Pools can be fun, but have you ever had your kids whine that they are bored? In the pool? Yep, it happens!
Today we have gathered a few super simple but FUN games your crew will enjoy. We tried to find games that don't require a lot of special equipment (after all, packing for a beach vacation is hard enough without extra items to shove in the minivan).
Did you know that Ward Realty manages over 50 rental properties with pools? They range from small condos with community pools to luxurious oceanfront homes that have private pools (and up to 10 bedrooms)!
(Love the featured home above? Check out Anchor's Away on our website)
If a pool home sounds like a dream come true, take a look at what Ward Realty has to offer. Then, enjoy these 7 games to play in the pool!
Sharks and Minnows
One person is the shark, the rest are the "minnows"! The minnows line up on one side of the pool. The shark hangs out in the middle of the pool and says,Here fishy, fishy! Come out and play! At any time, the shark can yell, Shark attack! Then, the minnows must swim to the other side of the pool without being tagged. If they are tagged, they become sharks until no minnows are left!
Racin' Beach Balls
Beach balls can be found for as little as $1.00 each, so they are great to pick up before your vacation.
Give each team a beach ball. The goal is to push the beach ball to the other side of the pool first. If you have enough people, you can turn this into a relay race.
No cheating! The ball must be PUSHED along the water. No throwing allowed!
Another surprisingly fun thing to do with a beach ball is to just keep it in the air. The goal is to keep tapping the beach ball so it never hits the water. This is fun with lots of people!
Glowing Treasure Hunt
If you have a package of those glowing bracelets or sticks left over from Halloween or July 4th, bring them on vacation! They are fun to throw in the pool at night. Then, send the kids in after them! Swimming at night at your vacation rental offers a special kind of magic you just can't find anywhere else.
Don't have glow sticks? You can play Treasure Hunt with coins, an empty 2 liter bottle, or traditional diving sticks.
Noodle Bubble Pop
Most vacation rentals that feature pools will probably also have some pool noodles hidden under the house. If not, they can be purchased on the cheap at the local big-box store. Grab a bottle of bubbles while you are out to create this fun and easy game!
Blow bubbles for the kids. They try to pop the bubbles using their pool noodles. This can be even more fun if each kid has their own float to sit on while popping!
If all else fails, just let the kids "joust" with the noodles. It's gonna happen anyway!
Whirlpool
Even the adults will want to get in on the fun when you create a whirlpool! Smaller, circular pools make this easier, but almost any pool can maintain a "current" if enough people team up. Just have your group all move around the edge of the pool in the same direction. Little ones might want to use a kickboard or float to keep going. Adults should walk or jog to really get the water moving.
Then, say One! Two! Three! Reverse! Everyone should turn around and try to go in the opposite direction. It's fun to feel the force of the water pushing you back! Then, give up and float along - just go with the flow. You earned it.
Pool Pong!
Ping Pong balls float fantastically in the water. This makes them the perfect ingredient for any number of games. Try Pool Pong by using any flat object (like a frisbee or plastic plate) and see how many hits you can manage. You can also float a few frisbees on the surface of the water and see who can land the most ping pong balls onto the frisbees. Or, dump a bunch of ping pong balls into the pool, all at once. See who can gather the most!
Category Tag
1. Choose someone to be "It". That person selects a category (like colors, animals, desserts, vegetables, flowers, etc).
2. "It" stands outside the pool with her back turned away from the water.
3. Other players line up under "It" holding onto the wall of the pool. They think of something in the chosen category, like "banana".
4. "It" starts naming items in the category. Once a player's choice is named, he starts swimming to the other side of the pool before "It' jumps in and tags him!
Last one on the wall wins!
Access to a pool during your beach vacation allows you the best of both worlds. Sure, the beach is wonderful with the sound of the waves, the challenge of the water, and the fun of the sand for playing and scooping. But sometimes, you have had enough of the sand! If you have small children, the constant fear of the ocean can be stressful. Not to mention the fact that little ones need to go potty or eat every 30 minutes, at least!
By retreating to a pool, you have the fun of the water but none of the mess or stress that comes with an excursion to the beach. Need help finding a pool home on Topsail Island? Contact Ward Realty today!
