Suiting Up to Dive
Before diving to the bottom of the sea, divers put on their wetsuit, flippers and mask one piece at a time and test how to walk and swim in them. It is a gentle warm-up that goes over the body and gets breathing ready.
How to play
- Sitting down, pull on the wetsuit by stretching each leg and each arm as if it were tight (1 min).
- Put on the flippers and test them: flap the feet up and down, slowly and then fast (1 min).
- Mask and snorkel: puff out the cheeks, breathe in through the nose and blow out bubbles through the mouth, “blub, blub” (1 min).
- Standing, walk in pretend flippers lifting the feet high, forward and backward (1 min).
- With music, swim around the room with the arms; when it stops, freeze like a starfish (2 min).
Rules
- The suit goes on slowly, one piece at a time.
- In flippers we walk slowly so we don't trip.
- When the music stops, we are still starfish.
Variations
Easier
For 3-year-olds, the teacher puts on each piece with them and swimming is just walking forward.
Standard
For 4-year-olds, walk forward and backward in flippers and swim breaststroke and freestyle.
Harder
For 5-year-olds, when the music stops the teacher names a sea animal (octopus, crab, seahorse) and children freeze in its shape.
Adaptations
- Limited mobility: put the whole suit on seated and swim with the arms only.
- Visual impairment: the teacher gently touches each body part as it is named and announces when the music will stop.
- Hearing loss: signal the starfish with a big spread of arms and legs.
Learning goals
- Name and move the parts of the body.
- Practice calm breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth.
- Move with control, lifting the feet well.
Equipment for a class of 25
- música
Teacher tip
This is a slow build: don't rush the suit. Bubble breathing also helps settle kids who arrive very excited.
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