Spending an afternoon at the pool can be a relaxing way to cool off during the summer. It also offers a way to get some exercise or just soak up the sun. Whatever your reason for heading to the pool when the weather turns hot, you can make family time with the kids more enjoyable with some games to play while everyone is in the water.
We have several complexes with outdoor pools, including 20th Place in Joplin and 17th Place in Webb City. Read our guide to some fun pool activities for the whole family at your apartment.
Pool Games
One classic option comes from sharks and minnows, bringing excitement and laughter. A single player starts as the shark, standing on one side of the pool, while everyone else becomes minnows. The shark shouts, “Minnows, swim!” Then, the others try to reach the opposite side without getting tagged. Caught players join the shark, creating an unstoppable team until one minnow remains and wins the game.
Diving for treasure offers an underwater challenge for more advanced swimmers. Toss colorful rings, coins, or other sinking items into the pool, allowing them to settle at the bottom. Participants dive to retrieve as many treasures as possible, adding a competitive twist by setting a timer. For younger swimmers, choose shallow areas or objects that float on the surface.
For a laid-back yet amusing option, families can play a floating race. Each person selects a pool float, climbs aboard, and paddles to the finish line using only hands. Chaos ensues as floats spin or players accidentally bump each other, resulting in countless laughs. Celebrate the winners with a mini prize or high-fives all around.
Marco Polo remains a timeless favorite. The seeker shouts “Marco!” while closing their eyes, relying on the response of “Polo!” to locate hidden opponents. Creative tactics like quiet splashes or staying underwater add to the suspense.
Whirlpool is a very simple game that gets everyone in the pool moving. Stand about eight feet apart in the shallow end of the pool. Then, have everyone start to jog or run in a circle in the same direction, moving faster and faster. Eventually, the water will start to turn in a circle in the same direction, creating a whirlpool-like effect.
Pool Toys Can Make Activities Fun
Pool toys elevate any swim day, offering endless opportunities for creativity and entertainment. Make sure to invest in toys designed for the swimming pool that are safe and age-appropriate.
Inflatable rafts double as a way to relax and play games. Stack several rafts and challenge participants to balance or jump between them without falling into the water. This activity sparks laughter and friendly competition while testing agility.
Pool noodles, lightweight and versatile, inspire a variety of games. Transform them into jousting sticks by using two noodles per player. Participants straddle a pool float and try to knock opponents off without losing balance themselves. For younger swimmers, noodles work well as makeshift hoops for underwater swimming challenges.
Floating basketball hoops add excitement and teamwork to pool time. Players form small teams, passing a lightweight ball back and forth to score in the hoop. Adjust the difficulty by moving the hoop farther from the players or switching shooting hands. These games encourage cooperation and provide an active outlet for high-energy fun.
Water guns or squirters promise hours of delight, especially on hot days. Organize races where players propel lightweight toys or plastic cups across the pool using only water gun streams. Another option involves dividing into teams for a friendly soak-and-spray showdown, guaranteeing giggles from everyone involved.
Diving sticks and torpedoes combine fun and fitness in a way that suits all ages. Scatter them throughout the pool and challenge swimmers to collect as many as possible within a time limit. For an advanced twist, assign specific values or tasks to each item. Diving toys improve underwater skills while adding a competitive edge to playtime.
Challenging Pool Games
Challenging pool games can add some extra physical exertion to water fun time. These are also good for more advanced swimmers.
An underwater obstacle course requires participants to navigate a series of tasks. Set up floating rings, weighted objects, and pool noodles as hurdles or tunnels. Players dive, weave, and retrieve items, aiming to complete the course faster than their competitors.
Tread-and-throw combines strength and precision. Players tread water while tossing a ball into floating targets or onto a small raft. Increase the difficulty by using smaller targets or requiring trick shots. This game not only builds endurance but also hones focus and coordination under pressure.
For those who love a strategy game, capture the flag brings energy and teamwork to the pool. Divide swimmers into two teams, each with a “flag” at opposite ends of the pool. Players must steal the other team’s flag without getting tagged while swimming back to their side. This game demands clever planning, quick movements, and seamless communication.
A sink-or-swim relay challenges balance and speed. Teams race across the pool while balancing a cup of water on their heads. The goal? Deliver the most water to the finish line. Dropped cups or unsteady hands add unexpected twists, ensuring endless entertainment and laughter.
In pool volleyball, teamwork takes center stage. A makeshift net—like a pool noodle stretched across the middle—divides the pool. Players rally a beach ball or light inflatable toy over the net, aiming for endless volleys. This game encourages communication and keeps everyone moving without needing advanced swimming skills.
Pool basketball is another team-based game. Players pass a ball around until they get close enough to the floating basketball hoop to score a point in the bucket. Or, you can play HORSE to see who has the most accurate shot.
Themed Days at the Pool for Families
Themed swimming pool days offer an exciting way to bring creativity and fun to the water without relying on games. You can get as creative as you want with your family-friendly themed days.
Start with a tropical paradise theme, transforming the pool area into a beach-like retreat. Place inflatable palm trees, lay out beach towels with vibrant patterns, and play soft island music. Add pineapple-shaped floats and serve refreshing fruit juice drinks in plastic cups with cute umbrellas in them for a fun, upscale vibe.
For a more glamorous approach, host a Hollywood-inspired pool day. Roll out a red outdoor rug leading to the pool, and provide inflatable lounge chairs that resemble luxury recliners. Wear stylish sunglasses. Serve easy-to-make snacks in gold-colored plastic bowls, and set the tone with a playlist of classic movie soundtracks.
A color-themed pool day focuses on a unified aesthetic. Pick a color like aqua or coral and decorate the poolside with matching balloons, towels, or streamers. Choose floats, pool noodles, and even fruit drinks or Kool-Aid that fit the color scheme. This approach creates a cohesive and visually pleasing environment perfect for photos and relaxation.
An under-the-sea theme brings an aquatic fantasy to life. Hang blue and green streamers around the pool area to mimic waves and seaweed. Scatter inflatable sea creatures such as dolphins, turtles, and fish on the water. Offer creative snacks shaped like seashells or starfish. Create colored ice cubes using trays shaped like undersea creatures.
A retro pool day transports guests to another era. Incorporate throwback elements like striped umbrellas, polka-dot towels, and classic vinyl tunes. The snacks for this day might include old-fashioned sodas and ice cream sundaes. This theme creates a nostalgic ambiance ideal for relaxing and unwinding.
Make a themed pool day educational! Focus on one particular sea creature, like a whale, dolphin, shark, octopus, or a type of fish. Have decor on this particular theme. Play a trivia game like red light, green light, where the first person to reach the other side of the pool wins after answering questions about the particular sea creature correctly as part of a multiple-choice quiz.
Water Safety
Water safety in the swimming pool is important for everyone, especially kids. Young children should be supervised by a parent at all times.
Your kids need to know where they can go in the pool based on their size and swimming ability. So, start with the shallow end for younger kids. Make sure to have inflatable safety items nearby in case of an emergency. There should be some kind of reach poles at the swimming pool.
Encourage proper swimming techniques and safe behavior. For example, remind kids to jump in feet first rather than dive in head first and to only jump in the deeper end. Please avoid roughhousing or pulling others underwater.
Rent an Apartment in Joplin or Webb City With a Pool
Looking for an upscale apartment in Joplin with a swimming pool? How about a great apartment in Webb City, MO? Many of our properties have outdoor swimming pools to help cool down during hot summers.
Find a property here, look over available rentals, and contact us to take a tour. We’re happy to help in any way we can.
