At the pool

CIRCLE TIME

Animated discussion

(Open picture game-At the pool) Print and laminate the pictures. Use them to spark a conversation with your group. Ask children questions about pool-related activities and games.

Flipogram-At the pool

(Open picture game-At the pool) Print and laminate the pictures in the format you prefer. Use a hole-punch to make a hole in the upper right and left corner of each picture. Stack the pictures and insert a ring through each set of holes. The flipogram is easy to manipulate. Simply show children how they can lift a picture and flip it under the stack. Name each item with your group. Use the flipogram to encourage children to talk during circle time and to ask them questions about the theme.

Poni presents-Water safety

(Open Poni presents-Water safety) Print the cards. Laminate and cut them out. Use your Poni puppet (or another puppet that children are familiar with) to present them to your group.

GREETING

Before children arrive in the morning, set colorful beach towels on the floor along with several buckets filled with water. When all the children have arrived and your theme has been introduced, invite them to race to fill a larger bucket with water as quickly as possible.

Getting dressed routine-Pool

(Open getting dressed routine-Pool) Print and display in a specific area of your daycare or in your circle time area.

Poster-Change of clothes-Swimming

(Open poster-Change of clothes-Swimming) Print and display to inform parents about what their child needs for swimming.

AREA SETUP

Set a kiddie pool in each corner of your daycare (for example, one pool in your doll area another one in your construction & building blocks area, etc.). Children will enjoy sitting in the pools to play with the toys available in the different corners. Cut several shapes that look like drops of water out of blue paper and hang them from the ceiling. Inflate blue balloons and use invisible thread to hang them throughout your daycare. Print a variety of posters and use them to decorate your daycare. (Open thematic poster-At the pool) Print.

Stickers-At the pool

(Open stickers-At the pool) Print the illustrations on adhesive paper and use them to create an original sticker collection.

Educa-decorate-At the pool

(Open educa-decorate-At the pool) Print, cut out, and laminate. Use the illustrations to decorate your walls. Hang a few from the ceiling too.

Educa-theme-At the pool

(Open educa-theme-At the pool) Print, cut out, and laminate. Use the items to decorate the walls of your daycare to set the mood for the theme.

Pool-themed décor

You will need four brown paper grocery bags. Open them and hang them on a wall to create a large mural, at children’s level. Have them paint the paper with blue poster paint to represent a swimming pool. Let dry. Throughout the week, children can add the crafts they make to the mural. Visit a pool supply store to find catalogues related to the theme. Let children cut items out of the catalogues and add them to your décor. Hang beach towels on a clothesline hung in front of your mural and a beach ball from the ceiling.

PICTURE GAME

The pictures may be used as a memory game or to spark a conversation with the group.  Use them to decorate the daycare or a specific thematic corner. (Open picture game-At the pool) Print, laminate, and store in a “Ziploc” bag or in your thematic bins.

Memory game

(Open picture game-At the pool) Print the pictures twice and use them for a memory game.

ACTIVITY SHEETS

(Open activity sheets-At the pool) Print and follow instructions.

Creating your own activity binder

Laminate several activity sheets and writing sheets. Arrange them in a binder and add dry-erase markers. Leave your activity binder on a table and let children complete the pages as they wish. At the end of each day, simply wipe their work away so each page can be used repeatedly.

Writing activities-P like pool

(Open writing activities-P like pool) Print for each child or laminate for use with a dry-erase marker.

Educa-spots-At the pool

(Open educa-spots-At the pool) Print for each child. Use bingo markers to add a touch of color inside each circle. If you don’t have bingo markers, simply ask children to set Cheerios or press a sticker inside each circle.

Tracing words-At the pool

(Open word flashcards-At the pool) (Open giant word flashcards-At the pool) Print several word flashcards. Glue them on pieces of paper, laminate them, and arrange them in a binder. Show children how they can trace the words using dry-erase markers. If you wish, leave room under each word so children can try to write the words without tracing the letters.

Stationery-At the pool

(Open stationery-At the pool) Print. Use the stationery to communicate with parents, in your writing area, or to identify your thematic bins.

Educa-nuudles-At the pool

(Open educa-nuudles-At the pool) Print for each child. Have children color the sheet and use Magic Nuudles to give it a three-dimensional look. Variation: You don’t have Magic Nuudles? Have children fill the spaces designed for Magic Nuudles with bingo markers or stickers. To order Magic Nuudles.

