Family Fun Activities - Water Games

Water Games

Water Balloon Volleyball
This can be played with 4, up to 24. If you can, find a volleyball court in a park or school, or set up a net in your backyard—but this is not a must—you can play without a net. Divide players in half and put one team on each side of the court. Each two persons hold a bath towel between them, with one hand on each corner of the towel, facing each other. A water balloon is placed on the towel and the two coordinate their efforts to throw it over the net to persons on the other side who must catch the balloon in their bath towel without letting it fall or break. For younger kids use one balloon at a time. For more of a challenge have several water bombs going at once. You can change the rules in many ways, such as scoring a point for each catch, or losing a point for dropping a balloon, or having the couple that drops a balloon sit out until one side of the net has a single couple standing. To do without a net, simply toss the balloon back and forth with a single line down the middle. The line cannot be stepped over, and the balloon must travel beyond it with each toss.

“Catch” Off the Diving Board
Divide your family into teams. One person throws a ball while standing out of the pool, a designated distance away, to their teammate as they jump off the diving board. The ball must be clearly caught by the jumper. Let each have a turn at throwing and catching several times. The team with the most catches wins. Depending upon the ball you use, extra points could be scored if the jumper maintains control of the ball even after the jump, and still has it when he/she surfaces.

Penny Hunt
As kids we loved diving for things in the pool. Especially if it’s your own you can do that—if it’s not, get permission to use diving rings or whatever is allowed. Here’s how it works: Throw several pennies (or whatever is permitted) into the pool. Cover one with white-out (or mark one of your rings with tape, etc.) On the word “go” the family dives for the sunken objects. When somebody finds the penny with white out, they win the game. Or you can make the winner the one who finds the most coins (or diving objects). Great for all ages! Shallow for the youngest and deeper for the older kids.

Water Relay
Divide into two teams. One player from each team has a wet sponge and stands at the edge, outside the pool. The other players (inside the pool) race across the pool (one team player against another team player, two at a time) trying to not get hit by the opponents’ sponge before reaching the other side of the pool.

If a player gets hit with the sponge, they have to retrieve the sponge, get out of the pool and proceed to throw the sponge at opposing team members as they try crossing the pool. A person “waiting” to cross the pool must not begin to cross until either his teammate reaches the other side safely, or until a teammate is hit by the sponge. If a player throws a sponge and it misses, they have to jump in the water, retrieve the sponge, climb back out and continue to try to hit the opposing team as they swim across the pool. The team who gets the most players across the pool without being hit wins.

Keep Away in the Pool
My children enjoy visiting their grandpa for many reasons, one of which is the fact that he has a pool. Inevitably the swimming is reduced to a game of keep away. Usually it’s grandpa against all the grandkids—unless there are older ones playing, and then grandpa gets a little help. They use either a small soft ball or grandpa’s hat. There are no rules from what I can tell. Each one is simply trying to keep the ball (or hat) away from grandpa or the other team. Once somebody has it they soon get rid of it as grandpa approaches splashing wildly and aggressively pursuing his hat. Once he gets it back through clever moves (and sheer size and strength) he puts the hat back on (or hides the ball) and swims around evading incoming grandkids until they gang up on him and get it back again. Silly little game that’s brought a lot of laughs and produced fond memories for many children! Modify it according to your situation and have a great time.

Underwater Race
As a child, this is a game my family and friends played every day we went swimming in the summer. Everyone lines up at one end of the pool. One by one people swim as far as they can underwater, until they have to come up for air. Once they surface they sit on the pool deck, across from the place where they came up. The one that goes the furthest gets a prize—maybe a special outing with mom and dad-- or mark the spot and see who is the champ over the whole summer.

*Note: All pool games have their risks. Know water safety and swim at your own risk and do not engage in any activities that you are not comfortable with.

“In the Stream” NOW!
I happen to live near a canyon that has a stream winding through it. This game requires a stream OR a way to “make-up” a pretend stream. Either take two pieces of rope and lay them about 3 feet apart (less if the kids are young), or draw chalk lines about 3 feet apart—long enough to make sure there is room for all players to stand on each side of the line.

Have players line up on one side or other of the “stream” (drawn or rope lines) facing the water. Outside the lines or on the side of the stream is considered “on the banks.” In between the lines, or in the water is considered “in the stream.” Choose one person to be the leader. The leader gives only two different commands, one at a time. He/she either says “on the banks,” or “in the stream.” Depending upon the command given, the players either jump to the other side of the stream (or lines), or into the stream (between the lines). Any player that makes a mistake sits out until just one is left (the winner).

The leader continues to give commands to try and get players mixed up. Every time the leader calls “on the banks” players must jump to the other side, or out of the middle. If “in the stream” is called, and the players are in the stream already, they must remain right where they are without moving.

The leader can vary commands, telling players to put just one foot “on the bank” or “in the stream: Or the leader can give false commands such as “jump in the lake.” Players must do just what the leader says, including “ignoring” any commands other than “on the banks” or “in the stream.” When using an actual stream, be prepared to get COLD feet and don’t use it unless it is indeed a stream (lazy one)!