4 Pool Games to Help Children Overcome Fear of Water

It is not unusual for young children to have some fear when learning how to swim or even when entering the water. The first step in teaching your kids how to swim is first getting them comfortable in the water.

Kids love to play, so a great way to get them familiar with the water is to play some games! It will be fun for them as they progress and will also help to distract them from their fear of water. The type of game that you play and where in the pool you play will greatly depend on the child’s level of fear of the water. Here are 4 games to help kids overcome a fear for water:

1. Red Light, Green Light

This is a great poolside game to play for children who have a high fear of the water and do not want to actually get in the water. Have the child sit on one of the steps or the side of the pool with their feet/legs hanging in the water. Whenever you say, “green light!” they are supposed to kick as hard as they can. Now whenever you say, “red light!” that means that they are supposed to stop and freeze. For a more advanced version you can incorporate “yellow light!” which means that the child must kick slower and less harsh than for “green light.” Mix up the order of how you say the lights; it is also a great listening exercise!

2. Ring Around the Rosy

This game is for when children are a little more comfortable with the water and are fine with entering the water while holding onto an adult. Hold onto the child and start slightly bouncing while singing “Ring Around the Rosy.” Have the child sing along! This will make it more fun for them and distract them from their fear. When the song gets to the end and you sing, “we all fall down,” gently bob the child down lower into the water and then come back up quickly. For this, start with submerging their entire body but leave their head out. Children tend to be afraid of submerging their head into the water, so start small and gradually begin to quickly submerge parts of their head. Right before you go down, tell them to take a big breath and blow their bubbles and then take a big breath with them. Eventually, they will become more comfortable submerging their head in the water.

3. Ring Toss

For this game, you will need some underwater rings, but you can also use underwater toy torpedoes or any other water toy that will sink to the bottom. Simply toss the rings all over the pool and let them sink to the bottom. Next have the child find and retrieve the rings. Since the child still has some fear of the water, you can have them swim around while you hold onto them. Have them submerged under the water to quickly retrieve the rings. If the child is not comfortable submerging under the water lower than just below the surface, you can submerge them to the depth of their comfort while having them reach for the ring but instead you grab it yourself and then give it to the child.

4. Jumps

This one is very simple. When comfortable doing it, kids love to jump into the water. Have the child stand on the side of the pool while you stand inside the pool near the edge. Have them jump into your arms and catch them while allowing them to land in the water. Let their body fully submerge under the water and let them down to the depth that they are comfortable with. Gradually begin to have them submerge deeper into the water and eventually you can get them comfortable with jumping in on their own and grabbing onto the wall.

Remember, Swimming Should Be Fun!

Using these games with your child will not only help with their fear of the water, but they will also have fun while improving their swimming abilities at the same time. Have patience in seeing your child’s improvement while playing these games and most importantly, have fun!

About the Author: Brooke Miller

Hi, my name is Brooke and I've been teaching swim lessons for 2 years with ages 4 to 10. I'm a senior at Azusa Pacific University studying music. I have been a competitive swimmer since the age of 9 and I'm currently on the swim team at Azusa Pacific. I love teaching swimming because with years of experience as a swimmer, I can help people learn to swim and help them improve.