The Summer is a great time for outdoor activities and one of those great activities is Swimming.  There are many places you can go to swim: the beach, a lake, a river or a swimming pool.  Swimming pools are the most sanitary – and in many ways – the most safe.  In my opinion they are more fun if you have a group of people.  There are so many games to play, you can bring toys in the water without worrying that they will fall to the bottom and get lost or drift away to the open sea.  Plus, Pool Parties are a blast!  They aren’t just for kids either.  You adults, remember that Pool Parties are for you too.

So, plan a party for National Swimming Pool Day and invite the whole neighborhood over for a swim.  To make it easier and less financially constraining, ask people to bring something to eat and pool toys.  Everyone will have a great time.  Trust me!

Swimming Pool Games – These are just a few, but there are so many out there.  If having a party, find a lot!

• There is the ever wonderful Shark.  This game involves one person – the Shark – (or two for a team if you have a lot of people) who stays at one end of the pool with their back to everyone else.  All the other people hang onto the edge of one side and try to swim across to the other side without the Shark hearing them.  As the Shark, once you think you hear something, you turn around and swim after them.  The goal is to tag someone.  The tagged person becomes the new Shark.
• Colors is another game similar to Shark.  One person is it and the call out colors.  Each person playing picks a color and when their color os called they have to swim to the other side without being tagged.
• Whirlpool can be great for a large group of people, especially adults who have longer legs.  Have everyone get into the pool and line up along the edge with very little space between them.  Then everyone has to walk for a couple of minutes, then jog for a few minutes and finally run around the edge another few minutes.  If it’s done right, the water will eventually carry everyone around the pool.  Once you’ve been carried for awhile have everyone try to turn around and go the other way.  It’s almost impossible, so it will be fun to watch them try.
• Have a Belly Flop Contest!  This is pretty self-explanatory.  It really only works if you have a diving board, but you could probably do without.  have all contestants line up and do their best belly flop.  The judging should be based on 4 categories: Form/Creativity, Pain, Air and Size of Splash.

Swimming Pool Toys

• Beach Balls make for great “Keep Away” games.  Or just simply for something to do while you sit in the pool and chitchat.
• Noodles are always fun.  They can be twisted and turned into many different things for you to float on.  Plus, they’re great for your kids to play swords in the pool and out.
• Inflatable Donuts are fun for kids who don’t swim well and for you too!  They can used with your head and arms sticking out of the top, while keeping your legs in the water for kicking.  Or you can stick your rear in the donut hole with your legs dangling and your arms for paddling.
• Inflatable Snakes are cool way for several kids to float around together. While on it, they can slither around with ease.
• Pretend Sharks would be awesome for a kids pool party.  They are battery operated and move around your pool.  They will look like real sharks ready to attack, but they perfectly safe.  My nephew was looking at them and said, “I want those!  They would be great for scaring my brothers!”  What a kick!
• You can always pick up a Basketball Pool Set for in the pool games.