Pool Games for Kids

There’s nothing better than spending a hot day relaxing in a cool swimming pool—it’s also a great way for kids to burn off their energy! If you’re looking for new ways to keep your kids engaged in aquatic activities, here are 10 pool games for kids to try during your next day of fun in the sun.

Swimming is an excellent activity to keep kids entertained and active during warmer weather.  Before you head out, make sure you add any necessary supplies to your swimming kit list – and that those items are clean, safe, and ready to go.

Safety is paramount when it comes to kids and water activities, so always make sure the game is appropriate for your swimmers’ abilities. Many of these games can be modified in some way to accommodate new swimmers or non-swimmers, so have fun giving these pool games a try!

Sunken Treasure

Supplies Needed: “Treasure” that sinks! (coins, weights, rings, plastic toys, glow sticks, etc.)

Scatter the sunken treasure throughout the pool and instruct your team of divers to retrieve it. The diver with the most recovered treasure wins! You can play any number of variations of this game, depending on your supplies and abilities:

• If you’re short on treasure (or players), have a diver retrieve one object from the bottom of the pool, and record their time. The diver with the fastest time wins!
• You can also send a few divers racing after the same piece of treasure – but have them close their eyes or turn their backs while you sink it.
• If they’re collecting the treasure too quickly, try a scavenger hunt. Sink several different items in the pool, but ask the divers to find specific items one at a time.
• For an extra challenge, try using an “invisible bottle.” Fill a clear plastic two-liter bottle and sink it to the bottom of the pool while the divers’ backs are turned. Use one with a cap that is the same color as your pool and see how long it takes them to find it!
• Consider using fillable plastic eggs. You can weigh them down with coins, but they also have a tendency to float (or sink slowly). This can provide an extra challenge – plus, they’re small and slippery!

Ping Pong Ball Frenzy

Supplies Needed: A large quantity of plastic floating balls

Scatter a multitude of ping pong balls (or other small floating objects) and see who can gather the most! You can also try a variation of this game using multicolored balls – split the kids into teams and only allow them to collect a single color. The team to collect their balls the fastest wins!

If you want to throw a math lesson into the mix, number the balls with a permanent marker. After they’ve collected the balls, add up the points. The player with the highest score (not necessarily the largest amount of balls!) wins.

Beach Ball Volley

Supplies Needed: Inflatable beach ball

This game works well with strong swimmers or in a fairly shallow pool. The object of the game is to bat around a beach ball without letting it touch the water! Whoever lets it drop is eliminated – and the last player standing wins.

Marco Polo

This is a classic pool game for kids of all swimming abilities and ages. One player is “it” – when they call out “Marco!”, the other players must respond with “Polo!”. Once “Marco” manages to tag another player, the tagged child becomes “it,” and the game begins again.

Sharks and Minnows.

One player acts as the shark and calls out, “Fishies, fishies, come out to play!”. Swimmers then begin moving slowly around the pool. The shark then yells “shark attack!” and the minnows must quickly escape to one side of the pool. If they are caught by the shark during a “shark attack,” they turn into seaweed and can tag other minnows swimming by. If you’re short on players, you can also just play regular old tag – somehow it’s more fun when you’re swimming from a shark!

Octopus Blob Tag

This game works best in a shallow pool where children can all touch the bottom with their heads above water. One player starts as the octopus. As they move around and tag others, they link hands and are added to the chain. The last player remaining becomes the next octopus!

King of the Rock

Supplies Needed: Pool float

One player perches atop a pool float, and the others try to push or pull them off. The player that unseats the “king” from his “throne” is the next to try and keep the rock in his kingdom.

What Time is It, Mr. Fox

This classic call-and-response game is fun in the water, too! The player selected as “Mr. Fox” begins at one end of the pool with his back to the rest of the players on the other side. The players call, “what time is it, Mr. Fox?” Mr. Fox will then call out a specific time on the hour (1 o’clock, 5 o’clock, etc). Players will take that many steps or strokes forward. When Mr. Fox calls, “midnight!” he turns and gives chase. Players who reach the end of the pool avoid being gobbled up!

Cannonball Contest

This silly pool game for kids can provide hours of entertainment with little preparation. Players line up on the pool deck. Each player performs their best or most creative cannonball (belly flop, jump, or dive), taking turns for a discerning judge. In a variation of this game, the judge can call out a simple trivia question that the contestants have to answer while they’re jumping into the pool. Those who answer the question correctly either become the next judge, or move on to the next round.

Follow the Leader

In this simple game, kids can take turns acting as the leader as they swim around the pool. Those following must copy their movements or swimming strokes.