Swimming Pool Games and Activities – 99 Best Party Ideas for Kids, Adults, and Family Fun

Last Updated on October 21, 2021

Summer is in full swing, your pool is a place for fun for the entire family, and you need some ideas for games you can play in and around the pool

Whether you are planning a pool party, a family get-together, or just summer days in the backyard pool – we have a super list of games and activity ideas for everyone.

We have a ton of games for kids that will keep everyone busy for hours upon hours.

We also have swimming pool games for adults that the entire family will enjoy too. We have ideas for all ages on this list of swimming pool games.

Here is our giant list of 99 Swimming Pool Games and Activities

Best Swimming Pool Games - Own The Pool

Water Balloon Volleyball

You’ve probably played a regular game of volleyball, but maybe not water balloon volleyball! This volleyball variation requires you to use a team of 2 people holding opposite sides of a towel to catch and fling the water balloon to the other side without bursting the balloon!

Floating Basketball

It’s just like a regular game of basketball, but with a twist! This giant basketball net floats, and you can choose to add up points like a regular game or use the point system displayed on the giant shootball floatie. There are a ton of basketball style games you can play in the pool!

Check out our best pool basketball hoops review for more great ideas!

Floating Ping Pong

Have you ever played ping pong in the pool? This table tennis game floats right on top of the water, and you are provided with two waterproof ping pong paddles that make it easy to play your favorite game in the pool.

Rubber Duck Race

It’s a rubber duck race from one end of the pool to the other. However, you can’t use your hands, and only your breath to blow the rubber duck across the pool surface. Whoever gets their rubber duck to touch the other end of the pool first wins!

Floating Cornhole / Beanbag Toss

That’s right, your favorite game of cornhole has been made for the pool, and now floats right on the surface. Use the provided waterproof beanbags to toss across the pool trying to make them into the cornhole.

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Marco Polo

It’s the classic swimming pool game, Marco Polo! One player is “IT,” and closes their eyes while swimming around. Each time they yell, “Marco!” all the other swimmers must yell, “Polo!” and the “IT” player must use their ears to find and tag all of the other players.

Diving Rings And Toys

If you want to provide a fun time for kids of all ages, try these diving rings and toys. You can create many variations of this game, but essentially the goal is for the kids to dive underwater and collect as many rings and toys as they can.

Swimming Relay Race

In this swimming race, players will split up into even-numbered teams (2, 4, 6, 8) and will swim from one side of the pool to the other. Once they touch the other side, their teammate will jump in and swim to the other side. The last player who touches the edge of the pool first wins the race.

Inflatable Volleyball

Instead of setting up a huge volleyball area across the entire length of the pool, use this floating volleyball net (with weighted anchors for each side) to play a fun game of volleyball in the pool without taking up the whole pool.

Handstand Contest

While difficult for many to achieve a handstand on land, it’s easy for anyone to do in the water! See who can hold a handstand in the pool the longest. The player who can keep their hands on the floor and feet above the surface the longest is the winner.

Inflatable Chicken Fight

You may have had a chicken fight before where the fighters get on the shoulders of their teammates and work to knock the opposing team into the water, but this one uses actual chicken floaties which makes it easy for even just two people to play. This also makes the classic chicken fight a safer alternative for kids and adults.

Musical Chairs

“Musical chairs” is one of those classic games that never gets old. Play this by the pool or on the lawn. Set up a circle of 5 chairs and 6 players (one more player than chairs), and start the music. When the music stops, the player who doesn’t sit in a chair is out. Keep removing chairs until there is one chair and two players left for the final round!

Floating Ring Toss

This ring toss game is fun in the pool and can be played with players in the pool or just outside the pool. Use this flamingo target and 3 floating rings to see who can toss the ring around the neck of the flamingo.

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Ping Pong Ball Collect

This game is fun for anyone, and especially for young children who want a simple game with not a lot of rules. Simply take a large number of ping pong balls and dump them in the pool. On “GO!” the players jump in the pool and try to collect as many ping pong balls as they can. Use buckets for collecting or see how many the players can hold.

Hotdog Battle Floating Jousting Set

Jousting games can be fun, but many find it difficult to play on noodles or floating logs, so use these floating hotdogs where the jousts are massive blow-up ketchup and mustard “bottles.” Whack the opposing player and the one who remains on the hotdog, in the end, is the winner.

