Best ever swimming pool games (2015)

KID’S PARTY GAMES

Aquarium

	Aim: To find a home.
	7 flayers or more.
	Equipment: Watertubes and/or quoits.
	Place quoits and watertubes evenly around each side of the pool
	One player is selected as the Judge.
	All other players enter the pool and hold onto the side of the pool where a quoit or watertube is placed. Each quoit and watertube is a home.
	The Judge names the players in turn: ‘Angelfish’, ‘Jellyfish’, ‘Pufferfish’ (repeat until all players are named including the Judge).
	The Judge, who stands in the middle of the pool, calls out a name, such as ‘Jellyfish!’ All Jellyfish and the Judge must find a new home.
	The player left without a home is the new Judge.
	If the Judge calls out ‘Aquarium!’ all creatures must get to a new home.

Neptune Says

	Aim: To be the last player in.
	5 players or more.
	Neptune calls ‘NEPTUNE SAYS’ and tells the others to touch things around the pool, such as: touch the bottom; touch the step; touch someone; touch the side; touch your toes.
	If Neptune leaves out ‘NEPTUNE SAYS’ and players do the command, then they are out.

Variation: Neptune can tell players to do things around the pool with commands like these:

	duck dive;
	wriggle;
	seahorse swim;
	pepper jump (fast jumping);
	blast-off (crouch under water and spring);
	jellyfish (swing around with arms out);
	row (use both arms to paddle but keep feet firmly on ground);
	make up your own!!

Follow the Leader

	Aim: To follow the actions of the leader accurately.
	3 players or more.
	One player is selected as the Leader.
	All players are behind the Leader.
	The Leader makes different movements around the pool.
	All players copy the Leader and follow around the pool.
	After once around the pool, the Leader goes to the end of the line and the next player in line becomes the Leader.
	The game continues until everyone has had one turn.

Shipwreck, Crab & Clam

	Aim: To be the last couple in.
	6 players or more.
	One player is selected as the Judge, all other players select a partner.
	When the Judge’s back is turned, all partners make either a shipwreck, crab or clam shape.
	On the count of ten, the Judge calls out ‘Ready!’ and with back still turned says either ‘Shipwreck’ or ‘Crab’ or ‘Clam’. The Judge turns around and those players who have made that shape are out.
	I’he game continues until there are two players left.

Shipwreck: One player stands and places hand under the back of the floating partner.

Crab: One player piggy-backs the partner and the four arms are placed out like a crab.

Clam: Facing the Judge, partners place feet together, hold one hand and lean outward with all arms stretched.

Statues

	Aim: To be the last statue left,
	4 players or more.
	One player is selected as the Judge who stands out of the water.
	All players enter the water.
	When the Judge says ‘GO!’ all players must move around.
	When the Judge says ‘STOP!’ all players must freeze.
	The Judge then chooses the player who froze last; this player hops out of the pool and helps the Judge.
	The game continues until one player is left. This player is the new Judge.

Pass the Parcel

	Aim: To be caught with the quoit in your hand.
	5 players or more.
	Equipment: 1 quoit, ‘Commands’ sheet.
	Players stand in a circle.
	The Judge, who is not in the circle, says ‘GO!’.
	Players quickly pass the quoit underwater to the next player on their right.
	The Judge turns his/her back and says ‘STOP!’.
	The player caught with the quoit chooses a number between 1 and 20 (Sec the Pass the Parcel ‘Commands’ on the next page).
	The player caught with the quoit does the activity corresponding to the selected number and then rejoins the circle.
	This keeps going for two more than the number of players, that is, if there are 12 players it is done 14 times.
	On the last turn, the player who has the quoit is the winner.

PASS THE PARCEL COMMANDS

The player caught with a quoit in the hand chooses a number between 1 and 20 and does the corresponding activity.

Be like a:

1.Clever Seal and try to balance a ball on your nose.

2.Speedy Dolphin and swim to the end of the pool.

