Top five pool games this summer

Pools are great places to play games in summer.

Kids are kept cool, it’s wonderful exercise because they’re constantly swimming, diving or wading through water and it’s a whole lot safer than jumping around on solid ground.

Here are five pool games that will keep kids occupy for hours, test their fitness, agility and all-round water skills.

Game 1 – Noodle Race

Each kid gets a noodle and hovers at the end of the pool. Somebody yells go and the competitors scramble to the other side as fast as they can.

Variations include riding the noodle as if it were a horse, several laps to test their stamina and handicapping based on age.

Game 2 – Invisi-Bottle

Get a used soft drink bottle and fill it with water. Turn the kids around and sink the bottle to the bottom of the pool (leave off the top because it makes it too easy to see). Someone yells go and the kids race to the bottom of the pool looking for the bottle. The one who surfaces with the bottle wins.

Game 3 – Classic Catches

The competitors line up on the edge of the pool. One at a time they attempt to catch the ball thrown into the middle of the pool before it hits the water. The winner could be the first one to catch the ball or the one who catches the most balls, depending on how hard you make the competition.

Variation comes in the size of the ball. You can use a beach ball to make it a bit easier (although a bit of wind could make it harder) or you could use a tennis ball to make it more challenging. Whichever way you go this game is a lot of fun because of the challenge of getting your hand on the ball and the delight in crashing into the water.

Game 4 – Diving Objects

The diving objects can be anything as long as they sink to the bottom. Have the competitors look away from the pool, toss in the objects and yell “go!”. The kids race to the bottom of the pool and retrieve as many objects as they can. The one with the most wins. It could also be a great way to teach adding up.

A classic variation (and one for stronger swimmers) is diving for coins. Turn the kids around again and toss a handful of coins. The one with the most money wins (and maybe even gets to keep their collection).

Game 5 – Squirt Gun Race

Get three large red plastic cups (or one for each competitor) and a ball of string. Punch a hole in the bottom of each cup. Cut three lengths of string that reach across the pool. Thread the pieces of string through the holes in the cup and stretch each across the pool (you will need people at either end to hold the string). Each of the competitors will use a squirt gun (any size) to shoot the cup across the pool. The first one to the other end wins.

It’s more fun with Kreepy Krauly in the pool

Of course, a pool needs to be sparkling clean if your kids and their mates are going to enjoy pool games.

The water needs to be crystalline if you want see objects on the bottom and it needs to be free of bugs for it to be safe for kids to splash around in.

With Kreepy Krauly you simply set and forget. It works around the clock keeping your pool clean – sucking up sand from bottom, scooping up leaves and other debris and circulating the water to prevent the build-up of algae and calcium.