Playing in the pool with kids is always a blast and a great form of physical activity!
Being at the pool is a great way to get in some outdoor time and soak up that vitamin D. It also provides a way for kids to exert some extra energy.
Some of the benefits of swimming for kids include:
1. Gets their heart rate up
2. Improved sleep (from all that exercise)
3. Confidence (it can be scary to get in the water and learn how to swim on your own. Especially where you can’t touch)
4. Stress Relief (if you have an anxious child, swimming might be just the thing to help them calm their extra worries)
5. Improved coordination
6. Boosts endurance
7. Builds muscle (from the repetitive motion of swim strokes. This is especially true in competitive swimming)
Having games to play outside helps kids stay entertained for longer and also helps their imagination and creativity WHILE getting exercise.
Don’t have a pool? No problem! We have some awesome outdoor activities and games for kids that can be found here. You’ll love the easy setup and cleanup for these games!
If you DO have a pool area or you’re headed to one, you’re in luck! Nobody likes to hear 5 minutes after arriving to the pool, “mom, I’m bored, I want to go home”.
So, we thought we would help you out by providing some of the best pool games!
Plus, who doesn’t love a little bit of friendly competition?!
Whether you’re having pool parties, have a group of kids from your neighborhood ready for a pool day, or even just your own kids, these games will ensure that everyone has a great time!
Pool Games For Kids
1. Don’t Dunk Me!
This game is great for swimmers of all ages! It’s best played with two players but can be arranged for a whole group.
First, choose someone to be “it”. This person will choose a category or question. For example, “candy bars” or “holidays”. Pick something from the specific category and don’t tell the other person.
If playing with two people, the person who is “it” holds the other person in a cradle position. The person being held then tries to guess what the other one is thinking of.
If they get it wrong… you guessed it… they get DUNKED!
This is one of our favorite pool games because my kids love that they can actually “hold me” in the water!
2. Shark Attack
This sounds scary and dangerous, but don’t worry it isn’t.
First, the adult will start a whirlpool by moving around the pool in a circle spinning their arms.
Next, add floaties, noodles and other objects that float. These are known as the “sharks”.
The kids then have to jump in the whirlpool and try not to get touched by a “shark”. If they do, they’re out.
This is best done in a private or backyard pool so all of your pool toys don’t go missing in a large public pool.
3. Four Corners
This game is best for strong swimmers because you will need to swim around the whole pool.
Decide on four corners of the pool and number them 1-4. Designate a person to be “it” and this person will stand in the middle of the pool with their eyes closed.
Count to “10” and while doing so, all of the other players will quietly swim to one of the corners. When the 10 seconds are up, the person yells out a number 1-4.
If anyone was in that corner, they are out.
A little twist could be to turn it into tag. After they call out a number, the person who is “it” has to swim and tag someone from that corner. The tagged child then becomes “It” next.
4. Monkey In The Middle
This is one of the most classic swimming pool games!
Grab a football, basketball, frisbee, waterball, diving toy, tennis ball, etc.
One person is in the middle and two others are on opposite ends. The two people on the end play “catch” and the middle person tries to catch it on each throw.
Once he or she gets it, the person who threw it becomes the “monkey in the middle” and the game repeats.
If kids have a hard time catching the object, you could try having a time limit so that everyone gets a turn to be the “monkey in the middle”.
5. Stick In The Mud
When you put a stick in the mud, it is difficult to get it back out or move it around.
This game puts a fun spin on freeze tag. Choose someone to be “it” and everyone else swims away.
(If you have younger kids playing who can’t swim on their own yet, they can still join in with pool noodles or other floaties).
The person then tries to tag as many people as they can. Once you are tagged, you are frozen and spread your legs out.
Now here is the twist… to get “unfrozen”, someone has to swim through your legs.
The “freezer” wins once all the swimmers are “stuck in the mud”.
6. Coin Search
Start by lining everyone up on the edge of the pool facing backward.
One person will have a coin and throw it into the water. Wait until it sinks to the bottom of the pool and then yell “go”.
Everyone else then turns around and jumps in (preferably with goggles on) and starts searching for the coin.
The first person to find it gets to be the “coin thrower” next. Head back to the side of the pool and start over again!
Endless hours of fun! Don’t have a coin? No problem. Use any small object that sinks. You might even try a plastic water bottle cap that floats because it’s hard to see on top of the water!
