Enjoying some fun in the sun? Going for a swim is a great way to beat the heat and get some exercise. If you're tired of just swimming laps. it's time to kick up the fun and enjoyment. This wikiHow offers some wild, wacky and certainly wet ways to spice up your summer in the pool.

Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

Playing "Shark Attack" Tag

  1. 1
    Choose the sharks. There are 2 people that are sharks and the other 3-6 people are divers. The aim of the game is to be the last person alive. The sharks can eat each other, too.[1]
    • Consider having older people being sharks.
  2. 2
    Have the divers jump in the water. The divers now try to swim to the other side and get out of the pool.[2]
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  3. 3
    Prepare for the shark attack. The shark swims after the divers, and the ones tagged are dead; out of the game until next round.
  4. 4
    Listen for the shark's celebration chant. Every time a diver is caught, the shark, if it pleases, can call out "NOM NOM NOM".
  5. 5
    Keep playing until one person is left.
  6. 6
    Reward the winner. The prize for the winner is the permission to dare the "shark" to do something embarrassing. Such actions may be having the shark wriggle on the ground singing 'Hey-ho! Hey-ho! I'm a shark and I swim too slow!" or slapping their goggles against their face.
  7. 7
    Try variations of swimming tag. The possibilities are endless.
    • You can also have "sea monsters" instead of "sharks."
    • Try this game in a role-play fashion with a plot and characters. The game does not end until all the swimmers are dead or the monster is killed.
    • Try a version of swimming "dance tag" instead. In this variation, the tagged players do a dance move for 5 seconds. Every time the person is touched, this must be a different move, or the person is out
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Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

Playing Marco Polo

  1. 1
    Pick a person to be "it". This person has to wear a blindfold or something that will make sure they won't peek.[3]
  2. 2
    Have the "it" player try to catch the other players.
  3. 3
    Have the "it" player call out "Marco!" as they move around. Then the other players have to reply back "Polo!"[4]
  4. 4
    Have the first person to be touched by the "it" player become "it" in turn.
  5. 5
    Continue until everyone's had enough.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

Other ideas

  1. 1
    Enjoy diving for objects. A rock, diving sticks, small tree branches, sometimes even large toys can be sunk and brought back to the surface, time-and-time-again, for hours on end; the fun, pride, and awesome feeling of accomplishment will never wear out and become boring.[5]
    • This is a great game to play alone. However, if others are with you, try racing with your friends to see who can get their sunken objects first.
  2. 2
    Buy a cheap waterproof camera and film a little movie. Make it about a scary sea monster, fish in the ocean, or just a person who loves to swim. You can make a film solo using props and toys, or with friends.
    • If you are talented with editing software, you can even add special effects and make it look like you were shot out of a cannon and into the pool.
  3. 3
    Buy some pool toys, such as diving sticks or inflatable rings. Bring non-pool toys like dragons, toy snakes, sea monsters... whatever you like, as long as they're not damaged by the water.
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Community Q&A

  • Question
    What can I do for fun if I'm alone in a pool that's too small for diving and swimming?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Practice holding your breath underwater. If you play sports, doing this will improve your lung performance.
  • Question
    Where can I get an underwater camera?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Check electronics stores and swimming supply shops. Also, you can search various online retailers, like eBay and Amazon.
  • Question
    What do I do if everyone I know is playing roughly?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    First, ask them to stop. If that doesn't work, try to organize a more calm activity everyone can do together, like a diving contest or a relay race. If you can get one or two people involved in the activity, the others will probably stop what they're doing and play too.
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Warnings

  • Never play dangerous swimming pool games in a small swimming pool. These include games such as chicken fight or whale.
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  • Never under any circumstances should you hold someone underwater, play rough with them or pull them under with you.
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  • Be very careful while you swim. Stay where you can stand if you're not a confident swimmer. People can drown in very little water, so take water safety seriously.
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  • Don't go into deeper areas if you can't confidently swim. Stay in the shallow areas.
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  • Never pretend that you're drowning, as people might not believe you if it really happens.
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Things You'll Need

  • Swimming gear
  • A pool

About This Article

wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. To create this article, 75 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. This article has been viewed 230,602 times.
48 votes - 71%
Co-authors: 75
Updated: January 20, 2023
Views: 230,602
Categories: Backyard Games
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