25 Classic Swimming Pool Games for Kids (Fun for all levels and ages)

Summer is nearly here, an ideal season for children to revel in outdoor activities, and a pool party filled with exhilarating games is unbeatable! Whether it's splashing in the refreshing water or engaging in exciting games, there are endless opportunities to maintain the fun all day long.

Incorporating games into pool activities not only enhances enjoyment but also provides various developmental benefits for children. A pool party filled with games is a smart way to create lasting memories while promoting physical and social skills.

Below, we've listed our 25 FAVORITE POOL GAMES to try out this summer! Games range in difficulty (Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced) and player count to ensure there's games for everyone!

Why Pool Games Are Great for Kids

• Physical Activity: Pool games encourage kids to be active, promoting fitness and health.

• Social Interaction: These games provide opportunities for children to bond and make new friends.

• Skill Development: Many games help improve swimming skills and water safety awareness.

• Imagination and Creativity: Pool games often inspire imaginative play and creative thinking.

CHECK OUT OUR ULTIMATE GUIDE TO POOL-TIME FUN BELOW!!

RED LIGHT, GREEN LIGHT

Level: Beginner

Players: 2 or More

Area: Shallow water or deep end

Equipment: Kickboards, floats, or None

How to play: Swimmers race from one end of the pool to the other, by either swimming or kicking. On "GREEN LIGHT", they swim/kick as fast as they can. When the traffic cop yells "RED LIGHT!" everyone must freeze. If the traffic cop sees someone moving on RED, they are out. Compete until someone makes it to the finish line, or there is only one swimmer remaining!

HORSE RACING

Level: Beginner

Players: 2 or More

Area: Shallow water or deep end

Equipment: Pool Noodles

How to play: Swimmers sit on a pool noodle, like riding a horse. They race across the pool using their arms and legs - never falling off the horse.

DONUT HOLE RACE

Level: Beginner

Players: 2 or More

Equipment: One circular float per person

Area: Shallow water or deep end

How to play: Swimmers race using a circular float, by using their arms and legs - like in the picture. You can also have them sit on the float for an extra challenge. If you want to make this a relay, swimmers would pass the float to the next person on their team.

MARCO POLO

Level: Beginner

Players: 3 or More

Equipment: None

Area: Shallow or deep end

How to play: One swimmer closes his/her eyes and shouts “MARCO!” the others respond “POLO!”. Marco tries to find the swimmers based on their response - “POLO” swimmers try to avoid getting tagged.

JUMPING COMPETITION

Level: Beginner

Players: 2 or More

Equipment: None

Area: Deep end

Compete to see who has the:

• Biggest Splash

• Smallest Splash

• Craziest Jump

• Funniest model walk off diving board

SPONGE RELAY RACE

Level: Beginner

Players: 4 or More

Description:

Equipment: 1 sponge and 1 bucket per team

Area: Shallow water and/or deep end

How to play: In teams, swim across the pool to a bucket with a sponge. Ring out the sponge, filling a bucket at the other end. Swim back, handing off the sponge. First team to fill the bucket all the way wins!

CATEGORIES

Level: Beginner

Players: 3 or More

Equipment: None

Area: Shallow or deep water

How to play: One swimmer is out of the water and think of a category (ex: colors) and start giving clues. The swimmers in the water start across the pool. When they think they know the answer (ex: Pink) they race to the picker and give answer. If correct, it’s their turn!

1 vs. 3

Level: Beginner

Players: 4 or More

Equipment: None

Area: Shallow end

How to play: 3+ players join hands in a circle. The 4th member is ‘IT’. ‘IT’ must tag player #2. Players #1 and #3 try to keep #2 from getting tagged, without dropping hands. Once tagged, player #2 becomes ‘IT’.

MONKEY IN THE MIDDLE

Level: Beginner

Players: 3 or More

Equipment: 1x throwable object

Area: Shallow or deep end

How to play: Two players try to keep an object away from the ‘monkey’ in the middle. Once the player in the middle gets the object, the person who last threw it becomes the monkey.

DUCK, DUCK, SPLASH!

Level: Beginner

Players: 4 or More

Equipment: None

Area: Shallow end

How to play: This game puts a fun twist on the traditional game! The “tagger” lightly splashes each child before deciding whom to swim after. The goal is for the "goose" to catch "it" before they return to the "goose's" spot. If "goose" doesn't catch "it", the "goose" becomes "it" for the next round.

HOT n' COLD

Level: Beginner

Players: 2

Equipment: None

Area: Shallow end

How to play: One player holds the other player and thinks of a color. The held player guesses the color. The further from the correct color, the less the holder dips the player under water. The closer to the correct color, the further they get dipped. When they get it correct, the player gets dropped into the water!

NO HANDS

Level: Beginner

Players: 2 or More

Equipment: Any pool toy or float

Area: Shallow end or deep end

How to play: For this race, the goal is to get the toy across the pool without touching it. Swimmers can use their own splashes, or other toys to move the item to the finish line. Players can also try and block their opponent from getting their toy to the finish line first.

