Five Fun and (Almost) Free Swimming Pool Games for Kids and Families

Summer swim season is almost here! Are you ready to have a blast in your inground pool? Yeah you are. You enjoy soaking up rays on your awesome fiberglass pool tanning ledge, swimming laps to get fit and strong, and throwing epic beach-themed parties. Pools are made for games and fun. And, you can buy lots of pool accessories and toys. But, you don’t always have to spend money to have fun. Sometimes you can use what you already have, make up your own rules and play all day. However, you must always keep the rules of pool safety in mind! So, make sure all the games you’re dreaming up encourage safe play. Here are five ideas to get you started.

Duck races

Get some bathtub rubber duckies at the store. Divide your swimmers into teams and have them each choose a name for their team. Get out one duck per team, and write a team name on the bottom of each one. All players start at the same end of the pool. Drop the ducks in the water and yell “Go Duck Go!” The teams must move their duck to the other end of the pool without using their hands or touching the ducks in any way. They can splash or blow the ducks, or make waves in the water by swimming alongside them. The first team that makes it to the other end of the pool wins. (And, if the ducks get criss-crossed in the water from splashing and a team moves their opponents’ duck across the finish line, their opponents win!)

Water hunt

Remove the label from a clear, two-liter water or soda bottle that has a white, clear or blue cap. Fill it with pool water. Divide your swimmers into two teams and have them line up along opposite ends of the pool, facing away from the water. Throw the bottle into the center of the pool and yell, “Water hunt!” Both teams swim as quickly as they can to find the bottle, which is nearly invisible in the water. The first team to find the bottle wins.

Beach ball soccer

Divide your swimmers into two teams and have them face off in two lines in the center of the pool. Designate which end of the pool is each team’s goal line. Toss a beach ball into the center of the pool. Each team must move the ball towards their goal line without using their hands. So, they can use their noses, elbows, legs and feet. The first team to reach their goal wins.

Music video

 

Divide your swimmers into two teams. Have each of them choose their favorite song, and then have them water-choreograph it. Encourage your swimmers to use props and create impromptu costumes. Give a prize for the most creative music video. (And don’t forget to film it for posterity!)

Atomic whirlpool

This game is not a competition—it’s just fun! Line all your swimmers up along the edges of the pool, evenly spaced and facing the same direction. On your command, have them all start walking as fast as they can around the edge. Then, have them jog for another few minutes. When you yell, “Atomic whirlpool!” everyone should stop running. The current will carry them along. Then yell, “Reverse whirlpool!” Everyone should turn around and try to run against the current. They probably won’t be able to!

Get social!  

Swimming pools bring families and friends together. So, no matter what games you play, you’re bound to have a summer of fun in the sun in your inground fiberglass pool. Have your kids created a fun pool game? Share it with other families on our Facebook page!