Best ever swimming pool games (2015)

Aim: To escape being caught by the Alligator.

Up to 12 players.

Aim: To be the last crab standing.

4 players or more.

Four players form into pairs.

In each pair, the lighter player sits on the shoulders of the heavier partner to form one Crab.

The heavier partner should be in waist to shoulder deep water in the middle of the pool and away from pool edges.

Players attempt to ‘wrestle’ the opponent off the shoulders.

The players still standing as a Crab are the winners.

Aim: To tag one player.

3 players or more.

One player is chosen as Marco Polo.

With eyes closed, Marco Polo counts to ten while the other players spread out around the pool.

Keeping eyes closed, Marco Polo tries to tag other players.

A player who is tagged by Marco Polo becomes the new Marco Polo.

Whenever Marco Polo calls out ‘Marco’ players must respond with ‘Polo’.

A player can exit the pool and enter at another part of the pool. If Marco Polo calls out ‘Fish out of water’ the player who is out of the water becomes the new Marco Polo.

Only one player can be out of the pool at any one time.

Aim: To be the last pirate left. it

4 players or more.

One player is selected as Captain Hook.

Captain Hook gives a command and all pirates obey.

The last pirate to obey is out.

The very last pirate left becomes Captain Hook.

“Bow” - race to the front of the boat

“Life Boat” - back float

“Port” - race to the left of the boat

“Swab the Deck” - scrub the pool floor

“Stern” - race to the back of the boat

“Captain Hook” - all pirates salute the Captain

“Starboard” - race to the right of the boat

“Climb the Rig” - pretend to climb up a rope ladder

“Periscope Up” - sink with one hand out of the water

“Centre Deck” - race to the middle of the pool

Aim: To be the last one tagged

3 players or more.

Everybody is IT.

On ‘GO!’ everyone tries to tag everyone else.

Shoulders are the only part of the body to be tagged.

A tagged player is out of the game.

Two players are out if they tag each other at the same time.

The game continues until one player is left.

If the two players left do not tag each other within a minute then both players are declared winners.

Aim: To tag the Anaconda, it

4 to 8 players.

All players join hands in a line.

The first player in the line is the Anaconda.

The last player in the line is the Tail.

On ‘GO’ the Tail tries to tag the Anaconda.

Other players in the line twist and move around to prevent the Tail tagging the Anaconda.

After being tagged, the Anaconda moves to the end of the line to become the new Tail. The second player in line becomes the new Anaconda.

Aim: To be the last seahorse and jockey.

9 players or more.

Players form into pairs, except for one player who is the Judge.

In each pair, one player is the Seahorse, the other is the Jockey.

All players form a circle facing inwards with Jockeys on the outside and Seahorses in front of them.

The Judge gives a command and all must follow.

The Seahorse and Jockey must put their hands on their heads when the action is completed. The last pair of players to do so are out
of the competition.

The last Seahorse and Jockey in are the winners.

Aim: To get to a cave.

7 players or more.

One player is chosen as the Moray.

The rest of the players form groups of three — two join hands to make a cave, the third is the Eel who stands inside the cave.

The Moray stands in the middle of the pool and calls ‘Eel in the Cave’.

Players forming the cave lift their hands in the air and the Eels must race to a new cave. Meanwhile, the Moray quickly gets into a one of the caves.

The Eel left without a cave becomes the new Moray.

After several goes, players swap around so that everyone gets a chance to be an eel and a cave.

Aim: To catch all dolphins.

4 players or more.

One player is selected as the Whale while the rest are Dolphins.

The Whale counts to ten then moves to tag the Dolphins.

When Dolphins are tagged, they stand with legs apart and two hands on their head. This is called, ‘Caught in the Net’.

If in deeper water, Dolphins can hold onto the side of the pool with one hand but must keep their other hand on their head.

Other Dolphins can rescue those ‘Caught in the Net’ by swimming between their legs to free them.

The last Dolphin caught becomes the Whale.

Aim: To catch the fish.

7 players or more.

One player is selected as the Shark and another player is selected as the Fish.

All other players join hands to form a circle.

The Shark starts on the outside of the circle.

The Fish starts on the inside of the circle.

On ‘GO’ the Shark tries to get inside the circle to catch the Fish.

Players making the circle try to keep the Shark from getting the Fish

Players can let the Fish outside the circle by lifting their hands.

The Shark cannot break the joined hands, but can try to swim over or under the net or swim through a gap.

When the Fish is tagged, a new Shark and Fish are chosen.

Aim: To touch the Barracuda.

4 players or more.

One player is chosen as the Barracuda and turns away from the rest at one end of the pool.