7. Clap, Spin
This game works best for older kids.
Stand in a line outside of the pool. The first person will jump in the water doing 1 clap and a 1/4 of a spin.
The next person does 2 claps and half of a spin. The 3rd person does 3 claps and 3/4 of a spin.
Keep going until someone can’t do the number of claps with the correct spin and they are out.
Continue until only one person is left!
Bonus if you have a diving board to play the game!
8. Sharks And Minnows
Choose who will be the Shark and everyone else will be a minnow.
The shark goes to the middle of the pool and says “fishy fishy come out and play” and the minnows have to try to swim across the pool without getting tagged.
Minnows can only be tagged when they have their head above the water.
Each tagged person becomes on the “shark’s team” trying to tag more minnows.
At any point, the shark can yell “shark attack” and the players must all swim back to the starting side of the pool.
The last minnow standing becomes the new shark.
9. Swim Like Different Animals
This is an awesome swimming pool game for those new swimmers because it will get them excited to practice swimming without focusing on it.
There are a few different ways to play. Start on one side of the pool and pick an animal.
Have everyone swim across the pool acting like that animal.
Another fun way to play is to choose one person to be “it”. They will watch everyone swim across the pool acting like different animals.
The assigned person then has to try and guess which animal everyone was.
10. Star, Ball, Line, Twist
This is a popular activity for swim instructors to help children face their fear of jumping in the water.
Have kids line up on the side of the pool and yell “1,2,3, jump” followed by “star, ball, line or twist”.
The players then have to try and get into that shape before they hit the water! You’ll mostly have blobs landing in the water, but hopefully lots of laughing blobs.
Safety tip: have the kids spread out when they are jumping or jump one at a time to avoid collisions.
11. Red Light, Green Light
Who doesn’t love a little red light, green light? Did you know that kids love it too?! AND bonus! It can be played in the pool!
To twist things up, you can give each color an action. Red: stop, Green: swim fast, Yellow: swim slow.
Then try changing it up. Red: dance, Green: float, Yellow: swim in circles.
Another way to mix it up that is lots of fun is to sit on the pool’s edge and practice straight leg kicks.
Green light: kick fast, Yellow light: kick slow, Red light: Stop.
It’s the perfect opportunity to help kids get better at their kicks making them stronger to get ready to swim independently.
12. Marco Polo
What more of a classic pool game could you ask for? This is one that everyone knows, I am sure.
But, I will explain it just in case.
You can play with two or more players. One person is assigned to be “it” and the other person or people spread out around the pool.
The person will then close their eyes and yell “macro” and the other person or people yell “polo”.
Try to swim around the pool simply following the sound of their voices. Once someone has been tagged, they become the next person to be “it”.
13. The “Colors” or Categories Game
There are two ways to play this game. The first way is with a large group of people.
One person stands on the edge of the pool (or on the diving board) facing backward while the other players line up on one side of the pool in the water.
Everyone chooses a color and keeps it in their mind. The person on the diving board starts yelling out colors and when your color is called, you quietly swim across the pool.
If the person hears any sort of splashing, they can turn around. If they see anyone swimming, they jump in and try to tag them. But if they don’t see anyone swimming, they take one step away from the edge of the pool or diving board.
Whoever they tag becomes the next person to be “it”.
14. Freeze Tag
Just like stick in the mud, but a little more simple.
You might try this one with young swimmers who have their floatation devices to help them out.
The object of the game is to get everyone frozen before they get unfrozen by their teammates. Sounds easy enough, but when you’re swimming it’s a whole new level!
15. Chicken Fights
If you are swimming at a community pool, this might not be the best option.
BUT! If you are in a backyard pool, have at it! Chicken Fights seem to be a thing of the past for safety reasons, but they are actually so good for kids to learn balance and coordination skills.
Have one person get on top of another person’s shoulders. Then do the same with another couple of people.
The two top people will “face off” each trying to knock the other person into the water.
There’s nothing more fun than seeing kids stacked on top of each other trying to balance in the water!
Make sure the camera is ready for this one because it’s bound to make you laugh!
Whether you’re swimming with a big group or even just one child, it’s always good to have some games in your back pocket to whip out at the pool.
What’s your favorite pool game to play? Let us know in the comments below!