3.Bloated Puffer fish and bob around on the water.

4.Sweet Little Mermaid and dance happily.

5.Slow Whale and swim lazily about.

6.Rocking Seahorse and rock around the pool.

7.Wriggly Seaweed, move your arms like spaghetti.

8.Sly Shark and chase a friend.

9.Happy Starfish and float on your back.

10.Wonky Octopus and do a crazy octopus dance.

11.Waddling Penguin and waddle around.

12.Creepy Crab and sneak in and out of everyone.

13.Whopping Walrus and beg for some food.

14.Powerful King Neptune and make waves.

15.Mean Seawitch and cast spells on everyone.

16.Trumpet fish and make a tune underwater.

17.Stingray and swim along the bottom of the pool.

18.Slimy Eel and wriggle about without arms.

19.Colourful Clown fish and act like clown.

20.Mudskipper and try skipping through the water.

NB: A player may choose someone else to do the action with or the whole group does the action.

Swirlies

	Aim: To remain standing.
	6 players or more.
	All players stand joining hands in a circle.
	One player is selected as the Caller.
	On ‘GO!’ players move around in one direction together.
	After going around a few times, the Caller yells, ‘Back!’ whereupon all players stop and go the opposite direction without falling over.
	At the end of each turn a new Caller is chosen.

Stickyweed

	Aim: To be in the last two players left,
	6 players or more.
	One player is the Judge.
	All other players are spread out in the pool.
	On ‘GO!’ the players must move around the pool like swaying seaweed (Stickyweed).
	The Judge then says a number and a part of the body, such as, 4 elbows or 5 knees or 3 fingers. Players must find other players to place that exact number of body parts together.
	Players who cannot make that number are out and help the Judge.
	A new Judge is selected from the last two players in.

Relays

	Aim: To be the first team home.
	6 players or more.

General Rules:

	Divide into even teams. (A player left over can be starter & judge)
	The two halves of each team move to opposite ends of the pool.
	Tell all players the type of relay they will be doing.
	The Judge calls out ‘On your mark, Get set, Go!’
	One player from each team races to the other half of their team.
	Players must either exchange a watertube or quoit or tag with a hand before the next player can move.
	The first team to have all players complete their turn wins.

NB: Any relay can be the best out of three.

Relays

✵The Chain Relay

Use quoits to link up a team in a straight line. On ‘GO!’ teams race to the end of the pool together without breaking the chain.

✵Diamond Relay

A player must touch the four sides of the pool before the next player can go.

✵Seahorse Relay

In pairs, one player piggy-backs their partner to the end of the pool then they change places (the partner piggy-backs the player) and wade back.

✵Starfish Relay

In pairs, one player lies on their back with hands stretched out behind their head while the partner’s hand is placed under their back, like a waiter carrying a tray. They race to the other side of the pool.

✵Over/Under Relay

Teams form a line with legs apart and arms stretched out on top of the water. The last player swims under the legs then over an out-stretched arm, under legs and over an out-stretched arm until this player finally stands at the front of the line.

✵Dolphin Relay

Each team has a waterball. Using the nose, and without using hands the players must push the waterball to the other end.

✵Speleologists Relay

Each team stands in a line with their legs apart and touching the shoulders of the player in front of them. The last member swims under the team’s legs and stands up in front with the player behind touching their shoulders. The team with the first player to touch the end of the pool wins.

✵Collection Relay

Half the team is up one end of the pool. The first player races up and takes the next player’s hand. The two of them race down and take the third player’s hand. This continues until the whole team is connected and reaches the other end.

✵The Stingray Relay

Players swim along the bottom of the pool. Players who run out of breath surface and go under again.

✵Moray Eel Relay

Players wriggle through the water without the use of their arms.

✵Charlie Chaplin Relay

The first player of each team is given quoit to place between the knees and a watertube. The watertube is rotated like Chaplin’s walking stick.

