Name

Magic Statue

Core Skill

This game is designed to help young swimmers practice maintaining their swimming poses and positions like streamline or position 11. It also encourages body control, spatial awareness, and fun role-playing.

Who

This game is perfect for Guppies and Level 1 swimmers.

What

Inspired by the Bluey episode where Bluey and Bingo act like magic statues, this game involves a swim instructor pretending to buy statues. One swimmer acts as the shopkeeper, and the rest are statues, with one secretly being a “magic statue.” The instructor must play along, pretending not to know which one is the magic statue.

How

1. Role Assignment: The swimmers decide who will be the shopkeeper and who will be the magic statue.
2. Game Start: The instructor, pretending to be a customer, enters the store and says, “I’m here to buy a statue. I’ll buy them all! But I want to make sure that there are NO MAGIC STATUES!”
3. Selling the Statues: The shopkeeper assures the instructor that there are no magic statues and sells them all the statues.
4. Placement: The instructor places the statues around the splash pad or super shallow area.
5. Statue Behavior: The statues must remain stiff and still in swimming poses for as long as possible. When the instructor turns their back, the magic statue moves somewhere else.
6. Discovery: The instructor notices the moved statue, exclaiming, “OH my gosh! I thought I put that statue over here. I specifically said NO MAGIC STATUES,” and moves the statue back.
7. Catching the Magic Statue: The instructor turns dramatically, catches the magic statue moving, and demands their money back.
8. Role Switch: Return to the shopkeeper and switch roles, assigning new shopkeeper and magic statue.

Difficulties Instructors Might Face

1. Maintaining Engagement: Ensuring young swimmers stay engaged and follow the rules can be challenging.
2. Safety: Balancing fun and ensuring safety, especially in a splash pad or shallow area, is crucial.
3. Attention Span: Keeping the attention of young swimmers for the duration of the game.
4. Consistent Role Play: Ensuring all participants understand their roles and play along consistently.
5. Managing Excitement: Handling the excitement of young children, which can sometimes lead to chaotic situations.

This game integrates fun role-playing elements with essential swimming skills, making it an enjoyable and educational activity for young swimmers.