30 Best Swimming Pool Games for Kids & Adults

Swimming pool games to play in the summer provide fun for players of all ages. Filled with benefits, these activities improve overall fitness, encourage outdoor play, build confidence and improve fine motor skills.

Before selecting the best swimming pool games, take these factors into consideration:

• Number of players
• Ages and skill capabilities of each participant
• Equipment needed for proper playing time

Kiddie pool games are great for young children. Designed specifically for playing in kids' pools, kiddie pool games build important skill sets. These skill sets include confidence, fine motor skills, and hand-eye coordination. When playing with other children, these activities are ideal for encouraging social interaction. Here is a look at 30 games that you can play with kids, adults and families.

1. Buckets o' fun

Provide children with cups, buckets or unused water bottles of different sizes when playing in the kiddie pool. Encourage them to pour water from one container to another. This allows the child to see the different volumes of liquid the containers hold.

2. Obstacle course

Set up an obstacle course around the yard. Turn this into a pool game to play with kids by incorporating the kiddie pool or other outdoor play equipment in your yard. This is an ideal activity, whether playing alone with one child or when several children are present.

3. Slide time

When deciding on fun games to play in the pool for smaller children, slide time is always a winner. Set up a small slide going to the pool or select kiddie pools with slides built into them. Have the child roll toys, such as balls, toy cars and other items, into the pool. Make sure the items won't puncture the pool’s sides or bottom. Encourage the children to see the different splashes each toy makes. The child who makes the biggest splash is the winner.

4. Ball swim

Fill a kiddie pool with water to a safe level for the children who will take part in this pool game. Throw in play balls and allow the children to splash around and throw the balls to you or their playmates.

5. Rubber duck race

Allow each child to choose a different color or design duck. The child must blow or splash the duck from one side of the pool to the other without using touching it. The duck that crosses the finish line first is the winner.

Two-player swimming pool games encourage outdoor interaction even with smaller groups of people present. These swimming pool games are fun but also encourage confidence building and critical thinking.

6. Raft battle

Raft battle is a fun swimming pool game for adults and older children. Each player must select a different pool float for this game. The first player who falls off their raft is the loser.

7. Noodle jousting

Each player uses a water noodle to joust in noodle jousting. The player that knocks the noodle out of their opponent's hands first is the winner.

8. Dolphin

When playing dolphin, each player gets a beach ball. Using just their nose, the player must move the ball from one end of the pool to the other. If a player touches the ball with any other part of their body, they must start over. The first player to reach the other side is the winner.

9. Submarine

Two players stand next to each other in the pool when playing submarine. Each player must swim underwater for as long as possible before coming up for air. When the player comes up for a breath, that player must stand in the spot where they stopped swimming. The player that moves the farthest in the water before coming up for air is the winner.

10. Floating targets

When playing floating targets, you place plastic plates or Frisbees with different points written on them into the swimming pool. Players toss ping pong balls onto the flat surface of the plates or Frisbees to earn points. The player who accumulates the most points, wins.

There is a wide range of swimming pool games to play for groups of six or more. These activities encourage social interaction, build confidence and create memories for children and adults alike. Some of the best swimming pool games to choose from are perfect for above-ground framed pools and inflatable pools.

11. Splash dance

Splash dance is the swimming game version of musical chairs. Players splash and dance around pool floats throughout the pool while music plays. When the music stops, each player must hop on a raft. The player left without a float is out of the game. This continues until only one player remains.

12. Scavenger race

Write different points on golf balls and toss them into the swimming pool. Players must collect the balls. Add up the points to see who collected the most. When you have a large group playing, create teams for more fun.

13. Wet shirt relay race

Form two teams with the people who are taking part in the game. One player on each team puts on a T-shirt. That group of players must swim to the opposite end of the pool. When a player reaches the other side, they must transfer the T-shirt to another teammate. Repeat this pattern until there are no players left. The first team to finish is the winner.

14. Octopus

To play octopus, choose one person to be the octopus. That person must stand in the middle of the pool. The remaining players swim around the octopus. The player in the middle must tag other swimmers as they swim from one end of the pool to the other. Tagged players must join hands in the center of the pool with the octopus to form a line. This continues until there is only one player left.