KICKING RACE

Level: Beginner

Players: 2 or More

Equipment: 1x kickboard or float per player

Area: Shallow end or deep end

How to play: Race from start to finish only kicking: freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, or dolphin kick

THE UNDERWATER CHALLENGE

Level: Beginner/Intermediate

Players: 2 or More

Equipment: Goggles

Area: Shallow end

Beginner: One player holds up a number of fingers underwater while the other player looks underwater. The player must correctly say how many numbers were held up. This game works on getting comfortable putting their faces into the water. Once the guess is correct - switch who is holding up the number.

For a more advanced option, both players go underwater. One players mouths a word  - when both players resurface the looker has to correctly guess what word was said. Once the guess is correct - switch who is the speaker.

KNEE BALL

Level: Intermediate

Players: 2 or More

Equipment: Water polo balls or light rubber balls

Area: Shallow or deep end

How to play: Each team member places the ball between their knees and wades across the water, without dropping the ball.

PARTNER RACE

Level: Intermediate

Players: 2 or More (Even #)

Equipment: None

Area: Shallow Water

How to play: Holding hands the whole time, partners must swim together to the finish line. They can use the outside hands to pull while kicking. The number in each group can be increased (ex: 4 swimmers join hands).

TAG

Level: Intermediate

Players: 4 or More

Equipment: None

Area: Shallow or deep end

How to play: One player is “It” and tries to tag the others. Once tagged, you can implement rules which if broken they become 'IT'. (Ex: when tagged, pat your head or only say the word ‘HI’)

PICK UP STICKS

Level: Intermediate

Players: 1 or More

Equipment: Sinking Toys

Area: Shallow or deep end

How to play: Drop sinkable toys at the bottom of the pool and count how many your swimmer can pick up. Give a time limit or tasks such as “only pick up the blue ones”. If more than 1 player, you can make it a race! Make sure you are dropping the toys only to depths your swimmers can feasibly reach.

JAIL BREAK

Level: Intermediate

Players: 3 or More

Equipment: None

Area: Shallow or deep end

How to play: One swimmer is out of the pool with back to pool. Swimmers in the pool try to get to the other side without getting noticed. The jail guard turns around if they hear someone swimming away, and jumps in to tag them. If they turn and no one left the wall - they take a step back.

INTERRUPTION

Level: Advanced

Players: 2 or More

Equipment: None

Area: Full Pool

How to play: On “GO!” swimmers jump/dive in and start swimming. The race is interrupted when you blow a whistle - making the swimmers do a task such as: somersault, tread water, doing a silly dance. First swimmer to the finish line wins!

D-O-N-K-E-Y

Level: Advanced

Players: 4 or More

Equipment: 1 Soft Ball

Area: Full Pool

How to play: All players are given a number, and make a circle. Player 1 throws the ball up in the air and yells the # of a player. That player must catch the ball before it hits the pool - and then repeats. If the ball is not caught, the player must race to the ball and yell “STOP!”- making everyone freeze. The player with the ball takes a designated # of strokes, and tries to hit the closest player with ball. If hit, the hit player receives a letter (ex: ‘D’). The first player to receive “D-O-N-K-E-Y” is eliminated.

PADDIDLE

Level: Advanced

Players: 3 or More

Equipment: 1 sinkable toy, or a stick

Area: Deep End

How to play: All players start out of pool. One swimmer jumps/dives into the water with a toy trying to deceive the swimmers out of the water where they let go of it. When the toy surfaces, the first person to see it shouts “Padiddle!” and jumps in to grab it. First to grab goes next.

SWIMMING BASES

Level: Advanced

Players: 4 or More

Equipment: 1 Soft Ball

Area: Full Pool

How to play: Pick 2 spots across from each other to be “home bases”. One swimmer is 'IT' and is in the middle of the 2 bases, with the ball. Other players must try to get from one spot to the other without getting tagged by the swimmer in the middle. The swimmer in the middle can tag by throwing the ball at the swimmers - who can avoid getting hit by going underwater. If tagged, you become 'IT'.

SHARKS AND MINNOWS

Level: Advanced

Players: 4 or More

Equipment: None

Area: Deep end

How to play: One swimmer starts in the water (the shark), and the others start at the wall. Swimmers try to make it to the other end without getting tagged by the shark. If tagged, they become a shark during the next round. Play until there are no minnows left!

PARTIAL STROKE RACE

Level: Advanced

Players: 2 or More

Equipment: None

Area: Full Pool

How to play: Create a race that only uses part of a stroke. For example: freestyle arms with no kicking breaststroke kick with no arms one arm backstroke one arm freestyle

Let the Fun Begin!

These pool games will not only entertain the kids but also enhance their swimming abilities, teamwork, and coordination. Make this summer memorable by incorporating these exciting activities into your pool days. Get ready for splashes, laughter, and cherished moments with your little ones!