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June 25, 2020

What Games Can You Play in a Pool?


As summer draws ever nearer, your concrete swimming pool is probably looking more attractive by the day. Maybe your kids have begun to ask, “when can we go in?” and you find yourself wondering, “what will you do when you finally can go for a swim?”

While going for a soak might be a relaxing option for adults, kids especially see the pool as a source of entertainment, and chasing each other around the pool might be a quick way to get bored.

Here are some games you can play in the pool while enjoying the summer sun:

Popsicle

If you’ve ever played freeze tag, you’ve already got the rudiments of this water-based game down. To play, you chase each other around the pool like a standard game of freeze tag, but when one of you gets caught, the tagged person has to stand still with their arms up in the air, creating the semblance of a popsicle.

The twist with Popsicle is that, to unfreeze a player, you have to swim between their legs underwater.

Atomic Whirlpool

While it may not be new to think of creating a whirlpool out of your inground pool, it can still keep children entertained. In fact, if you modify the idea ever so slightly, you can turn it into quite a great game.

Have someone designated the “controller” (though feel free to come up with a different title), and have everyone else line up along the wall of your pool. When the controller says “go,” everyone should begin to move around the pool in the same direction. Once the water is running in the same direction, the controller should say “reverse,” and everyone in the pool should attempt to fight the current they helped generate.

Sharks and Minnows

Similar to Popsicle, sharks and minnows can be thought of as a modified version of tag. One person is designated the “shark” with the rest of the group serving as “minnows.” The shark chases the minnows and tries to tag them.

There are variations on what happens when a minnow gets tagged:

  • The tagged minnows either have to get out of the pool, or
  • The tagged minnows become sharks and chase the other minnows

In either case, the last minnow standing wins.

As you begin to think about what summer games to play with your kids, it’s worth inspecting your pool’s condition. If you would like tips on how to inspect your pool or to get a quote for a concrete pool resurfacing, call Carlton Pools today!