Coolest Kid Pool Party Games
Many of the ideas for pool party games on this page have been graciously submitted by visitors like yourself. If you've got any cool ideas to add, take a moment and submit them using the form below. You'll be taking part in creating the Web's ultimate kid birthday party resource that's ALWAYS FREE for everyone to enjoy!
For these pool party games, you'll need a... pool. If you don't have one, you can try renting the community center's pool or taking the party to a nearby lake (if you're lucky enough to live near one.).
But don't worry. If there's no large body of water in your vicinity, you can opt to choose these excellent water games that don't require a pool ;-).
And, of course, if you're throwing a Wet-n-Wild party, here are some of the coolest Wet-n-Wild theme party ideas.
Word of caution: Before the kids jump in, there are several things to take in account when preparing pool party games. Safety is the most important thing to consider. Always maintain a high adult-to-child ratio, while not forgetting that the younger the kids are, the more adult supervisors you need. Try to minimize diving and jumping into the pool; simply keep the games in the water. And have everyone drinking like camels and using sun block.
Crossing the River
String two ropes the length of the pool and divide the group of kids into two teams. You will need two "rafts" (anything that the kids can float on, preferably keeping somewhat dry, but not that stable…). Then split each team in two and put each sub-group facing each other on opposite sides of the pool (standing next to the rope).
The first kid in line from each team must climb onto the raft, pull the raft to the other side using the rope, climb off and let one of the team members on the other side do the same. Continue with the others. The first team to finish OR the team with the least wet team members win.
Pinata
Yes, you can even incorporate the classic Pinata into your pool party games. Make your own pinata full of little water gifts such as sunglasses, squirt guns, swimming goggles, etc. (Here are directions for making a pinata). Hang the pinata over the pool and have the kids hit it as they jump in.
Long Jump
Have all the kids line up behind the diving board. Be the judge yourself or assign someone to be the judge (the judge should be in the water so they can have a clear look of what is happening). The judge puts a small floatie (should be something fairly soft) about a foot away from the diving board, and each player has to jump over it. After everyone has had one turn, the judge moves the floatie out another foot. You're out if you touch the floatie while trying to jump over it. The furthest jumper wins.
*Remember to submit your own pool party games below...
Dog Race
This race is for youngsters that can swim the dog paddle (just like a dog). Line all the kids up on the edge of the pool and whistle when everyone is ready. The kids jump in and begin to dog paddle to the other side, get out, and bark three times. First one to finish wins.
Jumping Jellyfish
For this pool party game, have all the kids stand at the edge of the deep end and choose someone to be "IT". IT then tries to make the players laugh, and each time they laugh IT gets to push them into the water. The last person who doesn't laugh can either be IT or choose someone else to be IT.
Treasure Dive
Divide the kids into two teams and have each team stand on a different side of the pool. Then go to the middle of the pool and toss in a bunch of treasures (it can be things that float and also things that sink). See which team can bring back the most.
Cannonball Splash
In this game, the kids compete to see who can make the biggest splash. Divide the kids into two groups - one for the cannonballs and the other group as a team of judges. The cannonball group line up behind a diving board and have to make the biggest splash to get the highest vote. The judges are the voters and give each person a vote out of ten. (An adult is needed to decide what the majority of the judges want to give each person). Tip: don't forget to have your cameras ready!! This is an amazing opportunity to take a picture of each kid right when they are about to splash. You can send each kid their picture when sending out the thank-you cards.
Tug-O-War
Just put a rope across the pool and whichever team loses falls in like dominoes.
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Pool Party Games Contributed by Other Visitors
Click below to see contributions from other visitors to this page...
Musical Pool Party Game This game is to be played just like musical chairs but in the pool. Instead of using chairs you use pool toys and take 1 pool toy away each time.
Bucket Race There are 4-6 teams. Each team has a cup, and is close to the pool or some other body of water. Opposite the teams are buckets. Each person takes turns ...
Water Balloon Bust
You will need small water balloons for this game.
Split into two teams, and give each team a bucket of small water balloons.
On the mark of "GO"...
