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Non-Competitive Swimming Pool Games

When the lessons are over and the laps are done, the swimming pool is a natural environment to play games. Acrobatics like somersaults and hand-stands are easy with the help of a buoyant medium; underwater tea-parties encourage bubbly conversations between friends. You can introduce a few tried-and-true non-competitive swimming pool games that include players of different swimming skills, ages and ability for some old-fashioned entertainment. To play safely, be sure an adult or lifeguard is on watch.

Splash-agories
- Natural or man-made, any pool will do for Splash-agories.
  
  Quick thinking and fast talking are the keys to this fun swimming pool game. If your participants are good swimmers, play in the deep end; if not, play the game in shallower water, but be sure it&'s deep enough for safe jumps. One person acts as the "caller," while the rest of the players line up behind the diving board or at the poolside. As participants gain the front of the line, they make a running jump off the board or the side of the pool. As soon as the jumper nears the water, the caller yells out a category, such as "movie stars" or "skateboard brands." The jumper must reply with a name before hitting the water, like "Matt Damon" or "Blind," respectively. If the jumper is successful, he goes to the end of the line for another jump. If not, the person sits on the side of the pool and watches the rest of the round. The last person remaining after others are "out" gets to be the caller for the next round of Splash-agories.
Marco Polo
- You&'ve heard tales of Marco Polo, the famous Venetian merchant who explored the Orient while purchasing trade goods such as silk. Inspire your group of water revelers with a traditional swimming game named after the 13th-century figure. One person is "Marco;" she closes her eyes and counts to 100. The rest of the group fans quietly out to all points of the pool. When finished counting, Marco, keeping eyes tightly shut, calls "Marco!" Everyone in the pool calls "Polo!" in response. Marco, following the sounds, swims after players to try to catch them. She can call "Marco!" at will to pinpoint her next target. As Marco touches a player, that person must get out of the water and watch the rest of the game. The last person to be caught becomes Marco for the next round. Be sure the participants move the game to the shallow end for a non-swimming Marco.
Sharks and Minnows
- No teeth required; a simple nudge with the snout will do.
  
  A great game for a big group, Sharks and Minnows always gets the water churning. Two players will act as sharks and the rest of the participants are minnows. The objective for the minnows is to swim from one side of the pool to the other without getting eaten by a shark. Minnows can use various skills to prevent being tagged (eaten), such as swimming fast, diving underwater, shadowing another swimmer so he gets tagged first, taking evasive action, and so on. When a shark tags a minnow, the minnow must go to a holding tank—like the steps of the pool—until the game is over. Play can continue through several rounds until each person has had the chance to be a shark.

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