Let the Best Family Pool Games Begin!

What’s your favorite family holiday tradition? Getting away to Kauai! No snow to shovel, no woolen socks, no mega malls. Just glorious sunshine, blue skies, swim time and pool party. And your kids are all about the swimming pool. . . (Okay, let’s be honest. You’re ALL all about the pool. . .) This year you plan to wow the family with the best swimming pool games your kids never played before.

Our Top Seven Fun Swimming Pool Games and How to Play

Tired of playing the same pool games like pool basketball or who gets the most number of ping pong balls. Check out our top fun pool games for the family.

1. Duck Soup

All players start at one side of the pool. For this swimming pool game, each has a rubber ducky. At “GO!” players race to push their ducky to the other side of the pool first. They can push with their noses, blow on it, make waves — but they cannot touch it with their hands — or bite it! ;) The player to get his ducky to touch the opposite wall first is the winner. The team with the highest score wins.

Rubber ducky in the end of the pool.

 2. Frozen Tee Race

In your villa’s kitchen, soak two T-shirts in water, place them in separate 1-gallon plastic bags and freeze overnight (preferably 2 nights). On game day, two teams form on one side of the pool, and each team gets a frozen shirt. The object is to thaw out the shirt enough so that a team member can put it on. Shirts can be submerged, twisted, whacked on the cement, sat on, breathed on, etc. (Jacuzzis are off limits, though.) ;) Every 15 seconds, someone yells “Switch!” and a new team member gets to try to thaw the shirt. The first team able to put on the shirt and swim to the other side wins.  Younger kids can also play this game.

3. Soaked Tee Relay

Best for older kids and is a classic game. This is ideal after the Frozen Tee Race! Players line up on one side of the pool. They put on a large soaking wet T-shirt and swim to the other side of the pool and back. They then take off the shirt and hand it to the next player, who must put it on and swim. (This is a LOT harder than it sounds). Keep the relay going until one team wins.

Play games in pool parties

4. It!

“It” sits on the edge with his back to the pool while the others gather at the opposite end in the water. When “it” calls out a category, each player silently thinks up an answer. For example, “flavors of ice cream.” “It” will slowly shout out answers. “Chocolate! . . . Vanilla! . . . Rocky Road!” When a player’s answer is shouted, he must swim to “Its” side and try to touch the wall without being detected. If “it” hears swimming, he can turn around and dive into the pool to tag a player. If he turns around and everyone still has a hand on the side, however, then “it” must take a step further from the edge and start again. A swimmer who gets caught becomes “it”. This game can be played with any number of players and is one of the favorite pool games.

Young kids playing underwater tea party which is a fun game and one of the best pool games for kids.

5. The Invisible Bottle Quest

This is a challenge! Fill an everyday clear plastic drinking bottle with water and remove its label. As everyone closes their eyes and ears, either toss or quietly slip the bottle into any spot in the pool. At “GO!” players try to find the bottle first. Hint: If the cap is the same color as the bottom of the pool this is even harder!

6. Popsicle

This is freeze tag with a twist: Players tagged by the “Popsicle” must freeze standing up with their legs apart and their arms in the air. They can be unfrozen when another player swims through their legs. When everyone is frozen the first person frozen becomes the “Popsicle.”

7. Noodle Joust

This takes one pool noodle and one float per player. (Floats could be a raft, tube, swan, etc.) Doubling up is fun, too! Players mount their floats, pool noodles in hand and at “GO!” everyone paddles to the center (far from the edges) and tries to unseat each other from their floats using only noodles, feet, and humorous intimidation. The player who makes the other one fall in the water of the pool wins. Set some safety rules apropos to your players’ ages. A total hoot!

Kids playing with pool noodles near the pool deck.

Yup. Family pool time is definitely your favorite holiday tradition.

Talk with our expert concierge team at Koloa Landing Resort, the best Kauai beach resort, for more family pool time fun ideas. Visit one of our poolside Activity Huts for the perfect Kauai activities and the gear you will be needing. Contact us for additional information.