Dibble Dabble Pool Game Go inside and ask your parents for a clear water bottle cap. Then grab a couple of your friends to play. What you do is one person jumps in the pool and ...
Wet T-Shirt Pool Party Game You divide into 2 teams. You take a wet t-shirt for each team. On the mark of 'Go', the kids put on the t-shirt (swimming with a t-shirt on is harder ...
Waterballoon Dodgeball Game Choose a person to be IT. IT starts out with a whole lot of water balloons which he/she tries to throw at everyone. Every person who gets hit has to help ...
Water Balloon Toss
Objective: Try to catch water balloons! With each successful catch move further and further apart.
Rules: Pair off players into groups of two and ...
Water Bomb Pool Party Game Fill lots of balloon water bombs and place them in the pool. I bought a packet of 100 for $2.On go, kids jump in and collect as many as they can hold (without ...
Whirlpool Pool Party Game one person is chosen to stand in the middle of the pool, and everyone else stands around the edges. On "GO" everyone on the edges starts running around ...
Marco Polo - Pool Party Game
Now, Who hasn't heard of Marco-Polo?
This is a traditional pool game in which the person who is it (or Marco) closes their eyes and shouts "Marco!". The ...
The Slippery Watermelon Pool Party Game Apply baby oil to a watermelon. Put the watermelon in the middle of the pool. The first child to jump in, retrieve the watermelon and bring it back to ...
Colors - A Pool Party Game
1st, choose someone to be "IT". The person who is it stands on the edge of the pool (so they are ready to jump).
2nd, the players that are not "IT" are ...
Duck Race Pool Party Game To play this fun pool game, provide a plastic floating duck for each pool party guest. Have players line up at one end of the pool with their ducks in ...
Categories - A Pool Party Game one person is "it" and the other people are on the other side of the pool. The person who is "it" shouts out a category (ex. fruit). Then they start saying ...
Chicken Fall Pool Game You will need pairs of two. One kid will be sitting on top of the other's shoulders (this takes place in the shallow or mid-deep end of the pool so that ...
Stacking Turtles Pool Party Game
For this pool party game you need large-sized inflatable pool toy(s) - the more people, the bigger the toys should be.
Each person must swim to the ...
Fashion Show Dives Have the kids step on to the diving boards and do a fancy walk then they must dive there best dive. The judge decides who wins the diving fashion show....
Volley Ball Pool Party Game
You need a net and you will need a soft ball which is big.
Have everyone split into 2 groups.
One team starts, hits the ball over the net, the opposite ...
Hide And Go Seek In The Pool There is one person counting on the ladder and the other people are hiding in the pool. You can first hide behind the ladder underwater or take a big floating ...
Drip Drip Drop Pool Party Game Play this game just like duck duck goose, only use a cup or small pitcher of water. Kids stand in a circle in the shallow end, the person who is it drops ...
Beach Ball Pool Party Race
You need 2 beach balls.
Divide kids into 2 teams and have them form a line out side of the pool, throw the beach balls in the water and yell 'GO'... the ...
Sitting On Beach Ball Pool Party Game
The rules of the game are simple.
This is best played in the shallow end or in a big paddling pool.)
Inflate a big beach ball and hold it under ...
Sharks And Goldfish Pool Party Game Pick one place in the pool to be the cave. Then have one or two people (depending on how many people is at the party) be the sharks and everyone else ...
What Time is It Mr/Mrs. Fox Pool Party Game
There’s a Fox and then the rest of the guests are critters.
The critters will stand on the edge of the pool (shallow end) and call out to the Fox who ...
Seahorse Pool Party Races
Divide the kids into 2-3 teams and hand each team 1 noodle and have them race from one side to the other by bouncing up and down on the noodle.
The ...
Rope Walking Pool Party Game Duck tape (or do whatever you can) to make 4 ropes fastened to opposite sides of the pool (either the width or length of the pool). It's best to tie the ...
Mermaid Swimming Pool Party Game Have each child line up behind each other to get ready to take a swim. Each child will have to see who can swim the most like a mermaid or merman. You ...