(Human) Submarine Races

For this game, players will act as submarines and from one side of the pool, will swim underwater as long as they can. When they come up for air, they must remain in their place. The player who swam the furthest underwater wins!

Floating Water Frisbee

These Flying Frisbee Rings don’t hurt and fly straight. They are 80% lighter than your standard frisbee and can provide hours of fun with a variety of frisbee water games. Play a simple game of catch or use them for other aiming games as well.

Floating Tic Tac Toe Toss

With this floating tic tac splash set, you will use waterproof beanbags to toss over to a floating tic tac toe board. The aim of the game is to use the beanbags to spin the board to either an X or an O to get three-in-a-row!

Water Football

If you’ve ever played football or tossed around a standard football in the pool, you’ve come across how waterlogged the ball becomes. Remove your worries when you use the swimming pool football that is equipped with an inflatable inside with water-resistant fabric for an entire day of football fun in the pool.

Belly Flop Contest

There’s always someone who can do a belly flop better than everyone else. You can judge the belly flops on style, sound, or which belly flop gets the biggest splash.

Lawn / Floor Darts

For those who come to the pool party but don’t want to stay in the pool all day, here’s a lawn darts game called “Flarts” that you can play right near the pool. Just toss the floor darts at the mat on the ground and try to get the best score you can.

Inflatable Bowling

This inflatable bowling set is sure to put smiles on the faces of all the kids at your next pool party. Set up the bottom-weighted inflatable pins on one side of the yard, and use the huge inflatable bowling ball to try to knock them all down!

Categories

In this swimming game, one player stays in the center of the pool and chooses a category. The other players outside the pool on one side choose something within the category (like animals or colors or numbers from 1-10). When their animal or number or color is called, players will try to jump in the pool and swim to the other side before being tagged.

Underwater Singing (or humming)

Have you ever tried to sing or hum a tune underwater? With at least 2 players, everyone goes underwater, and one player sings or hums a song. Go back up to the surface, and whoever guesses correctly first wins and becomes the next singer.

Giant Checkers

This giant checkers game is sure to bring lots of joy to children and adults. Set this up near the pool and provide a game of checkers for those taking a break from swimming.

Giant Connect 4 Game

Another giant version of a classic game. Use this giant wooden 4-in-a-row game to provide some fun for those taking a break from the pool.

Giant Jenga / Tumbling Timbers

Have you ever wanted to build a Jenga tower to taller heights? Here’s a giant set of Tumbling Timbers that starts at 2.5 feet which you can build to 4 feet tall or higher!

Tug Of War

Use this tug of war rope for inside the pool or out. Get an equal number of players on each side and pull the opposing players across the middle marker in the pool or on the lawn to win.

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Bobbing Heads

Have you ever played whack-a-mole? This game is played where one player holds a beach ball in the pool while other players can be underwater or above water. But when their heads bob above the water, the “hammer” player throws a beach ball at the players. If a beach ball hits a player, they are out. The last player standing (or swimming) is the hammer next.

Limbo

Here’s a classic game that never gets old. Use this wooden limbo set to see how low you can go, and the player who can go the lowest wins.

Yardzee (dice)

Another giant version of an all-time favorite game, “Yardzee” instead of Yahtzee. Use these 6 giant dice to play the classic game near the pool and see who wins.

Swimming Pool Scrabble

This pool alternative to the classic scrabble game can be played with the normal scrabble tiles or your own larger self-made tiles using permanent markers and sponges. Players search the pool for letters and use their letters to craft as many words as they can either on the classic scrabble board or on their own.

YoYa Toss And Catch

Here’s a fun game that can be played inside or outside the pool. It’s the family favorite toss and catch game with tennis balls and velcro disc paddles. These velcro paddles from YoYa are the highest quality paddles that keep the ball stuck the best.

Outdoor Giant Dominoes

With a load of different games you can play, use this outdoor giant dominoes set to play whatever dominoes games you can think of. This is sure to put a smile on many faces.

Leaky Balloon Toss

Similar to hot potato, fill up a water balloon and use a pin to poke a few tiny holes in the balloon. As the water continues to leak out, toss the balloon from player to player until one player catches a fully deflated balloon.

Potato Sack Races

Sometimes the classics never get old. Use these burlap bags to start a potato sack race. With up to 6 players, see who can hop their way to victory the fastest.

