Birthday parties, 4th of July celebrations and warm summer afternoons provide excellent opportunities to get into the local pool. Pool games and events fall under one of several types. Diving, relay or other types of races and team games are the three main categories of pool activities. Does this Spark an idea?
Considerations
Verify the size of pool that will be used, including the depth. Determine any restrictions to diving or jumping into the pool as these may affect what games and activities can be played. Understand the swimming ability and ages of the participants. Choose activities that will not require skills not yet mastered by the guests. Ensure all participants understand the pool rules. Comply with any food or beverage restrictions for the pool area.
Underwater and Diving Activities
Ensure all participants are comfortable going under water before beginning a diving game. Provide a variety of items to be retrieved from the bottom of the pool. Vary the depth of the items and time how long it takes to retrieve them all. Use weighted hoops to swim through, or swim under people's legs. Measure the longest distance someone can swim under water. Practice different dives and everyone must copy the leader's dive exactly. Take a break between turns and allow plenty of time in between games that require holding your breath.
Relay/ Race Activities
Use the shallow end of the pool if all participants are not equally skilled. Choose a variety of strokes that must be completed in order by all participants. Assign partners to increase difficulty. One partner does the arm stroke and the other does the leg motions. First team to cross the pool wins. Pass batons or other items under water to create a relay race. Push floating ducks with your nose or pull a partner on a boogie board.
Team Games
Play Shark and modify to the skill of the players. Sharks tag fish that freeze until they are released when another fish swims between their legs. Play Marco Polo with any size of group. Change Simon Says to Mermaid Says. Purchase game sets for volleyball, basketball or water polo. Divide into two teams for Battleships and Submarines. Submarines chase battleships and try to tag them. When tagged a battleship becomes a submarine. Continue to play until everyone has been turned into a submarine.
Tips
Provide supervision for all water activities. Underwater games should be monitored closely as prolonged holding of breath can lead to underwater blackouts due to oxygen deprivation. Put sunscreen on frequently when at an outdoor pool. Take five-minute safety breaks every hour to provide hydration and allow participants to rest.
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