F-I-S-H: Try the classic H-O-R-S-E basketball game poolside instead of on the court.
How to play:
1. The first player performs a task that the others must repeat.
2. If someone cannot perform the task, he or she earns the first letter in the word fish.
3. Whoever “spells” fish first loses.
4. To keep things fair, make a rule that players can only select a particular task once so that someone doesn’t keep repeating tasks that no one else can do.
Tip: You might need an objective judge to determine whether one’s stunt earns him or her a letter.
Duck Push: Give each player a rubber duck and line them up at one end of the pool. When you shout 'Go,' it's game on!
How to play:
1. Give each player a rubber duck and send them to one end of the pool.
2. Players must push their duck to the other end of the pool without using their hands.
3. They can push the ducks with their noses, blow on them, or bump them with their foreheads—whatever it takes to get them moving.
4. To make the game more challenging, players can “distract” each other by splashing water or trying to knock their ducks off course (remember, no hands allowed).
5. The first one to get their duck to the other end of the pool wins!
Treasure Dive: Turn your pool into a scavenger hunt adventure!
How to play:
1. Toss small weighted items or diving sticks into the pool and let the players dive to retrieve as many items as possible.
2. For an added challenge, set a time limit to see who can collect the most treasures before time runs out.
Tip: This game can also be a fun way to serve up party favors. Substitute weighted items for waterproof items like splash balls, small floats, goggles, squirt guns, and more!
Floatie Race: Play solo or create a relay race with two teams.
How to play:
1. Choose someone to be the referee.
2. Players get on their floaties and line up at one end of the pool.
3. When the referee yells “Go,” players race to the other end of the pool.
4. Players who fall off of their floaties are disqualified.
5. The first player there wins!
Number Finder: Prep for the game with 25 ping pong balls, a permanent marker, and two buckets.
1. Before you start, use the permanent marker and number each ball from 1 to 25.
2. Divide players into two teams.
3. Give each team a plastic bucket and have them move to opposite sides of the pool.
4. Throw the numbered ping pong balls in the pool.
5. Team members race to collect the ping pong balls and place them in their team’s bucket.
6. Players or teams can only retrieve one ball at a time.
7. When all the balls have been collected, each team adds the numbers on their balls.
8. The team with the highest score wins.