Floaty Pong

This floaty pong set can be played by adults or kids, and uses 6 attachable floating rings on each side with points on them. Kids can toss ping pong balls into the rings to get the best score, and adults can use these perfectly crafted rings to insert drink cups inside to play the classic beer-pong game in the pool.

Freeze Tag / Popsicle

This classic freeze tag game is converted to “Popsicle” when in the pool. One player is “IT” and when another player is tagged, they must freeze and put their hands in the sky like a popsicle. Other players can tag them to unfreeze them. When all players are frozen, a new player is chosen to be “IT.”

Capture The Flag

You can play an all-time favorite of capture the flag right inside the pool. Put two flags at opposite ends of the pool. Players from each team try to capture the other team’s flag and bring it across the center line before getting tagged. To make this more challenging, players who are tagged while having the flag are “out” until the next game.

Water Balloon Fight

What would a pool party be without a water balloon fight? Use these 400+ instant self-sealing water balloons to make it easy to fill up water balloons quickly and easily. No more spending hours tying up the ends of water balloons, finally!

Slammo Spikeball Game

Spikeball has become a worldwide sensation, and this “Slammo” game set includes 3 balls, a net, a carrying case and the rules of the game. Use the net to bounce the ball to other players using only the palms of your hands.

Pop ‘N Catch Game

Children will have hours of fun with this pop and catch game. Get a set of 4 pop-launchers and 4 children to launch balls from one catcher to the other. Young children will love this.

Paddle Ball Game

Badminton can be quite challenging especially for younger kids, so use this paddle ball game with larger paddleboards and slow-moving birdies to make it easy for kids to play this favorite.

RC Boat Races

Use these remote-controlled boats and watch your kids have a blast. After 2 hours of charging time, you can use these boats for 20 minutes of continuous use which makes it easy to have many races that only take less than a minute to complete. Race from one end of the pool to the other or set up a course to go around.

Underwater Glider Games

These underwater gliders make underwater games so much more fun. This glider will glide, boomerang, and spiral up to 60 feet underwater for hours of underwater fun. You can play games like keep-away or aiming games underwater with these gliders.

Cannonball Championship

Sometimes cannonballs can be a nuisance to other swimmers, so why not set aside a few minutes of time to judge a cannonball contest? Cannonball lovers can get all their cannonballs out of their system during this contest, where you and others can judge on style, height, and splash.

Colors

In this game, players choose a color on the edge of the pool. The other player at the other end of the pool calls out a color, and if their color is called, they try to swim as quietly as possible. If the IT player turns around and you are off the edge they can chase you, but if you still have your hand on the edge they are out.

Deep-Sea Treasure Hunt (with coins)

Get a jar full of clean coins and scatter them across the pool. On “Go!” players will jump in the pool and try to collect as much money as they can. After counting, the player with the most coins wins (either a prize of your choosing OR the whole jar of coins!).

Beachball Race

You can have many variations of this game with different or additional rules, with the main objective of getting a beachball from one side of the pool to the other. Keep it above water, or below the surface, or only using your breath to get it to the other side.

F-I-S-H (similar to HORSE)

Using the classic rules for the HORSE basketball game, F-I-S-H requires players to imitate the swimming motions of the person before them. If you can’t imitate a motion then you get a letter until you spell “FISH.”

Inflatable Water Slide

This inflatable waterslide is sure to be the biggest hit of the pool party. The slide floats so it can be set up on the edge of the pool or even on top of the water.

Floatie Race

In this racing game, players on floaties get on one side of the pool. On “Go!” the players must get to the other side of the pool any way they can while remaining on their floaties. If you fall off your floatie you must start from the beginning.

Frozen T-Shirt Contest

This game is sure to bring lots of fun to your pool party. Soak a handful of t-shirts and freeze them into crumpled balls overnight. The game requires a team of players (or single players) to thaw out their shirt by any means possible (breathing on it, rubbing it, whacking it on the ground), where the winner is the first person to successfully put on the shirt.

Find The Water Bottle

This game is very much like finding a needle in a haystack. You won’t know how hard it is to find a full clear water bottle in a pool until you try. The one who finds the bottle (or the most bottles) wins the game.

Foam Water Blaster Soaker Water Fight

These water blasters will provide hours of fun for children of all ages. All you have to do is stick the end of the blaster in the water and pull the lever all the way back to load the soaker, then push the lever forward to blast water at your friends and opponents.

