Swimming Pool Playtime Archives - Creekstone Outdoors

Exercise your heart

Get your heart rate up and work out your heart muscles with swimming! Because of the muscles used to keep your body floating, swimming is an aerobic exercise that can greatly increase your heart rate. By lowering your blood pressure and bad cholesterol levels, swimming at least three times a week can help guard against all types of cardiovascular disease.

Tone your muscles

Because water is denser than air, your muscles have to work harder to move throughout the water. Between pulling with your arms, balancing your core, and having to kick your legs, swimming is a great way to engage all of your muscle groups and build strength.

Pro Tip: Going to a public pool can be arduous and inconvenient. With a custom-designed pool in your backyard, you can have the added benefit of a pool house for year-round shade and privacy.

Improve flexibility

Swimming is a water-based exercise, and the low impact of water movement aids in the flexibility of your joints and ligaments. According to Livestrong.org, ninety-percent of your body is buoyant when swimming, which takes the stress off your joints. This is extremely beneficial for athletes who need rehabilitation and for older adults who have had surgical replacements.

Relieve stress

When you burn calories with any type of physical activity, your brain is stimulated and endorphins are released, which means good hormones are stimulated that make you feel good. This stress-reducing hormone decreases anxiety and improves your mental health for the long term. Some psychiatrists agree that swimming laps could even replace drugs like Prozac in the fight against depression.

Keep Swimming

Whether you need to recover from injuries or stay active with a low-impact exercise, the number of swimming health benefits can vary. No matter what the season, you should definitely incorporate swim training into your life.

Are you ready to start swimming? Contact us today about custom pool options to make swimming accessible in your backyard.

What’s more fun than a swim on a hot summer day? Pool games, of course! They’re a sure-fire way to encourage your family to get outside and get in some exercise during a summer afternoon. Let’s look at a few fun swimming pool games for kids and adults alike!

Take the opportunity to host a swimming pool game day! Here are a few summer favorites. Click To Tweet

Games for the Pool

Swimming pool games can vary from uniquely pool-centered activities to slightly altered versions of old favorites. Regardless of your preference, you’re sure to find something to love in several of these popular pool games and activities:

Bucket race
Underwater hoop swimming
Balloon boat race
Cardboard boat race
Treasure hunt

1) Bucket Race

There are two variants of this game that you can try depending on your kids’ skill level: underwater and floating buckets. Either way, the core principle of collecting as many balls or toys as possible and filling the bucket in a set time applies. However, expert swimmers may appreciate the extra challenge of having to retrieve toys that sink to the bottom of the pool. Beginners, meanwhile, will prefer to grab a floating toy. Either way, this game is sure to get everyone excited and active!

Pro Tip: For a math challenge, write numbers on the balls you use for the bucket race. Whoever has the highest number at the end wins!

2) Underwater Hoop Swimming

Tie some weights to plastic hula hoops and place them strategically around your swimming pool to form a submerged obstacle course. You can challenge your kids to a race through these hoops or just see what different mazes they can construct for each other. For an added challenge, vary the lengths of the string to create some hoops all the way at the bottom and some nearer the surface.

3) Balloon Boat Race

With little balloon-powered boats like this one, set up a race in your pool. Whose boat will reach the finish line first? This has the added bonus of giving your kids the chance to customize their boats before the race starts.

4) Cardboard Boat Race

Speaking of boat races, why not build one out of cardboard and go sailing in the pool? These boats may not last long even with duct tape waterproofing, but building them is a fun experience and gives your kids the chance to go boating without leaving home. See whose boat stays afloat the longest!

5) Treasure Hunt

Toss some change into the pool, set a time limit, and see who’s the richest by the end! This treasure hunt is sure to get your kids moving fast. For an added bonus, encourage your younger kids to practice their math skills by counting the nickels, dimes, pennies, and quarters they’ve collected.

Everybody in the Pool!

Whether your goal is to liven up a party, teach your kids in a fun way, or just enjoy the end of summer, these swimming pool games are sure to provide plenty of entertainment for kids and adults alike. Combined with a custom backyard and a brand new swimming pool, these games are the perfect way to keep everyone happy.

What’s your favorite swimming pool game? Join the conversation to share yours and see what other people like to do in the pool!

Category Archives: Swimming Pool Playtime

Swim Your Way to Better Health!