Best ever swimming pool games (2015)

2 players or more.

Equipment: 8 watertubes.

One player is selected as the Iron Man or Iron Woman.

Each player is given a watertube to hold.

On ‘GO!’ the Iron Man/Iron Woman must tag all players with a watertube.

Each time a player is tagged the watertube is handed over to the Iron Man/Woman, who must swim with the tubes collected.

The player with the last watertube becomes the new Iron Man/Woman.

Aim: To get three waterballs in a float ring .

2 players or more.

Equipment: 6 waterballs, 2 float rings.

Even teams form at opposite ends of the pool (with three waterballs per team and one float ring each).

On ‘GO!’ players try to throw a waterball into the float ring at the opposite end of the pool.

Waterballs that miss can be gathered, but a player must swim down and return with the waterball before trying to throw it in the float ring again.

The first team to get three waterballs in a float ring wins.

Aim: To tag the correct coloured watertube.

5 players or more.

Equipment: 4 different coloured watertubes.

One player is selected as the Coral Fish.

Other players take a different coloured watertube each.

Players hide their watertube under the water or behind their backs.

The Coral Fish, who is up one end of the pool, calls out a colour, such as ‘Blue!’

The Coral Fish tries to work out who has that colour and tags that player, eg. The player with the blue watertube.

Players can swap watertubes at anytime to avoid being caught, but all players must have a watertube in their hand.

The Coral Fish can go back to the steps and call out another colour at anytime.

The player who is tagged with the nominated watertube becomes the Coral Fish.

Aim: To fill Davy Jones’ Locker

3 players or more.

Equipment: 8 jewels (watertubes).

One player is selected to be Davy Jones.

Four coloured watertubes are placed on the top edge of the pool for the players to secretively take.

Watertubes must be held in the hand.

Four corresponding watertubes are sunk at the opposite end of the pool (spread out) this is Davy Jones’ Locker.

Players sneak to the Locker and take the coloured watertube that’s the same colour as their own watertube.

Davy Jones tries to tag players near his Locker.

Any tagged player must return to the end.

Players may swap watertubes.

The player to get the same coloured watertube as the one they are holding is the winner.

Aim: To avoid being tagged.

4 players or more.

Equipment: 1 watertube.

The player selected as Popeye turns around at one end of the pool and counts to 20.

All other players stand in a circle and begin to pass the watertube to each other.

On ‘… 20!’, Popeye moves to the middle of the circle and tags the player who he/she thinks has the watertube.

The watertube cannot be thrown but can be passed to other players without Popeye seeing who has the watertube.

Popeye is out if he tags the wrong person.

When the game is over a new Popeye is selected.

Aim: To be the first pirate with six jewels.

4 players or more.

Equipment: 8 watertubes; 8 quoits.

One pirate is positioned in each corner of the pool with four jewels (two quoits, two watertubes) at the bottom of the pool in their corner.

On ‘Go!’ all pirates go underwater to take one jewel at a time from another pirate’s treasure pile and return it to their own treasure chest.

Pirates cannot physically stop or block other pirates or hold onto more than one level at a time.

The first pirate to have six jewels in their treasure chest wins.

Aim: To take all of King Neptune’s treasure.

3 players or more.

Equipment: 8 coloured watertubes (treasures).

One player is chosen to be Neptune.

Neptune stands or treads water at a deep corner of the pool.

Neptune places treasures at the bottom of the pool.

Players swim underwater to snatch the treasures without being tagged by Neptune.

Players can take as many treasures as possible.

Taken treasures are put on the side of the pool behind Neptune.

If tagged, players must swim back and touch the opposite end of the pool before trying again.

The player to get the last treasure is the new Neptune.

Aim: Closest watertube to the quoit wins.

3 players or more.

Equipment: 8 watertubes, 1 quoit.

Players all gather at one end of the pool with a filled watertube each.

A quoit is placed somewhere in the pool by the Judge.

One player at a time throws their watertube from one end of the pool.

The game continues until all watertubes have been thrown.

Without disturbing the watertubes, a Judge checks where they have landed.

The player who threw their watertube closest to the quoit is the winner.

Aim: To score 5 goals.

4 players or more.

Equipment: 1 waterball.

Teams line up at opposite ends of the pool.

Decide which team has the waterball with a toss up.

Players may move either underwater or on the surface. A goal is scored by touching the opposite end of the pool with the waterball in hand.

If a player with a waterball is tagged, that player must immediately stand up or tread water and pass it to a team mate.

If there are forward passes or off-sides, the waterball is handed over to the opposition.

After the 6th tag, there is a toss up and play resumes from the beginning.

When a goal is scored the opposition starts with the ball and all players move to their end of the pool.

The first team to score five goals wins.

Aim: To get the three noughts or crosses in a row.

2 players or more.

Equipment: 5 quoits, 5 watertubes.

One player is selected as the Judge.

One player has five quoits (noughts) and the other player has live watertubes (crosses).

Both players stand at one end of the pool.

The first player places the quoit in one of the nine imaginary locations around the pool (see illustration) and returns to the end of the pool.

The second player places the watertube in a different location and returns.

This continues until one player has three in a row — across, down or diagonal.

The winner is challenged by the next chosen player.

Aim: To get the watertube to the other end.

2 players or more.

Equipment: A watertube for each player.

All players have a watertube each placed on the bottom of the pool at one end.

On ‘GO!’ each player moves their watertube with one foot.

The first player to reach the other end of the pool with the watertube wins.

Aim: To be the last two players.

6 players or more.

Equipment: 1 watertube.

Turtles are in pairs — one player piggy-backs another player.

The player being piggy-backed is given a watertube.

On ‘GO!’ the piggy-backed player uses the watertube to tag another piggy-backed player.

Turtles can only be tagged gently on the back.

Tagged Turtles must sit out.

The last two players (one Turtle) left are the winners.