Skip Nav
Love It. Save Your Favorites Now.
20 Simple but Fun Beach and Pool Games For Kids to Play This Summer
View On One Page
Photo 1 of 2  
ADVERTISEMENT ()
1

Pool Games For Kids

  1. Sharks & Minnows. In this version of tag, the "shark" hangs out in the middle of the pool while the rest of the "minnows" line up at the end of the pool. The minnows have to successfully swim by the shark without being tagged, or they become the shark for the next round.
  2. Pool Basketball. Basketball doesn't have to happen on dry land. If you want to make it interesting, try this Floating Water Basketball Hoop ($36) instead of using a stationary poolside hoop.
  3. Animal Polo. Like Marco Polo, but with animal sounds! Instead of Marco, the "searcher" calls out an animal name, and the "hiders" call out the animal's sound.
  4. Beach Ball Race. Give each child a beach ball and see who can make it from one side of the pool to the other first while pushing their beach ball along in front of them. Go with a classic Novelty Beach Ball ($9, originally $13) that comes in a 3-pack.
  5. Water Balloon Towel Catch. Each player gets a towel to hold and must use to toss water balloons to the other players, who must catch and throw the balloon with their own towel. Any child who misses their balloon — or breaks one in their towel — is out. The last player standing wins. (This is one better played poolside, since broken balloon bits can mess up a pool's filtration system. Or opt for Reusable Water Bomb Balloons ($36) instead.)
  6. Diving Games. Gather up a bunch of items that sink and throw them into the pool for your kiddo to retrieve. These Torpedo Bandits ($11) glide underwater, and they're so fun to swim after as they sink.
  7. Invisible Water Bottle. Go DIY by filling an empty water bottle without a label and throwing it into the pool while the kids look away. When they hear the splash, they can jump into the pool to look for the camouflaged bottle.
  8. Freeze Tag. Like out-of-water freeze tag, one player is "it," and anyone who gets tagged must freeze in place. Unfrozen players can swim underwater through a frozen player's legs to unfreeze them.
  9. Float or Sink. Play by throwing items into the pool and having your kids count how many items floated and how many sank. You can also have them guess beforehand if an item will sink or float. It's basically a science experiment.
  10. Categories (Pool Edition). One person stands at one end of the pool and chooses a category, such as "colors." The other players huddle to share their color choice with each other, and then the solo player begins calling colors one at a time. If their color gets chosen, they must jump into the pool and try to swim to the other side without the other player catching them.
Floating Water Basketball Hoop
Floating Water Basketball Hoop
$36
from amazon.com
Buy Now
Novelty Beach Ball
Novelty Beach Ball
$9 from amazon.com
$13 $9 Now 31% off
from amazon.com
Buy Now
Reusable Water Bomb Balloons
Reusable Water Bomb Balloons
$36
from amazon.com
Buy Now
Torpedo Bandits
Torpedo Bandits
$11
from amazon.com
Buy Now
Previous Next
r/MomForAMinute Reddit Community Offers Maternal Support
Mother's Day
Meet the Reddit Community That Will Be Your Mom For a Minute
by Taylor Andrews 5/07
Nacho Parenting: Expert Explains Parenting Strategy
Family Life
Why "Nacho Parenting" Could Be the Solution For Your Blended Family
by Taylor Andrews 2/25
What Co-Sleeping With Kids Is Really Like
Family Life
What Co-Sleeping as a Family Actually Looks Like
by Lena Felton 12/16/25
Sundown Scaries: An Expert on New Parent Anxiety at Night
Family Life
How to Survive the "Sundown Scaries" as a New Parent
by Taylor Andrews 12/01/25
Sweat Rage: A Doctor Explains Why Heat Makes You Mad
Summer
"Sweat Rage" Is Why You Get Irrationally Angry in the Heat
by Taylor Andrews 8/19/25
Pinterest Parent: Expert Explains Pinterest Parenting Style
Family Life
Why Everyone Wants a Playdate With the "Pinterest Parent"
by Taylor Andrews 7/21/25

Now You Know

Love Is Blind: Where Do Those Engagement Rings Come From?

Fashion

Everything to Know About the "Love Is Blind" Engagement Rings

by Sarah Wasilak 2/19

shopping

Oprah's Favorite Things List Has Major Gems, Including an Under-$100 Air Fryer

by Balim Tezel 11/06/25

Fitness

Paralympians Earn the Same Pay For Medals as Olympians, but Is It Enough?

by Karenna Meredith 8/29/24

health

How Often Should We Be Getting COVID Vaccines?

by Alexis Jones 8/23/24

Latest Family
We're Hiring! Write For Us Advertise With Us Accessibility Contact Archives
Power Your Happy
Terms Privacy Policy
©2026 Vox Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved.