Swimming Pool Games. 17 Best Pool Games for Kids

You can make this summer a special one for your family with these fun swimming pool games for kids.

When it’s heating up outside, kids will be looking for ways to cool off while they’re having fun. A swimming pool provides a perfect refuge against the heat, while also offering unlimited entertainment.

2 Player Swimming Pool Games

A collection of 2 player swimming pool games for kids.

1. The Dolphin Race

The Dolphin Race is an extra fun game for dolphin lovers.

To play, you will only need two players and any type of medium to large floating balls. Beach balls are an excellent choice for this game. You can have more than two players, but remember that each of the players will need their own ball. Here’s how to play the Dolphin Race:

  • Players start at one end of the pool with their ball.
  • When it’s time for the race to start, players use any part of their head to move the ball toward the other end of the pool. Just like a dolphin.
  • Any player who uses their hands, or any other body part, will have to go back to where they started and start over.
  • Whoever reaches the other side first wins.

2. Submarine Sweep

Submarine Sweep is a great and easy game for your imaginative kids. If the girls don’t care for submarines, you can just call the game Seal Sweep.

Submarine Sweep requires at least two players, but many more can participate. The game requires nothing except for the players and a swimming pool.

Here’s how to play Submarine Sweep:

  • Players stand side-by-side, facing the same direction.
  • When it’s time to start, the players will dive under the water and swim in a straight line for as far as they can.
  • When the players float up or come up to breathe, they stop where they are and stand up.
  • When everyone is standing, check to see who is furthest away from the starting point.
  • The winner is the player who swam the furthest while underwater.

3. Watermelon Push

Watermelon Push is one of the more challenging swimming pool games. It’s fun for both kids and adults.

In order to play Watermelon Push, you’ll need two people. You can also play with more than two people. At least two watermelons will be required. You’ll need more if you decide to have more than two teams.

Here’s how to play Watermelon Push:

  • The players all start at one end of the pool with their watermelon.
  • When it’s time to go, the players or teams will push their watermelons to the other side of the pool.
  • Players have to push the watermelon without touching the pool.
  • The player or team who reaches the other end of the pool first wins the game.

4. Noodle Raft Race

The Noodle Raft Race is a fun, challenging game that demands creativity from its players.

The game requires two players, duct tape, and at least twenty noodles. That means there will be ten pool noodles per player. Players can get more creative with their rafts if there are more noodles for them to use.

Here’s how to play the Noodle Raft Race:

  • Players construct their raft out of noodles and duct tape.
  • When the rafts are completed, players get on top of their rafts and line up at a starting point.
  • Players race to complete a lap around the pool.
  • If a player falls off of their raft, they have to go back to the starting point.
  • The winner is the first one who completes the lap without falling off of their raft.

5. Sharks and Minnows

An infographic explaining how to play the fun pool game sharks and minnows.

Sharks and Minnows is one of those classic swimming pool games that comes in many different forms. This version of Sharks and Minnows requires nothing but a swimming pool and a group of enthusiastic players.

How do you play sharks and minnows?

  • Pick one player to be the shark, the rest of the players will be minnows.
  • In the beginning, the shark is on one end of the pool, and the minnows are on the other end.
  • The game starts when the shark says, “Sharks and minnows. One, two, three. Little fishies swim to me.”
  • The minnows try to touch the wall of the pool at the shark’s end without being tagged.
  • The shark tries to tag as many minnows as they can.
  • The game is over once all of the minnows have either touched the walls or have been tagged.
  • The first person who was tagged is the shark of the next round.

6. F.I.S.H.

F.I.S.H. is the aquatic version of the P.I.G. game. You’ve probably heard of it. It only requires a minimum of two or more players and a swimming pool to play in.

Here’s how to play the F.I.S.H. game:

  • The youngest player does an action.
  • The other players will try to imitate the action.
  • Any player that can’t imitate a player’s action will earn a letter of the word fish.
  • The next youngest player will do an action. The next turn will go to the next youngest, and so on.
  • The first player to earn all the letters in fish is the loser.
  • It can be played until there is only one player left. That player will be the winner.

7. Ball Over Water

Ball Over Water is basically exactly as it sounds. It’s a game about keeping the ball in the air and out of the water. You’ll need a swimming pool, players, and a beach ball for each team. You can even play this game with only one person, but it’s much more exciting in a large group.

Here’s how to play Ball Over Water:

  • If there is a large group, break the players into two teams or more.
  • Give each team or player a beach ball.
  • Each team or player will keep the beach ball in the air as long as they can.
  • The player or team that keeps their ball in the air the longest is the winner.

8. Underwater Humming

This game is uniquely interesting because of its water setting. It’s an easy game for anyone who can dunk their heads underwater. You only need a swimming pool and two or more players.

Here’s how to play Underwater Humming:

  • All the players stand in a tight circle within the pool.
  • One player will be chosen as the hummer.
  • All the players will then sit with their heads submerged under the water.
  • The hummer will hum a popular tune.
  • When all of the players rise, they will guess the tune.
  • Every player who answers correctly is awarded a point.
  • The next player, clockwise from the current hummer, becomes the next hummer.
  • The process is repeated until everyone has had a chance to be the hummer.
  • At the end of the game, the player with the most points is the winner.

