Easy Pool Games – 11 Fun Games For The Family

Last Updated on October 20, 2021

Longer days and climbing temperatures make summer a time to get creative with entertainment.

Without a few tricks up your sleeve it’s tempting to default to indoor screen time, or feel pressured to spend a ton of money just to keep your family happy.

The good news is if you are smart with how you use your pool you don’t have to do either.  Whether you are throwing a kid’s party, hosting an event, or just trying to relieve boredom, this list of easy pool games will have your crew entertained throughout the summer.

The good thing is, most of these pool games need few to no materials to play. The best thing is, if a game calls for materials, you can always reuse them. So, read on to find fun and easy pool games for the whole family!

Easy Pool Games for Kids

Duck Push

If you are looking for an exciting game for both players and spectators, Duck Push will do the trick. Participants line up at one end of the pool with a rubber duckie. The first person to sail his or her duck to the other side wins.

Of course, there’s a catch!

No one is allowed to use their hands!

You’ll enjoy seeing what they come up with to get across. Some might use their nose, forehead, breath, or any number of ways to sail their rubber duckie. Since the ducks’ sailing paths can be unpredictable, I recommend using a variety of styles so players don’t confuse their ducks if they cross paths.

As a bonus, these can double as a gift for guests to take home if you are throwing a party!

These Beach Rubber Duckies are a perfect choice. These are a fantastic value for the money and make a fun gift.

Beach Rubber Duckies - Set of 12 Fun Hawaiian Rubber Ducks for Car Decor and Tiki and Luau Party Favors
  • These rubber duckies are the ones for your luau or beach party. Dressed in flower leis and other tropical attire, these sunny vinyl duckies make cute gifts for any beach bum. Add them to your Hawaiian...
  • Set of 12
  • Size: 2"
  • Duckies do not float upright.

Invisibottle

The simplicity of this activity makes it a winner!

This is another easy pool game that your kids can play.

All you need is two empty and cleaned disposable plastic bottles. Fill the bottles with pool water and toss them in. Participants then swim to the bottom, searching for the “invisible” bottles.

The first to emerge wins!

A great feature of this game is that since it requires little preparation, kids can play it over and over.

A little advice—use a clear, untinted bottle and light-colored cap.

Pool Noodle Joust

Pool noodles are one of the most versatile pool toys you will find.

On Sale Now!
Oodles of Noodles Foam Pool Swim Noodles, 52 inch (5 Pack) - multicolored
  • More Than Just Swimming - These foam noodles can be used for DIY projects or arts & crafts. They are excellent for padding, safety guards, or as creative child toys. Easily cut with common kitchen...
  • Durable & Strong - These premier pool noodles provide awesome flotation for endless uses whether you're in the pool or the lake. The soft, but firm foam allows for lasting use from even the most...
  • Standard Sized Noodles – Be the life of any party or gathering with these noodles. Due to the manufacturing process the actual length can vary slightly (+/- 2"). Oodles of Noodles pool noodles are...
  • Recreational Use Only - These pool noodles are not a lifesaving device. These pool noodles are a toy and not meant as a flotation device for kids or adults.

Add a pool float or raft and you have the perfect set-up for Pool Noodle Jousting.

The premise is straightforward. Two players steady themselves on some sort of floatation device with a pool noodle in hand. At the start, they whack each other with the pool noodles until someone falls in.

This game is always entertaining and gets big laughs!

Underwater Scavenger Hunt

This game is a perfect pool game if you are throwing a party.

There is some versatility here in how to play. Find sets of unique objects that sink to the bottom of the pool, such as spoons, rocks, or coins for the first option. Call out each item for kids to search for at the bottom of the pool.

This is great for keeping kids occupied during summer break without having to spend extra money.

The second option is to toss in a set of diving toys for players to retrieve. These toys can double as party favors at your next pool party. Each party-goer is told what to retrieve until all guests have an assortment of items to take home.

On Sale Now!
Cakuni Underwater Swim Pool Diving Toys - Summer Swimming Dive Toy Sets - Water Rings,Sticks,Octopus,Torpedo Bandits & Balls for Kids
  • ♥All-In-One Diving Pool Toys Set : 4 Diving Rings, 4 Diving Sticks, 4 Funny Faced Octopus, 4 Numbered Torpedo Bandits, 4 Aquatic Dive Balls. These underwater toys will bring your kids the Greatest...
  • ♥Safety & Non-Toxic : These dive toys are made of 100% Non-toxic ABS material. The Smooth Edge Design ensures your kids won't get hurt when gripping and The Colorful Design helps your kids to easily...
  • ♥Easy to Carry : these diving toys come with a free Storage Bag, super easy to carry them around the bathtub, swimming pool, beach sea and ocean. Perfect for party favors, outdoor activity and...
  • ♥Ideal Gift to Kids : Simply throw the dive toys into the pool, wait kids to dive into the water and go-in-after them! Some sink into the pool, some float on the surface while others stand up on the...

Ping Pong Scramble

If you are looking for a game to burn time and energy, look no further than Ping Pong Scramble.