Make A Chain Underwater Pool Party Game Use links (like the Discovery Toys Boomering Links), throw a bunch into the pool for each child. Ask them to make the longest chain they can UNDERWATER ...
How well do you know me pool party game
1. You choose someone to be IT.
2. The person whom is IT has to ask questions about him/her self.
3. If you think you know the answer you jump into the ...
Ping Pong Pool Party Game This game is fun and simple and is great for people of all ages. To play, somebody must be chosen to be the describer. The person chosen will then sit ...
White Horse Pool Party Game You get all the kids in the pool party to stand around the perimeter of the pool's deep-end. The bystander will then call words like "white house" or "black ...
Sharks Guessing Pool Party Game One person is it and they are the shark. Everyone else is a person. The shark goes under water for 15 sec and all the rest of the people try to hide outside ...
Survival Pool Party Game Two players both sit on a small raft. They each hold a noodle and try to get each other off the raft using only the noodle. The winner plays the next player....
Search for the Toothpick Pool Party Game Have all the children stand around the pool. Have everyone turn around (not facing the pool). Have a grown up throw a tooth pick in the water. Wait a minute ...
Surf-O-Rama Pool Party Game
There doesnt have to be teams for this game.
All the kids get a regular pool noodle. Then, every kid gets a chance to make up rules on how to surf ...
Through The Ring Pool Party Game The players must swim through a bicycle tire/hula-hoop as many times as possible within 2 minutes. Whoever swims the most times within 2 minutes, wins....
Watermelon Pool Party Race Split everyone into 2 teams. Have half of each team go to the opposite side of the pool. The first person swims with the watermelon then hands it off to ...
Plop Pool Party Contest You all line up on the side of the pool and each one takes a turn of jumping into the pool. Have a judge who will decide who made the loudest "plop" sound ...
Jump Or Dive Pool Party Game An adult, or a team captain (whichever you prefer) will stand by the side of the pool. Then the other kids will line up by the deep end. One by one, they'...
Find The Colored Pebble Pool Party Game
One person throws two rocks for each of the teams to find.
(Two Teams), every ones eyes have to be closed. The person who throws the pebble will say ...
Shoot The Enemy Pool Party Game You play 'shoot the enemy' simply by taking army men or any small figures, line them all around the edge of a pool, and shoot them with a foam dart gun....
Movie Initials Pool Party Game You divide everyone into 2 teams. Each team gets on opposite sides of the pool. One team says the innitials of a movie (ex: B.A.T.B.); then, the other ...
Human And Fish Pool Party Game Someone is Human and everyone else Fishes. There are items that float in the pool. The Humans have to try and catch the Fish. To do this, the Human stand ...
Teacher And Student Pool Party Game
Teacher is a fun game I play with my friends all the time.
One person is the 'Teacher', all the rest are 'Students'. The Teacher stands in the middle ...
Jail Break Pool Party Game Jail break is played with one person as the guard and all the rest are prisoners in jail (one side of the pool, in the pool). The prisoners go to the wall ...
Trick Plunge Pool Party Game Have each kid jump off the edge of the pool into the water, but while there in the air have them do a trick like the "tornado" or the "pencil". Have an ...
Colors And More Pool Game One person stands in the middle of the pool (with their eyes closed), and then all of the others players stand at the wall of the pool (while they are ...
Farthest Jump Pool Party Game Basically this is an easy game, but really fun. The people playing have to jump into the pool and see who jumps out the farthest.
Water Balloon Crossing Pool Party Game It is played with 2 or 3 groups of kids (each team has the same amount of players). They can line up by their height (or let the kids choose who is first,...
Marco Polo Group Pool Party Game Okay, so you divide all the kids into teams, one team is 'Marco' and one team is 'Polo'. Have each team stand on separate sides of the pool. Make sure ...
You May Cross Pool Party Game First you figure out who is it. Then that person who is it stands in the center of the pool. The others playing go to one end of the pool. The person who ...
Balloon Color Dive Pool Party Game Each player gets one balloon and each has a different color. Someone needs to be "IT". Give the 'it' a paper with all the colors. When it calls the color ...
Pool Water Balloon Party Game
First make sure there are NO alligators in the lake!! ;-) (I played this in a lake, but you can also play this in a pool).
