Free Swimming Pool Games for Children

Shark and Mermaids

• This classic pool game, also known as shark and minnows, is simply a pool variation on the classic game of tag. Select one player to be the shark, and the rest will be mermaids. The shark starts at one end of the pool and the mermaids at the other. When the shark yells "Go," the mermaids must swim to the shark's side of the pool, tag the wall and swim back to their side of the pool. Meanwhile, the shark must try to tag as many mermaids as he can.

  A tagged mermaid must freeze and tread water until another mermaid tags her and unfreezes her. Frozen mermaids cannot unfreeze other nearby mermaids. If the shark freezes all the mermaids, he wins, but if the mermaids work together to unfreeze each other so that every mermaid tags both pool walls, they win. Play multiple rounds to allow each child the chance to be the shark.

Poison Pool Toss

• To play this game, you'll need to divide the group of children into two teams, and then divide the pool or the shallow end into two areas using a rope or pool divider. Gather as many balls, beanbags, noodles and pool toys as you can find, and divide them evenly between the two sides. When the moderator yells "Go," each team must try to empty their territory of all balls and pool toys by throwing them onto the opposite team's side. Allot a certain amount of time for the game, and blow the whistle when time is up. The team with the fewest pool toys in its territory wins the game.

Jail Break

• For this pool game, the person in charge should select one child to be the jail guard, and have her stand a few feet from the wall of the pool in the shallow end, facing toward the other end of the pool with her eyes closed. The rest of the children must stand behind her as she slowly walks back and forth in a line parallel to the wall of the pool to guard the jail.

  The object of the game is for the other players to sneak past the jail guard, either by swimming as quickly as possible past her, or by silently swimming underwater so that she can't hear the movement. If the jail guard suspects that one of her "prisoners" is trying to escape, she yells "jail break!" and can then chase after the prisoner. If the jail guard tags the escaping prisoner before he can tag the opposite wall, he becomes the next jail guard.