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How to Make Your Swim Practice More Fun and Festive with Thanksgiving Games

Are you ready for some festivities at practice?

Thanksgiving is a time to celebrate with family and friends, enjoy delicious food, and express gratitude for all the good things in life. But it can also be a time to spice up your swim practice with some fun and festive games that will keep your swimmers engaged and motivated. In this blog post, I will share with you some ideas for swimming games that you can play with your developmental swim group during Thanksgiving week. These games are suitable for beginners who can swim at least 25 yards of each stroke, and they don’t exceed 300 yards in total. They are also easy to set up and modify according to your preferences and goals. So, let’s get started!

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Create a 5 item plate of food on a whiteboard

This game is a fun way to incorporate some variety and choice into your swim practice. You can assign different strokes, distances, or intensities to each food item on the plate.

Turkey: 100 FREE
Stuffing: 50: Each 25 is SL w/ no Kick + 2 BRK Kicks on streamline, then fly kick in soldier rest of the 25.
Green Beans: 50 BK: 1st 25 Kick, 2nd 25 Swim
Sweet Potatoes: 50 FLY: SL + 2 strokes fly, then fly kick in soldier rest of the 25
Cranberry Sauce: 50 Kick choice.

You can also adjust the difficulty level by adding or subtracting food items, or changing the order or repetition of the sets. To play the game, have each swimmer choose or vote for one food item at a time, and then swim the corresponding set. They can mark off the food item on the whiteboard with a dry erase marker or a sticker. The goal is to finish all the food items on the plate before the end of the practice. You can make it more competitive by having teams or individuals race against each other, or more cooperative by having everyone work together to complete the plate. This game is a great way to celebrate Thanksgiving and have some fun while improving your swimming skills.

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Sitting around the table challenge

This game is a good way to practice your water treading and endurance skills. You will need enough kickboards for each swimmer to have one, and enough space in the lane to form a circle or a rectangle. Have your swimmers use the kickboards to create a “thanksgiving table” by holding them horizontally in front of them. All swimmers need to stand or tread water with their head above the water and their hands on the table “holding a fork and knife” ready to “eat” dinner. The challenge is to maintain this position for as long as possible without letting go of the kickboards or sinking below the water. You can make it more fun by having them talk to each other as if they were having a real dinner conversation, or by adding some obstacles or distractions such as splashing water, throwing balls, or playing music. This game is a good way to build teamwork and camaraderie among your swimmers, as well as to test their stamina and balance.

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Gobble Gobble Thank you!

This game is a silly and creative way to practice your back kick and express your gratitude. Have your swimmers cluck like a turkey on their back with their hands in their armpits flapping their elbow “wings” as they kick a 50 back kick. When they do the first 25, they should cluck, and when they return on the second 25, they should say things aloud that they are thankful for. For example, they could say “I’m thankful for my family, my friends, my coach, my health, my swimming, etc.” This game is a good way to warm up or cool down your practice, as well as to remind your swimmers of the positive aspects of their lives.

I hope you enjoyed these ideas for swimming games for a developmental swim practice during Thanksgiving week. Feel free to try them out with your swimmers, or come up with your own variations. The most important thing is to have fun and celebrate the spirit of Thanksgiving with your swim group. Happy swimming and happy Thanksgiving!