LANGUAGE ACTIVITIES

The flashcards may be used during circle time to spark a conversation with the group or in your reading and writing area. They may also be used to identify your thematic bins. (Open word flashcards-At the pool) (Open giant word flashcards-At the pool) water, above-ground pool, kiddie pool, lifeguard, swim arm bands, swimming, swimming cap, swimming goggles, rule, springboard, Olympic pool, in-ground pool

Educa-chatterbox-Swimming

(Open educa-chatterbox-At the pool) Print and laminate the cards. Cut them out and place them in an empty shoebox or small container. Add items, pictures, and illustrations related to the theme. During circle time or when children are waiting for lunch to be served, encourage them to take turns picking a card out of the box and naming what they see.

Point to (or name) the illustrations

(Open word flashcards-At the pool) (Open giant word flashcards-At the pool) Print, laminate, and cut out the word flashcards. Display them on a wall in your circle time area or on a large piece of cardboard that can easily be moved from one area to another. Children take turns identifying a word flashcard.

Let’s chat

(Open word flashcards-At the pool) (Open giant word flashcards-At the pool) Print and laminate the word flashcards. Have each child pick a word and present it to the group (ex. swimming goggles). Ask them questions to see what they know about the theme.

Sequential story-Swimming

(Open sequential story-Swimming) Print and laminate. Invite children to arrange the illustrations in the correct order.

When I go to the pool, I bring…

Sit in a circle with your group. Children take turns naming an object they bring to the pool. Children must name the items mentioned by their peers before adding one of their own. For example, they may say, “When I go to the pool, I bring my bathing suit, my towel, my sunscreen, etc.”

Word association-At the pool

(Open word flashcards-At the pool) (Open giant word flashcards-At the pool) Print two copies of several different word flashcards. On a large piece of cardboard, stick one copy of each flashcard vertically to create a word column. Cut the second copy of each word flashcard so you have the word on one side and the illustration on the other side. Attach Velcro behind each part as well as to the right of the uncut flashcards (on the cardboard). Arrange the cut flashcards on the table and encourage children to look at your flashcard board to identify a matching word and illustration. When they succeed, they may stick them next to the corresponding flashcard, on your board. This exercise will help children associate words with pictures.

Word tree-At the pool

(Open word flashcards-At the pool) (Open giant word flashcards-At the pool) Print several word flashcards. Use a hole-punch to make a hole at the top of each flashcard. Thread a ribbon through each hole and tie a knot. Bring the word flashcards outside and encourage children to use them to decorate a tree. Every time a child adds a flashcard, invite him/her to “read” the corresponding word. Children will be happy to repeat this activity many times. Eventually, they will learn to recognize the words.

Word clothesline

(Open word flashcards-At the pool) (Open giant word flashcards-At the pool) Print two copies of several word flashcards. Hang one copy of each word on an indoor clothesline with colourful clothespins. Arrange the copies in a pile on a table. Let children take turns picking a word and finding the matching word on the clothesline. When they find a match, they can place the flashcard on top of the one that was already hanging on the clothesline. Help younger children manipulate the clothespins if necessary.

Word race

(Open word flashcards-At the pool) (Open giant word flashcards-At the pool) Print several word flashcards and hide them throughout your daycare or yard. Divide your group into two teams. When you give them the signal, children must search for the flashcards for a pre-determined period, for example three minutes. When the time is up, children must be able to “read” their flashcards to earn a point for their team. If they are unable to find the correct word, the other team can earn the point if they succeed.

Reinvented scrabble

(Open word flashcards-At the pool) (Open giant word flashcards-At the pool) Print the word flashcards and encourage children to use them to reproduce words using scrabble tiles. Manipulating the small wooden or plastic tiles will help them develop their fine motor skills. What’s more, they will slowly begin to recognize the letters that make up different words.

ROUTINES & TRANSITIONS

This is my spot-Swimming

(Open picture game-Swimming) Print two copies of each illustration. Stick one copy of each illustration on the table using adhesive paper. Set the copies in an opaque bag and have children take turns picking an illustration out of the bag to determine their spot at the table for the day. You may also use these illustrations to determine children’s naptime spots or for the task train.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND MOTOR SKILLS

Kiddie pool games

You will need two containers. Fill the first one with water and leave the second one empty. Using sponges, eyedroppers, measuring cups, etc., children must transfer water from one container to the other.

String activities-At the pool

(Open string activities-At the pool) Print for each child. Children trace the lines with waxed string pieces (Wikki Stix). Variation: Trace the lines with glue and press string on the glue-covered lines. Wikki Stix are sold on the educatall online store.

Sponge game

Determine a start and finish line. Set a bin filled with water and sponges on the start line. Set an empty bin on the finish line and draw a line to indicate the water level children must reach. Children fill the sponges with water at the start line and run to empty the water into the bin at the finish line. The game continues until the water level reaches the line.