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Octopus

In this game, one player is in the center of the pool while others try to swim from one end to the other without being tagged. Once they are tagged, they hold hands and try to tag the other players. Whoever gets to the end wins and becomes the octopus in the middle.

Scavenger Hunt

In this underwater scavenger hunt, individual players or teams will search for sunken items at the bottom of the pool. They can only hold one item at a time and must drop the item in their basket at the edge of the pool before going back underwater to search for more.

Red Light Green Light

A fun game for all ages, red light green light is played with one judge outside the water. On “Green light!” players swim to the other side until they hear “Red light!” in which they must freeze in place. Those who don’t remain frozen are out, the winner is the first person to reach the end of the pool while following the rules.

Floating Beanbag Toss

Similar to the floating cornhole game, this floating beanbag toss features a floating bucket that you try to throw the bean bags and balls into. Play this in the pool or outside the pool.

Simon Says

Simon says is a classic game that can be played at any pool party. Do what one player (Simon) says, but only when they say “Simon says.” If a player does what Simon says without hearing “Simon Says,” they are out. Last player standing wins.

Keep Away

An easy game to play in the pool is “Keep Away,” where one person in the middle tries to get the beach ball or football while the rest try to keep it away. If the player in the middle touches the ball or touches a player while holding the ball, the game is over and the player touched or who threw the ball is now it.

Swim Through Rings

Use these swim through rings for a variety of games and activities. These underwater rings feature air chambers that allow you to adjust the height of each ring underwater.

Nerf Guns

Whether you are in the pool or around the pool, a good old-fashioned nerf gun fight can provide lots of fun to your pool party for kids of all ages. Get out your favorite nerf guns and have a blast.

Hacky Sack

Hacky sack can be played near the pool for those who don’t feel like swimming. This game is better for older kids and adults who can keep kicking the hacky around without it touching the ground.

Ladder Toss

Ladder toss is an outdoor game that is easy to learn and brings lots of fun in this skill-based throwing game. Throw the “bolas” in the air and try to get them to wrap around a specific rung of the ladder.

Hookey Ring Toss

For those who need a break from the pool, set up this “hookey” ring toss game on a post, a tree, or even on the ground. Toss rings at the hookey board and add up your points to try to win.

Watermelon Relay

The watermelon relay is fun for all ages and requires players to try to get a watermelon across the entire length of the pool without having the watermelon sink to the bottom. The heavier the watermelons the harder the game becomes!

Dolphin Relay

Using beach balls, players must get their beach ball from one side of the pool to the other only using their noses to push the beach ball across the water surface.

Floating Water Polo

This floating water polo goal makes it easy to get a full game of water polo going or just for two players to try to score against each other.

Paper Boat Race

With this paper boat race, players will use paper to build their boats, and will then attempt to blow their boats across the pool before they sink. The player who gets theirs to the other edge first (or who’s boat stays afloat the longest) wins!

Atomic Whirlpool

This can be a fun activity and the more the merrier! A group of swimmers will walk, then jog, then run in a circle to create a whirlpool! Try throwing items inside once the whirlpool is created.

Inflatable Water Wheel Races

These water wheels act like hamster wheels but are more difficult to maneuver than you might think. Try to get from one side of the pool to the other without falling into the pool.

Jump Rope Cup Of Water

It’s hard enough to jump rope but even harder to hold a cup full of water while jumping. See how many times you can jump in a row without spilling your cup of water.

Swimming Obstacle Course

You can set up the obstacle course in a variety of ways. Use underwater rings and floaties and beach balls and anything you can think of. Start the race and see who can finish the obstacle course the quickest.

Putt-Putt Golf

For those who need some time to relax from swimming, set up this putt-putt golf mat near the pool and allow party-goers to putt around.

Rollors Backyard Game

Rollors is a game that combines horseshoes, bocce ball, and bowling all in one. Use these numbered wooden discs for a variety of games at your next pool party!

Egg Spoon Race

Again, sometimes nothing can beat the classics. Here’s an egg and spoon race game set that includes spoons and wooden eggs to use for your next competition.

Swimming Pairs

This is a really fun game where teams of two race from one side of the pool to the other, however, one player must hold the legs of the one in front, and the front player uses their arms while the back player uses their legs to swim across.