✵The Jellyfish Relay

The first player balances a quoit on their head and wades to the other side. The quoit is taken off the head and given to the Second player. If a player drops the quoit they must pick it up and put it on their head before continuing.

✵The Olympic Relays

Either freestyle, backstroke or breaststroke races.

✵Penguin Relay

Players waddle, like a penguin, to the other side of the pool.

✵Crab Relay

Players wade sideways through the water.

✵Boat Race Relay

The first player is the ‘cox’. All other players form a line and hold onto the waist of the player in front of them. The cox takes the second player’s hand and drags the whole boat to the other end.

✵Turn the Turtle Relay

One player from each team goes to the far end of the pool. The second player swims up to the first. The second player stands and turns the first twice around while floating on their back. The first player returns while the second waits for the third player to come.

✵Walrus Relay

Players put their hands behind their backs and jump to the other end of the pool.

Water Volleyball

	Aim: To keep the balloon off the water,
	4 players or more.
	Equipment: 2 balloons.

NB: This is best done on a still day.

	Players are divided into two teams with a different coloured balloon for each team.
	On ‘GO!’ each team must stop their balloon from hitting the water.
	Players cannot hold onto the balloon.
	If a balloon goes outside the pool or touches the water, the other team wins.

WOCKEY

	Aim: To place the watertube on the quoit.
	4 players or more.
	Equipment: 1 quoit, 2 watertubes.
	Two even teams. Each team player is numbered 1, 2, 3, 4 and so forth.
	The quoit is placed in the middle of the pool.
	One team sits on one side of the pool and the other team sits on the opposite side facing their corresponding number.
	One watertube is placed on either end of the pool.
	The Judge calls out ‘3!’ and both number threes enter the pool racing to the opposite end to get their watertube.
	The first to place the watertube on the quoit gets one point. The team to get the most points wins.

What’s the Time Mr(s) Shark?

	Aim: Mr(s) Shark gets a feed.
	4 players or more.
	One player is selected as Mr or Mrs Shark.
	Mr(s) Shark stays at one end of the pool with back turned.
	All other players advance and say, ‘What’s the time Mr(s) Shark?’
	Mr(s) Shark turns around and says a time, such as, ‘4 o’clock!’
	If 4 o’clock, players advance four small steps only and ask the time again.
	Mr(s) Shark may say 3 o’clock and players advance three steps only.
	When Mr(s) Shark yells ‘Feeding Time!!’, all players swim back to the steps.
	Mr(s) Shark counts the number of players tagged and a new Mr(s) Shark is chosen.

Zinger

	Aim: To be the only player with a quoit.
	5 players or more.
	Equipment: 1 less quoit than players.
	One player is selected as the Judge.
	The Judge places quoits around the pool.
	Players move freely around the pool.
	On ‘STOP!’ players must get a quoit and place it on their heads.
	The player without a quoit is out.
	All players with quoit put their quoit back in the same place.
	The Judge removes another quoit from the pool.
	Players start swimming around again and the game continues until there is only one player left. The last player is the new judge,

Treasure Hunt

	Aim: To have the most jewels.
	2 players or more.
	Equipment: 4 jewels (quoits), 4 watertubes.
	Players choose a watertube each.
	The four quoits are placed at one end of the pool.
	On ‘GO!’ the players hold their watertube and race to scoop up one quoit with their watertube.
	The first to return the jewel is the winner.

Variation: If there are only two players, each player must scoop up two quoits in one go.

All you need for hours of fun in the sun is a swimming pool and this book.

Best Ever Swimming Pool Games explains how to play over sixty games which require little or no equipment. There are games for as few as two players and games that large teams can play.

This brightly illustrated book is a great resource for families, summer parties, schools and swimming instructors. Kids and adults will agree that there is no better way to exercise, develop water skills and enjoy time in the water.

From ‘Marco Polo’ to ‘Water Polo’; ‘Neptune’s Treasure’ to ‘Davy Jones’ Locker* there are endless summers’ worth of fun in these pages.