Summer is such an awesome time of year! Warm weather, bright sunny days, and lots of energy to use up! What better way to celebrate summer than with classic pool play! This summer we grabbed some of our new favorite pool toys from Melissa & Doug and headed to our favorite pool. If you are a regular here, you know just how much we love Sensory Play, so it would come as no surprise to you that today we are sharing some of our favorite pool play ideas for sensory development.
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Pool play is such a basic part of almost every kids’ childhood, that sometimes I feel like the simplicity overshadows the amazing developmental and sensory benefits. Today, I am over at Melissa & Doug explaining the sensory benefits of pool play.
Dive and Hunt | Visual
Grab your favorite pool toys and get ready for a scavenger hunt like none other. We love our hatching eggs for a fantastic diving scavenger hunt. One of the boys is in charge of throwing the eggs into the water, while the other one has to dive under and locate the eggs. Don’t know how to swim underwater? Its okay, try this in a kiddie pool and get the same effect. For added math benefits, add up the points on each turtle or count the objects you collect.
Sensory Bags | Tactile
I love these sensory bags for pool time from Kids Activities Blog. Simple, yet full of sensory fun! The possibilities are endless with the materials you can put in the bags and its such a great way for any child who doesn’t want to get wet to join in some of the pool fun. I can’t wait to make some of these with Super B (1).
Pool Noodle Water Hoses | Tactile & Vestibular
This simple idea from Teach Preschool looks like so much fun! Use pool noodles and a water hose for hours of outside, poolside fun! The movement and the spraying of this activity are sure to provide your child with tons of vestibular input, which is great for organizing and refocusing.
Squeeze and Fill | Tactile & Proprioceptive
Looking for a little more poolside fun? Dump a squooshy pool ball (or this awesome whale squeeze toy) into the pool. The goal of this game is to transfer the water to a bucket without losing too much. Carry your ball over to a bucket and squeeze out all the water for awesome proprioceptive input. Repeat until you fill the whole bucket with water. This game can be played as a relay or just as a fun independent game.
Swimming Pool Scrabble | Vestibular & Visual
How awesome is this simple game of swimming pool scrabble from Toddler Approved. I love how she includes summer learning and pool play in the same activity. Not only is the movement a great sensory activity, finding the letters is great for visual motor planning! I can’t wait to try this.
Poolside Relay Races | Vestibular
Need a break from being in the pool? Try some relay races to keep the kids busy! We love our turtle spoon races. If you don’t have something like this, a spoon and pingpong ball would work just fine. Watch as your kids try to balance the ball while carrying it across the lawn or pool deck! This is great for that time after lunch before its okay to get back in the water.
Kiddy Pool Play | Vestibular & Proprioceptive
I love this collection of 5 simple pool play ideas from Barefeet on the Dasboard. Just like us, she has a very young toddler and finds awesome ways to include her in the pool play. Just look at how much fun they are having!
Colored Ice Play | Tactile
Wow! Colored ice in the pool from Learn Play Imagine is simply fantastic! A hot day and a bucket of COLD colored ice, what else could a kid want? Not only will the kids get great tactile input, they will strengthen their visual perception skills when they start to mix and stir the new colors. This really puts a new spin on pool play that I can’t wait to try!
Underwater Poses | Proprioceptive & Vestibular
Give your kids an underwater camera and go to town taking shots while flipping, spinning and making silly faces. Not only will they get incredible sensory input, you will be left with some very memorable summer memories caught on film (or digital media).
Pool Noodle Abacus | Vestibular
How cool is this idea for using pool noodles as an abacus? I love how Happy Hooligans
More Sensory Pool Play Resources
Aquatic Therapy In Your Own Pool | MamaOT
Sensory Benefits of Pool Play | Melissa & Doug
5 Water Play Ideas for Sensory Motor Development | The Inspired Treehouse
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