Chuck The Duck

This game is about speed and strategy. You get a numbered chip, and on “Go!” you swim to find the same numbered duck. Return the duck to your chip, and then get back in the water to find Chuck the duck. The player who gets Chuck back to his numbered friend wins!

Waterproof UNO Splash

Play your ultimate favorite card game of UNO right in the pool with this waterproof Uno Splash card set. It comes with plastic cards and a clip to keep your cards together.

Number Crunch

Similar to collecting as many ping pong balls as you can, this takes the game to a new level where you number each ping pong ball and instead of counting the number of balls you collect, you add up the numbers. Make this even more challenging by only allowing players to collect one ball at a time.

3-Legged Race

This classic game requires using bands to tie one player’s right leg to another player’s left leg. They must work together to race to the finish line.

4-Legged Race

You’ve heard of the 3-legged race, but how about the 4-legged race? Use these special 4 legged race bands to work as a team of 4 people to get across the finish line before the other team.

Step Stones

This is a game for the long-legged people! Each player takes a turn to see how many steps it takes to get across the pool. Long strides help, and the player with the least amount of steps wins!

Balancing Game

In this pool-based balancing game, pick a floatie (Intertubes or donuts work best), and stand up on it. The last person that remains balanced above water wins.

Pling Plong Game

You read correctly, this game is called “Pling Plong,” and is the fast-paced ping pong game of skill, luck and strategy. Bounce balls into the opponent’s cups to eliminate them, but avoid the black cup which means you’re out!

Floating Bucket Ball

This game can be set up inside or outside the pool, where the aim of the game is to shoot the balls into the opponent’s buckets until all the buckets are gone. This is a super-sized version of beer pong.

Keep The Cotton Ball Dry

How hard is it to keep a cotton ball dry in the pool? Extremely hard. Try to get a cotten ball from one end of the pool to the other without getting it wet.

Diving For Words

Write words on diving rings or sticks, and call out words for players to search for at the bottom of the pool. The player with the most words in the end wins!

Velcro Ball Dart Board

Use this velcro dartboard and these velcro balls to have a blast inside or outside the pool. Set this up on the ground, on a floatie, or onto a tree or post to see who can the most points.

Rubber Horseshoes

Here’s a safe horseshoe alternative for kids. Use this rubber horseshoe set to teach kids horseshoes allowing them to play in a safe and easy-to-play way.

Noodle Raft Race

In order to make this work, you’re going to need a lot of pool noodles! Allow kids to create their own raft using pool noodles, and see who can get across the pool the fastest.

Flying Frisbee Aim Game

This 2-in1 frisbee game set allows you to use a net or a bottle balanced on a post to try to aim and win in this flying frisbee game. You can replace the frisbees for balls or bean bags and get the same effect.

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Ping Pong Splash Herding

In this game, you will dump a ton of ping pong balls into the water. Then, players will choose a wall or are of the wall, and will attempt to use only splashing water to get their balls to their area of the wall. When a ping pong ball touches their wall, only then can they remove the ball from the water and add it to their basket. Whoever has the most in the end wins!

Knock Down The Cans

Based on the classic carnival game, use this party game set to set up cans and see how many each player can knock down with one, two or three throws of the provided beanbags.

Underwater Swim Ring Competition

Use your underwater swim rings and other sinking toys to see how many rings you can swim through. You can make it more difficult by requiring a sunken toy to be collected in order to win.

Pirate Ships

In this game, remain on your floatie until the end to win. Players cannot touch other people’s ships, but can use noodles and beach balls to try and knock them over. Last player that remains on their floatie wins.

Molkky Wooden Stick Throwing Game

Originating in Finland in 1996, this wooden stick throwing game uses 12 numbered sticks and one throwing stick to try to get the most points. A fun game for poolside activities.

Cardboard Boat Race

If you have a bunch of cardboard and duct tape, this can prove to be a fun activity for all ages. Allow players to create their own boat or raft out of cardboard and tape only, and see who can get across the pool first without sinking.

Get some games going at your next pool party!

You don’t have to play every single game, but think about the people who will be attending your upcoming pool party, and pick out at least a few of these games and activities that you think would they would find fun and entertaining. If you know some kids don’t enjoy being in the pool for long periods of time, make sure you have something they can play near the pool instead of in it. For those who can’t swim very well, make sure you set up some games in the shallow end of the pool to make sure every party attendee has fun! 

You will surely have a blast with these swimming pool games!

Photo by au_tiger01