On Sale Now!
TADICK 100 Pack Beer Ping Pong Balls Plastic Multiple Color Table Tennis Ball
  • A Little bounce
  • Great for Arts and craft programe.
  • Ideal for party ,carnival,decoration,beer pong
  • 40mm PP material, Set of 100 assorted color plastic balls. TADICK is a Registered Trademark of great -store.

The simplicity of this activity is perfect, so it will take minimal planning. You’ll need a large quantity of ping pong balls and a permanent marker. Give the balls a numeric value starting with 1 up to 20. Having multiples of the same number is ok. Divide your players into teams and toss the balls into the pool. The teams will compete to retrieve the balls into their buckets.

Competitors are limited to removing one ball from the pool at a time, but sequential order is not important. After they have retrieved all ping pong balls, add up the numbers on the balls to total the score.

Fun and Easy Pool Games for the Entire Family

Basketball or Volleyball

For those who enjoy entertaining, investing in a basketball hoop is an excellent idea.

This versatile 2-in-1 set is fun for swimmers of all ages! Whether you are playing a competitive scorekeeping game of volleyball or showing off your slam-dunking skills, this set easily transforms to allow you to do both.

On Sale Now!
SwimWays 2-in-1 Pool Sport Combo Set - Volleyball Net & Outdoor Basketball Hoop For In- & Above Ground Pool, Outdoor Games for Adults and Family
  • 2-IN-1 SWIMMING POOL ACCESSORIES : The SwimWays 2-In-1 Volleyball and Basketball Swimming Pool Game Set brings a little competition to your water fun in your inground or above ground swimming pool
  • NO ASSEMBLY: Enjoy backyard games with family and friends in no time! This outdoor play equipment requires no tools for assembly and has 2 heavy-duty bases to fill with water or sand for stability
  • INCLUDES: The volleyball net expands up to 24 feet and the basketball net makes for a slam dunkin' good time; Both pool games come with a pro-style volleyball and basketball and an inflation needle is...
  • MULTI-PLAYER: Show off your skills in the water and get a group of pals together to play some fun games of volleyball and basketball with this sports & outdoor play toys set

Fill the bases with water for stability, attach the proper net for your game, and start playing! The kit is weatherproof, so you can leave it assembled for as long as you will get frequent use out of it.

Best Pool Basketball Hoops – Top Picks for 2020

At the end of the season, empty the bases and store away until next year. 

Belly Flop/Cannon Ball Contest

If you’re looking for a good laugh, you’ll find it in a belly flop contest! Kids and goofballs alike will love taking part in this classic pool game.

The premise is simple.

Before playing, make sure you allow plenty of space to prevent injury. Competitors gather poolside while each person, one-by-one, shows off his or her best belly flop. The person with the best reaction, whether it be laughter, applause, or cringe, wins!

Are your friends and family not loving the idea of doing a belly flop? Try cannonballs as a variation. Players will experience less sting, but still make a big splash.

Cardboard Boat Races

Not only is this pool game fun for the entire family, but it is a wonderful lesson in physics!

Divide participants into groups. For this activity, groups of about 2-4 is ideal. All you need is cardboard boxes (moving box quality), scissors, and packing tape. These items are used to construct a boat big enough to hold a person or two. Use as much cardboard and tape as you wish.

The only catch is you may only use tape at the seams! After you have constructed your cardboard boats you will get inside and race them across the pool!

For an extra challenge, groups can paddle their boats with cardboard constructed oars, or players can paddle with their hands.

This easy pool game is both fun and terrifying since no one believes the boats reliably float. The sailors with the fastest race time win!

Regardless of the outcome of the race, this activity is sure to delight the entire family.

Shoulder Wars

This pool game has been a favorite for decades.

You don’t need any props, so if you are looking for a spontaneous way to amuse everyone this will be a hit! Competitors pair up in teams of two. One person sits on the other person’s shoulders and the opposing teams square up in the pool. The objective is for each top player to wrestle each other until one team topples over. 

The last team standing wins!

Floating Frisbees

Another choice for casual or competitive play is Floating Frisbees.

No products found.

Just grab some frisbees and toss them in a pool rim side up. Assign each frisbee a point value with a permanent marker if you are planning a competitive game. Give the players a beach ball, ping pong balls, or other lightweight balls to toss into the frisbees from a reasonable distance. The object is to catch the ball on the frisbee.

This game becomes even more fun since the frisbees become moving targets as swimmers move around in the water.

Dive-in Movie

Ok, so watching a movie isn’t playing a game, but who doesn’t love an outdoor movie night?

If you can get your hands on a movie projector, the rest is easy! Hang a sheet taught and fill the pool with floats to create a night to remember. 

More Easy Pool Games for Your Pool Party

Read our Ultimate Guide “99 Swimming Pool Games and Activities” for a plethora of ideas.

Final Thoughts on Pool Games

Don’t let lack of inspiration rob you of precious time with your family. With a variety of easy pool games to choose from, parties will run smoothly and kids will stay occupied all summer.

No one wants to make memories of fighting over screen time, or fretting over finances. Instead, use these ideas to remember a summer spent laughing and having fun with your whole family.

Photo by Joe Shlabotnik

Leave a Comment