Swimming Pool Parties: Games for Kids

Kids love swimming pool parties. Most probably they will be busy the whole afternoon splashing around and having fun in the water. We collected some fun ideas and games for you to make sure, the party will be a great success.

Invitations
Start out with an unusual invitation. Make the invitation card look like a map for a treasure hunt, use waterballs to write the party-information on, deflate and send them to your guests. Roll the message up and put it in a bottle, include small seashells and a little bit of sand. Remember to tell your guest to bring a towel and bathing suit.

Ideas for the Arrival
When your guests arrive, supply them with water balloons, which are always a favorite. Also try to have a craft ready, to keep the kids busy until everyone arrives. Hand out small plastic bottles, which can be filled with sand, glitter and little plastic fish. Add some water and a little bit of oil and seal the lid with super glue. Voila, each kid will have her own ocean in a bottle.

Get the kids wet, by inviting them to a sponge-rally. Simply put two big measuring cups on the pool deck, supply each team with a sponge and let the children race from the pool to the cups. The goal is, to transport as much water as possible from the pool to the cup in a set time using the sponges.

Traditional Pool Games
Once everyone is ready to dive in the pool, have a few balls ready. Stand at the side of the pool and throw the balls. Let the party guest try to catch a ball while jumping in the water. Get them started with some traditional water games like Marco Polo or Jaws, which is basically tag in the water.

For Marco Polo one player has to close her eyes. When she calls Marco, the other ones have to answer Polo, so that the catcher can detect where the swimmers are. Once she catches another swimmer, this player becomes “Marco”.

Tug of War also works in the water, as do many other racing games, using swim boards, water balls or transporting rubber ducks. Let your imagination run "wild".

Diving for gold
Paint some stones with waterproof gold paint and throw them in the water. Whoever can dive up the most gold stones wins a price. Let the children pop balloons in the water or play underwater charade. Provide them with a list of animals and fish that live in the ocean, to make it a little easier.

Serve icecream and/or an ocean themed cake. Put the party favors in a balloon filled with water and freeze over night. Let the kids melt the ice cubes and send everyone home to a good night  of sleep.