Divide the kids into even ...
Pop the Balloon Pool Game
This can be done out of the pool as well, but is also fun in the pool.
Every kid gets a blown up balloon while they're in the pool. All the kids then ...
Rock Paper Scissors Pool Game This is a simple game. Two people on a round tube at a time. They play 'Rock, Paper, Scissors". The loser falls from the tube into the water :-). Not a ...
Underwater Guessing Pool Game
One person goes underwater and acts out an animal. Other players go underwater with Goggles and watch.
They then try and guess what the animal was.
Piggyback Wrestlers Pool Game So you have two teams of two, one person from each team sits on the other teammate's shoulders. Then the two teams go up next to each other and the battle ...
Team Floaters Pool Party Game There are 2 teams. Each team is split in half (one half will be on a big floatable mat and the other half of the team will be in the water surrounding ...
Ball Passing Pool Party Game
9 players per team
1) Pass the ball to any of your members who are not defended.
2) Try to score as many goals as possible (each team has their side ...
Coins Everywhere Pool Game
Get everyone to stand outside the pool in different spots (on the edge) and toss in coins.
Once all the coins are at the bottom of the pool, call out ...
Sharks Fish And Hurricanes In this game you have to divide the kids into 2 groups. Pick one kid from each group to be a shark then all the others are fish. If the shark catches you ...
Duck Duck Splash Pool Game "Duck Duck Splash" is the same as "Duck Duck Goose" but instead of 'goose', you splash and swim around the circle. If you get tagged, the person who tagged ...
Floating Apples Pool Game You have all the kids stand around the pool and have apples in the middle of the pool. On the count of 3 everybody jumps into the pool and has to swim ...
Answer Correctly Or Walk The Plank Group all the kids together. One of them has to be the one who asks the questions. He or she has to pick someone and ask them any question. If they answer ...
Rubber Duck Race Kids push rubber ducks (or floating balls) across the pool using only their noses. Another version is that they use their breath by blowing on the rubber ...
STAR Pool Game In this game, there is one person that is "IT." The "IT" stands at the opposite end of the pool from everyone else. They pick a movie and tell the other ...
Shaving Cream Shoot-Off Split the kids up into groups of two. One of the kids from each group puts shaving cream on their face (as if they're shaving their face). The kids without ...
Sea Horse Pool Race Each kid gets one noodle (those long circular floats that you can sit and float in the water with) and sits on it like a sea horse. They then have to ...
Holding your Breath Underwater Send all of the kids in the pool on the count of three; on three they go under the water. Whoever holds their breath longest, wins.
Pick and Jump Pool Game To play, you need 4 or more kids (and it is even more fun with more). To start, you need a ring or other floatie that the person that is "IT" can sit or ...
Crab Pool Party Game For this game you need a minimum of 3 players. One person is the "Crab" and the other people swim beneath the crab. If the swimmer touches the Crab then ...
Jumping Jelly Beans Pool Game One team is in the water and one team is on the edge. The people on the edge have to jump up as high as they can. The people in the pool have to judge ...
Diving Board Trick Contest It really doesn't matter how many people you have, just more than 3. One person is the judge, he/she is in or out of the water (doesn't matter). Then the ...
Water Dance Divide the kids/teens into 2 teams. Each team comes up with a team name and a dance they perform in the water. Like water dancing. Have an adult be the ...
Toothpaste and Tube Water Game Get a coin, two people choose 'heads' or 'tales', flip the coin and the kid who gets the coin-side right gets to be the toothpaste and the other kid is ...
Jackpot Group Pool Game One person is chosen to be IT. IT sits on the side of the pool and holds a ball in their hand. Then IT yells an amount of money out and throws the ball ...
Catch the Water Balloon Game
This may not be a pool game, but more of a water balloon game.
Give all the kids numbers 1 - how ever many there is. Get them to stand in the shape ...
Walk On Water There are floats in the pool. The task of each player is to walk from one side of pool to the other without falling in.
Shark and Fishes Pool Game There is 1 shark and the rest of the kids are fishes. Divide the pool into 3 parts with ropes. The middle is the shark tank and the 2 other sides are the ...
