Pool Party Games for the Summer

Swimming is a great way to keep the kids entertained in the summer, and hosting a pool party is one of the best ways to bring all their friends together while school is out. The next time you throw a pool party, teach everyone some fun new water games to play!

Note: Help all partygoers to remember that the top priority should always be safety. Remind children to prioritize safety, listen to supervising adults and obey all pool rules while playing.

Fun Pool Party Games

1. Invisible Bottle: Fill an empty 2-liter plastic bottle with water. Have the kids close their eyes while you drop the bottle into the pool. Once they hear the splash they can open their eyes and begin to search for the bottle. Since it will blend in with the pool water, this may be harder than you think! The first person to find the bottle wins.
2. Cannonball Contest: Designate one person to be the judge, then have everyone else show off their best cannonball, one at a time. The judge determines the winner based on creativity, form, etc. Just remember not to allow jumping in the shallow end of the pool.
3. Treasure Hunt: Gather some coins and throw them into the bottom of the pool. Then, have everyone jump into the pool and try to retrieve as many coins as they can. The winner can be either the person who collects the highest number of coins or who gathers the highest dollar amount when the value of the coins is added up.
4. Float Race: Everyone picks a float to sit on and gathers at one end of the pool. Then, while remaining on the float the entire time, they must try to get to the other side of the pool as quickly as possible. The first person to touch the other side of the pool wins.
5. Popsicle Tag: This is just like freeze tag but in the water! Designate one person to be “it.” That person can tag other players to freeze them, meaning they must stand still, holding their arms straight out above the water. Other players can swim under the arms of the frozen players to unfreeze them. Take turns being “it.”
6. Watermelon Relay: Set up two teams, with an equal number of players. Each team is given a watermelon that they must push to the other side of the pool, without letting their feet touch the bottom. The first team to successfully do so wins the game. To make the game a little harder, you can rub the watermelon with petroleum jelly first so that it is slippery.
7. Water Simon Says: Designate one person to be Simon, who will call out instructions to the other participants, such as, “Simon says float on your back.” When an instruction is given without first saying, “Simon says,” anyone who completes the instruction will be out and must leave the pool. The last person standing wins the game and gets to be the new Simon.

We hope your kids enjoy playing these games over the summer! Tell us about your favorite pool party games on our Facebook page.