Find me in the pool

Fill a kiddie pool with water and soap bubbles. Add a variety of objects to the pool and invite children to search for a specific item by plunging their hands in the bubbles.

Catching a ball

Set several floating balls in a kiddie pool filled with water. Children stand around the pool and try to catch the balls using a small net. Sort the balls by color.

An indoor hot tub

Set a kiddie pool in your daycare. Use it to represent an indoor hot tub. Let children swim in your hot tub throughout the day. Set several towels under and around the pool to avoid water damage and slippery floors.

Puddles

Cut puddle shapes out of blue construction paper and secure them on the floor throughout your daycare using adhesive paper. Invite children to jump over the puddles per your instructions. You can, for example, ask them to clap their hands, hop on one foot, close their eyes, hold a friend’s hand, etc. Variation: You can use the same puddles for a game of musical puddles. Simply play music and ask children to walk around the puddles. Every time the music stops, they must find a puddle to stand on, like in the traditional game of musical chairs.

Pool hops

Set a hula hoop on the floor for each child. Tap into children’s imagination. Tell them they are water and that they must hop from one “pool” to the next to fill them with water.

Rowboats

Use large cardboard boxes to represent rowboats. Let children paint them with poster paint. Set the boxes on the floor, on top of a blue shower curtain that will represent a river. Have children sit in the rowboats and use swimming pool noodles as paddles.

Swimming like a fish

Set three hula hoops on the floor, in a line (or use rope to draw three circles on the floor). Have children stand around the circles and take turns jumping in them to the sound of music. Every time the music stops, if a child is in one of the circles, he must pretend to swim like a fish until the music starts again.

Jumping in the river

Set several hula hoops on the floor to represent large rocks in a river. Children jump from one rock to the next.

On the other side of the river

Use masking tape to draw two parallel lines on the floor. Set aluminum pie plates filled with water between the two lines. Children must jump over the river, without getting wet.

Swimming flippers

Divide your group into teams for a relay race. Children must take turns wearing swimming flippers and walk from one end of the daycare to the other and back before handing the flippers to the next child in line. The first team that completes the challenge wins.

I can dive

Set a large blue blanket on the floor. Have children stand on a chair and pretend to dive into the “water”.

OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES

Sponge race

Set several sponges in a pool filled with water. Set one bucket per child at the opposite end of the yard. Children fill a sponge with water and run to their bucket to press the water out. The first child who fills his bucket wins.

A pool for dolls

Bring a large bin filled with dolls outside. Fill another bin with water to represent a swimming pool for the dolls. Let children bathe the dolls in the “pool”.

Bobbing for apples

This is the perfect outdoor activity on a hot summer day, especially if you choose to use a kiddie pool. The object of the game is for children to catch an apple using only their teeth. The first child who succeeds wins. Variation: Instead of using water, you could hang the apples from the ceiling or a tree branch using string. Encourage children to hold their hands behind their back. If they catch their apple, let them eat it.

MUSICAL AND RHYTHMIC ACTIVITIES

Playing in the water

Cut puddle shapes out of heavy blue construction paper. If you wish, wrap the puddles in aluminum paper. Set the puddles here and there on your daycare floor. Use a tambourine and associate different actions to different sounds. For example, when you tap the tambourine once, children must hop on a puddle. If you tap it twice, they must walk around a puddle. If you tap it three times, they can hop on a puddle on one foot.

Rain dance

Gather several musical instruments. Have each child pick one and use it to invent an original rain dance.

Swimming like a fish

Set three hula hoops on the floor, in a line (or use rope to draw three circles on the floor). Have children stand around the circles and take turns jumping in them to the sound of music. Every time the music stops, if a child is in one of the circles, he must pretend to swim like a fish until the music starts again.

COGNITIVE ACTIVITIES

Counting cards-At the pool

(Open counting cards-At the pool) Print and laminate. Prepare a series of wooden clothespins on which you have written or painted numbers 1 to 9. Children must count the items on each card and place the corresponding clothespin on the correct number.

Roll and color-3D-At the pool

(Open roll and color-3D-At the pool) Print for each child. This game can be enjoyed individually or as a group. Children take turns rolling a die, counting the dots, and coloring the corresponding part.

Educ-colors-At the pool

(Open educ-colors-At the pool) Print and laminate for durable, eco-friendly use. If you prefer, print a copy for each child. Children must associate the items to the matching color by drawing a line using a marker of the same color (or another marker).