15. Swimming pool balloon toss

Swimming pool balloon toss is an ideal game when you have eight or more players. Divide players into two teams. Give each team a beach towel to toss water balloons back and forth to other teammates, trying not to break them. The team that has the most remaining water balloons intact at the end is the winner.

16. Pool bottle

Fill an empty clear plastic bottle with water. Toss a bottle into the pool. Players must have their back to the pool when the tossing of the bottle occurs so that they don't know where it lands. The first player who finds the bottle is the winner.

17. Gator

Select a person to be the gator. This person must tread water at the deep end of the pool. All other players stand at the side of the pool. When the leader of the game yells "Gator," the players must jump into the pool, swim to the other side and get out within 30 seconds. The object of the game is to avoid getting caught by the gator when swimming.

18. Marco polo

When choosing pool games for adults and kids to play together, Marco Polo is a great option. Choose one player to stand in the middle of the pool. This person must keep their eyes closed while yelling "Marco." Other players will respond by yelling back "Polo." The person with their eyes closed must try to catch other players as they move around the swimming pool. The last person left is the winner and becomes the next person in the middle.

19. Pool categories

When playing pool categories, select one person to be the leader. This person stands at the opposite end of the pool. This leader chooses a specific category. Players of the game must think of something that is in the chosen category. When everyone has made their private selection, the leader must guess the players' choices. If the leader gets it right, the leader and other players race to the opposite side of the pool. Should the leader win the race, they remain the leader. However, if the competing player wins, they then become the leader.

20. Bobbing heads

To play bobbing heads, choose one person to stand in the middle of the pool with a beach ball. All other players go underwater for as long as they can hold their breath. When a player comes up for a breath, that player must remain standing for at least 10 seconds. The person standing in the middle must tag other players with a beach ball when they are above water.

21. Swimming relay race

When selecting fun games to play in the pool for players of all ages, a swimming relay race is a wonderful choice. This swimming pool game requires you to divide players into two teams. Each person on the team must swim back and forth across the pool. This player must tag another teammate to do the same. This pattern continues until every player on the team has taken their turn. The first team to finish the race is the winner.

22. Floating basketball

Position a basketball net in the swimming pool to play floating basketball. Divide players into two even teams. Players must try to score baskets for their team. The team with the most baskets or scores the set number of points chosen before the game starts, is the winner.

23. Beach ball volleyball

To set up a game of beach ball volleyball, position a net in the center of the pool. Divide all the players up into two teams. Using the same rules as regular volleyball, players must hit a beach ball using only their hands or head. When a team allows the beach ball to fall into the water or outside of the pool, the other team gains a point. The team with the most points, wins.

24. Frisbee

When playing Frisbee, divide players up into two teams. Give each team a side of the swimming pool. Toss a Frisbee back and forth from one team to the other. The team that drops the Frisbee the most, is the loser.

25. Floating ping-pong

Set up a floating foam table or paddleboard to use as a ping pong platform. Players must use a paddle to hit their ping pong ball across the platform. When a player's ping pong ball goes into the water, that player gets a point. With this water game, you want to be the player with the least number of points.

26. Water balloon volleyball

Water balloon volleyball requires you to place a net in the center of the pool. Divide all players into two teams. Fill water balloons to use in place of a standard volleyball when playing this game.

27. F.I.S.H.

Choose one player to be the leader when playing F.I.S.H. This person performs different tasks when in the pool, such as doing handstands or belly flops. Other players must mimic the actions. Players who cannot perform the tasks themselves receive the letter "F." The leader will then perform another task and repeat this pattern. The first player who spells out the word "F.I.S.H." is the loser.

28. Underwater singing

When playing underwater singing, choose one player to hum or sing a song underwater. The other players of this game must listen to the tune and guess the name of the song. The player who guesses the song correctly first is the winner.

29. Chicken fight

To play chicken fight, create teams of two. One player gets on the shoulders of their teammate. The object of the game is to knock other players into the water. The last team standing wins.

30. Dead fish

When playing dead fish, choose one person to stand in the middle and observe the other players. All other players must lay on their backs without moving. When caught moving, that player loses. The last person floating is the winner.

Fill the time spent with family and friends into making happy memories. Mix and match different swimming pool games for adults and children to fit the event or create new games with different sports equipment and pool accessories. Check out the fun swimming pool toys available to make pool games even more enjoyable.