All other players stand at the other end of the pool.

The Barracuda spells aloud,
‘B-A-Double R-A’ - then shouts ‘BARRACUDA’!

Meanwhile, players sneak up towards the Barracuda.

When the word has been spelt the Barracuda quickly turns around and names anyone moving.

Players seen moving must return to the start.
The Barracuda turns around again and spells ‘B-A-Double R-A’ - then shouts ‘BARRACUDA’! once more.

Players continue sneaking up. If anyone touches the Barracuda before the word is spelt, that player becomes the new Barracuda.

Aim: To catch the fish in the net.

4 players or more.

One player is selected as the Fish.

All other players join hands to form ‘The Net’.

On the count of ten, ‘The Net’ chases after the Fish.

‘The Net’ may be open to trap the Fish, but then must close to form a complete circle around the Fish; when this is done the players forming the net yell, ‘Caught!’ and another Fish is chosen.

The Fish moves so as not to be caught in the net, but the Fish cannot go underwater.

Aim: To be the last player.

4 players or more.

One player is selected as the Judge.

All other players stand near the side of the pool with both hands by their sides (On the Bank).

If the Judge calls, ‘In the River!’ players, holding onto the side of the pool, extend themselves in a prone float position.

If the Judge calls, ‘On the Bank!’ players immediately stand with their hands by their sides.

The Judge may call, ‘On the Bank!’ ‘On the Bank!’ ‘In the River!’ ‘On the Bank!’ to catch players out.

The last player to follow the command is out.

The last player left in the game becomes the new Judge.

Aim: To protect the swimmer.

4 players or more.

One player is selected as the Swimmer.

Another player is selected as the Box Jelly.

All other players are Protectors.

On ‘GO!’ Protectors try to keep the Box Jelly from the Swimmer.

Protectors may get in the way but cannot use their hands to hold the Box Jelly.

When the Box Jelly tags the Swimmer, a new Swimmer is selected.

Aim: To catch a child. it

3 to 12 players.

One player is chosen as the Crocodile.

The Crocodile is ‘asleep’ at one end of the pool.

The Crocodile can choose to turn its back while ‘asleep’ to entice children further into the water.

Children go out, as far as possible from the bar (ie. the steps or a nominated side of the pool), to play in the deeper water but are wary of the Crocodile.

When the Crocodile feels ready, it turns and ‘eats’ (tags) one child before the child reaches safety.

The ‘eaters’ child becomes the new Crocodile, and moves to the other end of the pool.

Aim: To rescue all captives.

6 players or more.

One player is selected as the Seawizard.

Two players are selected as Lifesavers.

All other players are held captive by the Seawizard.

Captive players are spread along one end of the pool.

Captive players must have one hand on the side of the pool’s edge and cannot move from that spot.

The two Lifesavers start at one end of the pool and rescue (tag) the captive players to set them free.

Tagged players must return to the other end of the pool and become Lifesavers to help rescue more captives.

A Lifesaver becomes a captive if tagged by the Seawizard.

The game ends if there are no more Lifesavers or if there are no more captives. New players are selected.

Aim: To catch the Ice-Cream Vendor

3 players or more.

One player is selected as the Ice-Cream Vendor.

All other players go to the opposite end of the pool.

The Ice-Cream Vendor turns around with eyes closed and calls out aloud one letter, such as ‘C for Chocolate!’ or ‘A for Apricot!’ or ‘S for Strawberry!’ or ‘P for Peppermint!’

Players with that letter in their name wade up towards the Vendor one step for each letter — using only first and last names, for example, on ‘A for Apricot’ Adam Archer can move up three paces.

The Ice-Cream Vendor can then turn around to see how close players are, then says another letter.

The first player to reach the Ice-Cream Vendor becomes the new Ice-Cream Vendor.

Aim: To tag a scuba diver.

3 players or more.

One player is selected as the Stonefish.

All other players are Scuba Divers.

On ‘GO!’ the Stonefish tags a part of a Scuba Diver’s body which becomes ‘poisoned’.

The tagged Scuba Diver becomes the new Stonefish and holds the ‘poisoned’ part of the body with one hand while trying to poison (tag) another Scuba Diver on a different body part.

Aim: To get from one side of the pool to the other without being caught by the walrus.

6 players or more.

One player is selected as the Walrus who goes to the middle of the pool and holds one foot with one hand.

All other players are Penguins who go to one end of the pool.

The Walrus yells out ‘GO!’ and Penguins must move from one end of the pool to the other without being tagged by the Walrus.

The Penguin is safe if it reaches the end of the pool and places one hand on the edge.

Tagged Penguins must help the Walrus catch more Penguins.