Educ-trace-At the pool

(Open educ-trace-At the pool) Print for each child. Children must trace the lines using a crayon of the corresponding color before coloring the object at the end of each line.

What’s missing from the pool?

Set several objects in a kiddie pool. Let children observe the items for a few minutes before hiding them with a towel. Remove one or several items. Pull the towel off and ask children what is missing.

Dangers and prevention-Swimming

(Open poster-Dangers and prevention-Swimming) Print, laminate, and use the poster for various prevention activities.

Association game-My colorful pools

(Open association game-My colorful pools) Print and laminate. Set the swimming pools on a table, in front of your group. Children take turns picking a card. They must name the illustrated item and its color before associating it to the pool of the corresponding color.

Hunt and seek-Aquatic safety

(Open hunt and seek-Aquatic safety) Print and laminate. Children pick a card and search for the item in the scene.

Dangerous or safe

Write “Dangerous” on a piece of red cardboard and “Safe” on a piece of green cardboard. Ask children to cut pictures related to the theme out of catalogues and magazines. Have them associate dangerous actions to the red cardboard and safe actions with the green cardboard. Throughout the theme, children can add items to your “dangerous” and “safe” posters.

MORAL AND SOCIAL ACTIVITIES

Miming words-At the pool

(Open word flashcards-At the pool) (Open giant word flashcards-At the pool) Print and laminate the word flashcards. Set them in an opaque bag and use them for a simple mime game. Children take turns picking a card and using gestures to help the other children guess what it is. For example, if a child picks the word “swimming”, he may perform swimming motions with his arms. The child who identifies the correct word can mime a word for the next round.

Glasses bin

Fill a bin with sunglasses to celebrate the warm summer sun. You may ask parents to share old sunglasses with you. Have fun trying them on in front of a mirror with your group. Every time you go outside to play, let children pick a pair of sunglasses to wear.

Swimming animals

Gather several farm animal figurines. Fill a bin with water to represent a pool for the animals. Children will have fun playing in the water with the animals.

EARLY SCIENCE/MANIPULATION/EXPLORATION

A pool in a bag

Fill a Ziploc bag with blue hair gel. Add tiny plastic fish, glitter, seashells, etc. Seal the bag with glue. Let children manipulate it.

Tiny boats on the water

Make your own tiny boats. Cut a swimming pool noodle into rings. Prick a Popsicle stick in each ring to represent a mast. Cut small triangles out of colorful fabric and glue one on each Popsicle stick to represent sails. Set the boats in a kiddie pool and let children play with them.

Ocean water

Fill several containers with water. Provide different ingredients (salt, sugar, pepper, sand, dirt, flour, etc.). Let children experiment by pouring a small quantity of each ingredient in a container. Help them notice which ones dissolve in water.

What floats?

This activity is perfect for a hot summer day. Prepare several objects. Be sure to have items that float and others that will sink. Before dropping each one in a tub of water, ask children if they think they will float or sink.

Why do we float in the ocean?

Globule has prepared a simple science experiment for your group. You will find it here:

Playing in the water

Fill a container with water and let children play freely. Add small plastic containers with holes punched out of the bottoms or sides. Children will love watching the water pour out of the holes, just like rain. Help them understand how the bigger the holes are, the heavier the “rain” will be.

ARTS & CRAFTS

Rafts

Use coffee sticks to build small rafts. Let children paint and decorate them. You can set the rafts in a kiddie pool and even organize races.

COLORING PAGES

(Open coloring pages theme-At the pool) Print for each child.

Identical coloring pages-At the pool

Print the same coloring page for each child and an additional copy for your model. Color only certain parts of your picture. Present the model to your group and ask them to color their picture to make it look exactly like yours.

Coloring binder-At the pool

Print and laminate several coloring pages and arrange them in a binder with a few dry-erase markers. Leave everything on a table for children to explore.

Musical drawing-At the pool

Play musical drawing with your group. Give each child a coloring page. Have children sit around a table. When the music starts, they must pass the coloring pages around the table. Every time the music stops, they must color the picture in front of them until the music starts again.

Homemade puzzles-At the pool

Give each child a picture to color. When they are done, cut each picture into pieces to create unique puzzles.

SONGS & RHYMES

(Open songs & rhymes-At the pool) Print.

By: Patricia Morrison-Sung to: Apples & bananas

At the pool

I like to float, float, float

At the pool all day long

I like to float, float, float

At the pool all day long

I like to splash, splash, splash

Splash around in the pool

I like to splash, splash, splash

Splash around in the pool

I like to jump, jump, jump

Right into the water

I like to jump, jump, jump

In the pool like this

SPLASH

Have fun!

The educatall team