Pool Party Games to Play Between Swims

Games to play at a pool party

These are suggested house rules, not tested age or timing requirements. Use small groups so everyone gets a turn. For all games, stop if a guest wants a break; reset only when the group wants another round. Scored games below allow shared wins, with no tie-breaker needed.

Beach-ball passing

Have ready: A beach ball. Play seated in the dry area, or use a water version only if it fits your pool rules and supervised swimming arrangements.

Pass the ball around in an agreed order for two trips around the group. Count catches aloud. A dropped ball adds no point; retrieve it and continue with the intended receiver, without eliminating anyone. The round ends after everyone has had two receiving turns. There is one shared total and no individual winner. Start from zero for another round and change who passes first. The games and food between swim breaks guide also uses washable props and spoken rules.

Ring toss in the dry area

Have ready: Three plastic rings, a cone and a marked throwing line in a dry, clear area away from the pool.

Each player throws all three rings; each ring around the cone scores one point and a miss scores zero. Collect the rings after each turn. End after everyone has had one turn, and share the win if the highest scores tie. Reset scores and rotate the first player before playing again. Move the line closer for an easier version, agreeing on each player’s line before their turn.

Freeze Dance

Have ready: A speaker and playlist in a dry location, plus a dry activity space with room to move.

Play music, pause it and let everyone freeze in place. Cheer funny poses instead of eliminating players. If someone moves, simply restart the music. End after five pauses; there are no points or winners. For another round, choose a new song and let a different willing guest suggest the first pose. This is a dry-area activity, not a game for the pool or wet deck.

Balloon Keep-Up, or a beach-ball version

Have ready: One balloon or beach ball and a timer; use a separate dry activity space.

Challenge the group to keep the prop off the ground for one minute. Ask players to take turns tapping it rather than having one person do every tap. If it falls, pick it up and continue until the timer ends. There is no elimination or winner. Reset the timer for another round; add a second prop only if the group wants the extra challenge. Keep spare balloons nearby if using them, and end the game if it turns into a chase. For other settings, browse party games.

Cup Stack Challenge

Have ready: Six plastic cups per player or pair, a dry table and a timer.

Build a tower with three cups on the bottom, two above and one on top, then return them to one stack. Give each player or pair one minute. If the tower falls, rebuild within the same minute. Completing the tower and returning it to a stack finishes the challenge; everyone who finishes succeeds, with no fastest-player prize. Reset the cups before the next turn. Offer a three-cup tower to younger children, or a taller tower with extra cups to guests who want one.

Treasure Hunt

Have ready: Four clue cards, a host copy and a shared prize or favors at the end. Keep the trail in the separate dry activity area.

Hide clues leading from one agreed spot to the next. For example, a picture of a chair leads to a card beneath that chair, and the next picture leads to the towel basket. Use pictures for younger children and written clues for readers. Rotate who opens each clue. If the group cannot solve it, give a hint, then reveal the location rather than leaving everyone stuck. End at the fourth clue and share the treasure; there is no individual winner. Replace all four cards before another group starts.

Relay Switch in the yard

Have ready: Marker cones and one beanbag, spoon, ball or costume piece per team; use a separate dry yard area suitable for the game.

Use teams with the same number of players, or let everyone complete the route as one group. Each player carries the agreed object to a marker and back before handing it to the next player. If it drops, retrieve it and continue from that spot. End when everyone has completed one turn. Try to finish together without timing a winner. Keep teams small, return objects to the start and rotate the first player for a repeat. Skip this if you do not have suitable dry space.

Would You Rather, seated

Have ready: Two spoken choices; no movement is needed.

Ask, “Would you rather have a giant beach ball or an enormous sun hat?” Go around so each guest can answer or pass. Let a different willing guest offer the next pair of choices. End after three questions; answers are preferences, so there are no wrong answers, points or ties. Start another round with new questions. Guests can stay seated with towels or while waiting for food.

Mystery Bag Guess

Have ready: An opaque bag and three familiar, easy-to-clean objects appropriate for the guests, such as a plastic cup, a washcloth and a large toy block.

Let each player feel one object without looking and make one guess, then reveal it. A wrong answer ends that turn without a penalty. Replace the object out of sight before the next player. End after everyone has had one turn; play without scores. For a second round, change the objects and who goes first. Keep this at the dry table.

Photo poses

Have ready: A host-controlled phone camera and an optional backdrop in a dry photo area.

Read one prompt from the pack below, then take a picture of each willing guest or pair. Give everyone one turn before anyone has a second. A guest who dislikes the prompt can pass or choose their own pose; there is no failed pose or score. End after one trip through the willing guests. For another round, use the next prompt and rotate the first pair. The photo booth activities guide covers the wider setup, and photo booth games offers other pose challenges.

Pass the Parcel

Have ready: A small wrapped prize with one removable layer per player, music and a dry seated circle.

Pass the parcel while music plays. At each pause, hand it to the next person who has not unwrapped a layer; that player removes one. Put optional spoken prompts between layers, and let anyone skip a prompt without losing their turn. End when the last layer opens. The last player receives the prize; there are no points or ties. To play again, rewrap it with a fresh layer per player and rotate who unwraps first.

Quiet Bingo

Have ready: Picture or word bingo cards, markers and a complete matching call list at a dry table.

Agree that a straight line wins, then call items one at a time. A player without that item makes no mark. Check a claimed line against the calls; if it is incomplete, continue. End at the first confirmed line, sharing the win if several finish on the same call. If the call list runs out without a line, end with no winner. Clear the cards and shuffle the call list to reset. Choose the actual cards before party day using printable party games; this page does not supply downloadable bingo cards. For another seated backup, see quiet party games.