Swimming Pool Fun: It's in the Game!

By Marcus Sheridan

One of the most enjoyable aspects of swimming pool ownership is the amount of games that can be played in these water carrying vessels by the young and old. At a recent pool party at my house, I was directing the kids in various races and games, and upon doing this I thought it would be a great idea to mention some popular swimming pool games, and their corresponding descriptions, in this edition of 'The Wave'. Although I have not listed all of the games out there, here are a few that I've come across and I hope everyone might get a chance to try a few of them. If anyone has a favorite game that's not on this list, please just email me a desription of the game and I'll include it in the next edition of 'The Wave'.

Categories

One person is chosen to be the leader and goes to the opposite side of the pool of the other players. The leader then chooses a category (example- cars, colors, food, ice cream, drinks, etc) and tells the other players, who then have to choose their choice(s) for that category. The leader can put his or her head under water in order not to hear what answers the other players are choosing.

When the players have chosen their answer the leader has to try and guess the other players choices. If leader guesses properly, the player (or players if several have the same answer) has to race to the opposite side of the pool while the leader races to the player's side of the pool. If the leader wins they remain the leader, but if they loose the person who won the race becomes the new leader. All players must be touching the side of the pool before racing.

Chicken

Nominate someone to be the leader, who then has to do something funny like a funny walk or an impression of someone, then they jump into the pool anyway they want. The other players then have to follow and copy what the leader did. If they get part of it wrong they get given a C of the word CHICKEN. This happens each time until they have collected all the letters that spell CHICKEN.

Players can also decide to chicken out on a particular go to avoid getting a letter. But show that they have chickened out by doing the chicken dance, say "Bok, Bok" and then jump in the pool.

Players may only chicken out 5 times.

You can make the game easy, medium, or hard:

• EASY- Players don't have to do it exact and can chicken out as many times as you want.
• MEDIUM- Players have to copy the main idea and can chicken out 5 times.
• HARD- Players have to copy the leaders movements exactly and can only chicken out 2 times.

Colors

One person is chosen to be 'it' (the catcher) gets out and faces away from the pool. All the remaining players in the pool choose a color. The catcher continues to face away from the pool and asks "Do you have your colors?" and if players answer they do, the catcher then starts calling out various colors. When a player's color is called, they then have to try and swim across the pool quietly without being heard. If the catcher hears the player moving, he can then turn around and try to tag them before they reach the safety of the other side of the pool. Different categories may also be used, i.e. cars, flowers, etc...

Pairs

Get players to partner up. Players try and swim in pairs with one half doing the arm movements while the other half of the pair holds onto their partner and does the leg movement. This game is best tried in the shallow end.

Sand bank

Play as in 'Stuck in the Mud', with one or two players being nominated to capture the others. Once a player is caught they have to go to the shallow end the stay there until they are set free by a player, who has not yet been caught, swimming through their legs.

Sharks!! (Effectively a swimming pool version of tag or 'it')

One or two people become sharks with the objective of catching the other players who are in the water. Players are not allowed to leave the water. Once a person is caught they either stand or sit on the side of pool.

Simon Says

1 person says:

• "Simon says jump!" - players have to jump
• "Simon says leap into water!" - players have to leap into water
• "Simon says swim front crawl!" - players have to swim front crawl
• "Simons says get an inflatable and swim around for a minute"
• Do these in any order

This game can be played using any set of commands that are safe to play. The main rule of the game is that any instruction preceded by the words "Simon says" are to be obeyed by all participants, and if not, the player is then out. However, if an instruction is given without "Simon says" being given, and the action is carried out by a player, they are then out.

Water Polo

Best played in the shallow end, unless your group is made up of strong swimmers! Play across the width of the pool with two targets, such as floatation board set on end, set up as goals at either side. (Actual water polo goals are available at most pool stores). Rules can be improvised, but to simplify:

Once a player holds the ball they cannot move, either they must try to score a goal or throw the ball to another player. All other players are free to move, but must remain in the water (including goal keepers). Play is continuous. Except if the ball goes onto the poolside where it is handed to the nearest 'goalkeeper' as a goal throw. Once a goal is scored the ball is given to the referee to be thrown into the middle as a `toss up' between teams, or it can be given to the goal keeper of the side the goal was against.

Races / Competitions

• Obstacle courses: include such events as swimming through hoops, pushing a ball through the water, swimming underwater, retrieving objects from the bottom of the pool, etc.
• Distance under water
• Time under water, etc.
• Diving Games
• Retrieving items( set of keys, coins, diving bricks)
• Going through weighted hoops

Chicken Fights

This game is an all-time classic. Teams consist of two players, with the smaller member (preferably) of the team sitting on the shoulders of their teammate. Once teams are ready, they attempt to knock the other team over (with out hitting their head on the side of the pool of course!). Bottom player are only allowed to wrestle with bottom players, with the same rule applying to the top players. If you really want to get wild and crazy, try this game with more then two teams, and quickly you'll have a "Royal Rumble". This game is a guaranteed laugh by all!