Swimming Relay Games

Players: Small to large groups.

Required: Balls or Balloons. Large T-shirt for each player.

Preparation:
Divide players into teams of about 2-8 players, all dressed in large T-shirts. Make sure that all players know how to swim because they will have to swim the full length of the pool.

If possible put a rope accross the pool that the players will have to swim under.

Start the Relay:
On go the first player from each team takes one balloon and jumps into the pool. Once in the water they put the balloon under their T-shirt and swim to the other end of the pool and back.

If you've streched a rope across the pool, they will have to swim under the rope. This is not an easy accomplishment. The balloon tends to pop out depending on how it is placed, either in the front or on the back. Let them choose where to carry their balloon and the whole team will see the advantages of balloon positions as they go.

If a balloon pops out, the swimmer has to return to that position where it was dislodged, replace the balloon and continue. The first team to complete the rotation wins.

Dress the Team Leader

Players: Small to large groups.

Required: Pile of clothes for each team.

Preparation:
You need three or more similarly sized members in each team. They choose one leader per team. The team leaders go to one end of the pool and the other team members go to the other end. There each team has pile of clothes which together make up a complete outfit. Make sure the clothes are large enough to fit all players.

Start the Relay:
At the start one team member jumps into the pool wearing the first item of clothing, swims to the team leader and hands over the clothing. Once the team leader has put it on, the next team member jumps into the water and swims to the leader wearing the next item. Weak swimmers should wear the lighter items, like T-shirts.

This is repeated until the team leader wears all the clothes, jumps in and swims back to the other end. The team whose leader reaches the other side first with all the clothes on is the winner.

Sweatshirt Swimming Relay

Players: Small to large groups.

Required: Large sweatshirts or hoodies and long pants.

Goal: To be the first team to complete several lengths or widths of the pool swimming in a sweatshirt. This is a timed event. Winners will be determined by the fastest overall time.

Preparation:
Set up teams as to how many sweatshirts and good swimmers you have. If you have various levels of swimmers use the short length of the pool so that the weak swimmers can go across the shallow end.

Each team shares one sweatshirt for the relay, pants are optional. The first person on each team puts the clothes on and everyone else lines up behind them.

Start the Relay:
At the start the leader jumps into the water, swims across the pool and back, climbs out and exchanges the clothes with the next player to do the same.

The clothes must stay on for the entire time while swimming. Hands must be seen outside of the sleeves of the sweatshirt before the contestant may jump into the water. No one may help the two team members exchange the clothes. A 30 second time penalty applies if a team member is helped out of the water before the exchange. Teams who grab or pull another swimmer will be disqualified.

It's not that easy to take off wet clothes and even harder to put them on. The easiest and fastest way is to take the sweatshirt off holding onto the hands of the next player so that it slides over the next player's arms. That's the trick but don't tell anyone until one team needs to catch up.

Rainwear Relay

This exercise encourages teamwork and adaptation to added clothing layers.

Players: Small to large groups.

Required: Pile of rain clothes for each team like anoraks, ponchos, hiking capes, and rain pants.

Preparation:
As above, divide participants into teams. You need three or more similarly sized members in each team.

1. Each team swims a relay race while wearing clothes and some type of rainwear.
2. Run a relay for each type of rainwear, or add layers.
3. Set up a relay race where each team member swims a designated distance in rain clothes.
4. The next team member puts on the rain clothes and continues the race.
5. The first team to finish the relay wins.