Five Old School Pool Games We Need to Bring Back This Summer

Five Old School Pool Games We Need to Bring Back This Summer

Central Florida summers call for time in our outdoor living space. There is nothing more refreshing than jumping in the pool on a summer day in Florida. Whether you are looking to lounge around or do some laps for daily wellness practices, the pool can be a great place to have some fun. Summer fun has been a topic of expertise for Floridians for a long time.

Here are five old school games to play in the pool that everyone should know:

1. What Time is it Mr. Wolf: We must begin with a classic played around the world, perhaps with different names, but the same concept, which involves having one person as the wolf and the rest of the individuals as the other players. The chosen wolf picks a side of the pool to turn with their back facing away from the other players. The wolf must not see the other players. The game begins with all of the players at the other end of the pool line up and being yelling “What time is it Mr. Wolf?”. The wolf answers a time (e.g. 5 o’clock). The people would then take five steps forward. The final goal is to touch the wolf before it turns around. The catch is at any time, the wolf may answer “it’s dinner time” which means the people need to escape and swim back to their original starting point or try not to get tagged by the wolf. This classic game can be enjoyed in the pool area or as a backyard game It is fun all year round.
2. Red Light Green Light: If you haven’t had the privilege of playing the classic elementary school game red light green light, you must give it a try. Why not bring this childhood favorite to the swimming pool this summer. For those of you who need a refresher, red light green light begins with all players standing at a starting point. In this case at one end of the pool. One selected player will be in charge of shouting the commands. On a green light, players must swim or run in the pool quickly. Red light signals a complete stop. The final objective is to reach the other end of the pool first. Want a plot twist–play red light green light near your outdoor kitchen or grill. The first person to get close to the grillmaster gets their burger first!
3. Floatie Race: Should we just attribute this one to the 1970s classic backyard game of a potato sack race? A floatie race in the pool involves creativity, flexibility, and skill. Have everyone grab their favorite floatie and start off at one end of the pool in their stylish choice. Then using your favorite rendition of “on your mark get set go”, players must race to the other end of the pool bringing their favorite floatie to a poolside victory!
4. Call Out: Speaking of floaties, this one can be done with or without floaties. if you are not familiar with the name you might be familiar with the idea. Call out is a fun throwback game that calls for true imagination. Have players alternate but always have one player ready to jump in the pool with a jump designed in the style of the call out. For instance if someone is in the pool and calls out “elephant” the other player must create a jump that looks or describes their version of an elephant. Think charades mixed with aquatic sports. It is so much fun and people have a blast seeing what people come up with. Maybe your doggies can keep cool during the summer months and play too!
5. Marco Polo Of course we cannot keep a list of classic swimming pool games to play without including the ultimate old school favorite–Marco Polo. Yes, this 60s game was named after the 13th century explorer. The great part about this game is that there is no maximum. You can include as many guests as you can in this one. Similar to the wolf game, one designated person is chosen to keep their eyes closed the entire time. That person will call out “Marco” as their way of finding some sort of guiding point. The rest of the players must answer the “Marco” call with “Polo”. This will help the person with their eyes closed navigate the pool. The plot twist is that you are the new land “Marco” is trying to discover! At some point “Marco” must tag a player but the idea is to answer with “Polo” without getting caught.

All of these games are so great for the pool and some of them can even be played indoors, in a sunroom, or lanai on a rainy day. Whether you are looking to add a pool screen enclosure or design a new project, U.S. Aluminum is here to help you enjoy your outdoor living space all year round. To get started, Contact U.S. Aluminum at 407-237-3128.