Having a pool is great and the people who use it most are very likely the children. Cleaning the pool regularly is essential and the easiest way to do it is to use an automatic pool cleaner. Even then, you’ll still need to scoop leaves and debris from the surface daily. You may even need to manually scrub the walls and other surfaces that are in the water. This is a hard job, so why not get the children involved by making it a competitive game. Do it like this:-
- Divide off the wall into manageable sections. Use string or coloured wool slightly longer than the depth of the pool. Attach a weight to each end and have one end on the edge of the pool and the other end right below it on the base.
- Have a brush for each child, preferably all different colours.
- Use witches hats or some other marker with each child’s initials on them to define ‘their’ section. Once each section is cleaned, the hats get stacked somewhere back from the edge.
- No child is allowed to cheat by placing their competitor’s hats back on the edge.
- Supervise so each section is properly scrubbed. Smaller sections are the best.
Winning and rewards can be defined in several ways:
- Whoever finishes first to get a prize
- Or whoever does the most sections – in which case dispense with the hats
- Better still, each child who participates and finishes their sections, gets to choose an activity, a favourite meal, or a snack to be done on the same or next day. Immediate reward is the best. If you go for snack rewards, use snacks that the children really love, but can only have as a reward for this job.
- You could also consider a monetary reward for each, that the children can spend however they like.
- Younger children may like a simple award such as a winner’s badge they can wear all day.
Rules are imperative to ensure fairness for all.
- Depending on age, younger children may do fewer sections than older ones
- All have to do the competition at the same time and on the same day
- Every section must be properly scrubbed with no parts missed
- Sections can be done while the child is in or out of the water
- No one is allowed to move the markers to make their section smaller
This is a great way to get the walls scrubbed while you do the base of the pool. It will teach your children many skills including team work, as well as responsibility for their environment. Older children may be given the daily job of pool skimmer.