Dive For Treasure In One Breath Pool Game Get lots of sinking toys, and throw them into the pool. Split the kids in 2 teams and 1 person goes from each team and tries to get as many toys from the ...
Water Leap Frog Pool Game In this leap frog game you have to go under instead of over! All the players make a line in front of each other with their legs spread wide apart. The ...
Handstand Pool Contest First get a stopwatch. Then, taking turns, have everyone do their best handstand in the pool. Have a few judges who rate them from 1 to 10 on how straight ...
Greased Watermelon Pool Race
Similar to the Slippery Watermelon Pool Game just this time A RACE. This game seems more suitable for older kids who have no problem swimming.
Have ...
Race and Bet On It Pool Party Game This game is a lot of fun if you like bets! You will need at least 3 people. First you have to race to the end of the pool and back. The loser has to do ...
Matching Items Pool Game In the pool there will be quite a few water balloons spread out, and lots of matching items, such as: Bat and ball, knife and fork, key and lock, two matching ...
Silent Marco Polo Pool Game Played just like the regular Marco Polo except you have to be quiet. Kids can splash to confuse the person who is IT but don't splash too much or you'll ...
Sharks and Minos Water Game
There has to at least be 10 people playing this game.
First to see who the Shark is, you have all the kids on one side of the pool (it has to be in ...
Red Light Green Light Pool Game
Up to 8 people can play, and there has to be an adult at the end of the pool. The adult shouts, red light, and the kids stop swimming; or, green light
...
Find the Waterbottle Pool Game Fill the waterbottle up with pool water then let it sink down to the bottom. While its sinking close your eyes for 15 seconds. Then try to find the waterbottle!...
Wet Water Rodeo Pool Game
Are you looking for a fun filled game that will cool you off? Wet water rodeo is the game for you!
There should be only 2 people in the pool. One of ...
Thanks! I just wanted to say I had no idea what to do for my party until I came to this web site so thanks soooo much. This really helped. You have nooo idea!!...
Quick Quack Rubber Ducky Race There are as many teams as you would like on the same side of the pool (each team standing in one line). The player in the front has a rubber ducky. You ...
Find Your Mate Pool Party Game
On little papers write names of animals (you want to write each animal twice on two different papers).
Each child gets a little piece of paper. While ...
Diving Ring Toss Have a parent throw diving rings into the pool. Have everyone try to bring back as many as they can in one breath. Whoever has the most rings wins. (Put ...
Fun Whirlpool Activity All the adults in the pool make a big circle holding hands and run as fast as they can in a circle. Big children can join in and the little ones can just ...
What Are They Saying Pool Game A group of people go under the water and try to talk to eachother and when they come up, you have to tell eachother what they said.
Ball Thrower Pool Game This game can be played with up to 10 players. One person is the ball thrower and has an inflatible ball. On the mark of 'Go' the person with the ball ...
Water Balloon Obstacle Course Divide into two teams. You have to move a large water-filled balloon (almost ready to burst) through a course with obstacles, like around pylons, under ...
Statues and the Sea-Monster Water Game This game takes place in a pool. One person is the Sea-Monster. She/He counts to twelve. Other players strike poses as statues. When the Sea-Monster looks ...
Sharks and Pirates Pool Party Game Everyone stands on one side of the pool (pirates) and one shark in the pool. On the shout "Man overboard!" the pirates all jump in and swim to safety ...
Money Finder Pool Party Game Say there are 15 people you will need 15 cent coins. On one of the cents write the word "win" using a nicko pen/permanent marker. Throw all of the cents ...
Pool Party Relay Race
Divide the kids into two teams and get them to stand at one end of the pool.
When the whistle blows get one person from the team to jump into the pool,...
Walk the Plank Pirate Party Game Two children are chosen and the rest write down questions about themselves to ask them. Draw two rectangles next to the pool so no.4 reaches the edge of ...
Pegs Pool Party Game Number pegs from one to ten (ten pegs for each number). Break the kids into three groups. Evenly spread the pegs out in the pool then wait until they sink....
