Sing: “The Itsy Bitsy Spider climbed up the waterspout. / Down came the rain, and washed the spider out. / Out came the sun, and dried up all the rain / And then Itsy Bitsy Spider climbed up the spout again.”
Walk your hands up the child stomach, chest, shoulder and head during the “Climbed up the waterspout”
Dip hand in water and sprinkle water over child, or pour water from bucket on child when when singing: “Down came the rain…”
Look at the “sun” on “out came the sun…”
Use hand to “climb” back up the child on last line.
Supported Front Floats
Palms up, thumbs around the shoulders.
Or hold child like catching a football, with thumbs wrapped around rib cage and fingers around shoulder blades.
Hokey Pokey Song
Notes:
– Focus on kissing the water and building up to a gradual “going underwater.”
Scooping:
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