9. Float Race

For such a simple game, the Float Race is pretty exciting. You can have as many players that can fit in the pool and race. Each player will need a rideable float which you can get on Amazon.

Here’s how you play Float Race:

  • Players get on top of their floats and line up, side-by-side, at a starting point.
  • When it’s time to go, the players will paddle a lap around the pool.
  • If a player falls off their float, they will have to go back to the starting point.
  • The player who first completes a lap without falling off is the winner.

10. Underwater Hoop Pass

Underwater Hoop Pass is a simple game. You only need a couple of players and some underwater swim through rings.

Here’s how to play Underwater Hoop Pass:

  • Set up the underwater swim through rings in any formation. The rings can be adjusted if the course needs to be.
  • Each player will take turns diving in and swimming through rings.
  • Any player who can’t make it through all the rings in one dive is out of the game.
  • The last remaining player is the winner.

11. Spot the Bottles

Spot the Bottles is great for kids and adults. You can use any old clear plastic water bottles for this game. Take the plastic or paper covering off of the bottles before using them. Use white-capped bottles for a more challenging game.

If you want a less-challenging game for smaller children, then use colored-capped bottles. To play this game, you’ll need many clear bottles, players, and goggles for each player.

Here’s how to play Spot the Bottles:

  • Fill the water bottles with water.
  • Toss the water bottles into the pool.
  • Have the players dive in and find as many bottles as they can.
  • The player who finds the most bottles wins the game.

12. Splash Dance

This dance is sure to be a hit with the little girls. The boys might like it too! The kids can choreograph their own underwater dance. You only need the players and a swimming pool, but any decorative attire to enhance the dance.

Splash Dance can be played anyway the kids want. They can split into groups and have another judge the dances each group creates. Or they can all work together to create beautiful underwater dances.

13. What in the Sea

What in the Sea gives girls the chance to imitate all of their favorite cute sea animals. It doesn’t take a lot of effort to get this game going. You only need a swimming pool and two or more kids who would like to play.

Here’s how to play What in the Sea:

  • The youngest player is chosen to be the sea creature.
  • The player imitates any sea creature.
  • The rest of the players will guess at what sea creature is being imitated.
  • The players who answer correctly are awarded a point.
  • The next youngest player becomes the sea creature.
  • After everyone has had a turn at imitating a sea creature, the points are counted.
  • The player with the most points is the winner

14. Blue Scavenger Hunt

The Blue Scavenger Hunt is one of the perfect swimming pool games for adventurous boys. They’ll have a blast going on an underwater scavenger hunt. This game can take longer to clean up after, but it’s worth it.

For this game, each player will need goggles. It’s a good idea to have a water-proof scavenger list for each player, but it’s not necessary. You’ll also need many different items for the players to find and many more to hide the scavenger items.

Here’s how to play the Blue Scavenger Hunt:

  • Make a list of items for the players to find and make sure there is enough of every item that each player can find one. The items must be safe to put into the pool, and they should also sink.
  • Throw the scavenger items into the pool. Add more non-scavenger items to hind the scavenger items.
  • Give the scavenger list to each player and send them into the pool.
  • The players will look for the items on their list.
  • The first player to find all of their items is the winner.

15. Pirate Ships

You might think that this just a boy’s game, but Pirate Ships is one of those great girls and boys swimming pool games. All kids will love the chance to have a pirate battle with the Pirate Ships game.

Pirate Ships requires two players and two floats. The floats can be any sort of float that can be ridden by the players. The game also requires either noodles or large beach balls.

Here’s how you play Pirate Ships:

  • Each player starts at the opposite side of the pool, with the players sitting on their floats.
  • The players will begin to paddle towards each other.
  • When the players are in the range of each other, they will try to knock the other player off their float. They will do this either by throwing beach balls at the other player or knocking them off with a noodle.
  • Players are not allowed to touch the other player’s float. Anyone who does so will lose the game.
  • The player who knocks the other off first wins the game.

16. Marco Polo Swimming Pool Game

Marco Polo is incredibly easy to play. You only need three or more players. You can also use a blindfold, but it’s not necessary.

Here’s how to play Marco Polo:

  • One player is chosen to be “it.”
  • The chosen player will keep their eyes closed or be blindfolded.
  • The chosen player will try to tag the other player. The tagger can call out “Marco,” to which the other players have to reply with a “Polo.” The tagger will have to take the other players using the sound of their voice to find them.
  • Once the chosen player tags another player, the other player becomes “it.” The tagged player will now have to close their eyes and tag others.

17. Simon Says

I mean, at this point, there is no way you don’t know how to play this game, but just in case, here it goes.

How to play Simon Says:

The game itself has simple rules. Simply pick one kid to be Simon, and he needs to command the other group to do simple tasks like lifting your left hand above your head, or similar.

The trick is they group need to listen only if he starts his command with ” Simon Says “. If he doesn’t you should not move.

Sounds simple enough, but after a while, you get confuse .

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