Fun Pool Games

Pool games can really bring the family together, and make for great memories. We had our favorites when I was a kid, but I never knew that so many pool games existed! Print out this list for your kids and they can try a new swimming pool game or race every day!

REMEMBER POOL SAFETY FIRST!  Always have an adult around when playing games in the pool.

If you have other favorite swimming games not listed here, let us know by commenting below! We’d love to publish your favorite races, relays and games here! 

Belly Flop Contest
This one really needs no explanation, and this pool game doesn’t even need a diving board. One at a time please, with a judge to rate the flops according to splash height, smacking sound, style or creativity.

Boogie Board Relay
You will need two boogie boards or kick boards and two ski ropes or just regular rope. Two relay teams will race against each other from one end of the pool to the other.  While one swimmer kneels or lays on the board, another swimmer on the side of the pool pulls them across the pool. The swimmer that was on the board, being pulled across the pool first, then trades positions with the puller, and race back to the other end of the pool. If more players are involved in the team, they switch after reaching the end. 

Bottle
Similar to Steal The Bacon, this pool game requires a CLEAR plastic 2 liter bottle with the label removed. Fill the 2 litre bottle full of pool water, and put the cap on tightly. Divide your swimmers into two teams. Each team will take opposite ends of the pool as their endzone. Place a pool chair on the edge of the pool at each end as the goal. Line up the players on either end of the pool, facing the outside – with eyes closed. Throw the bottle into the pool, (which will sink) and yell “Go!” The players launch off the wall and dive for the bottle.

The object of this pool game is to get the bottle to the other teams chair (goal). 1 point is awarded for each “goal” – when the bottle is placed in the opposing team’s chair. Line up again on opposite sides after each goal is scored.

Bumper Boats
Each player mounts an inflated pool tube, and when “Go!” is announced, they push, splash, paddle their way into each other. Using feet and hands is allowed, but no touching the other contestants – only touch the tube, or you get expelled for 30 seconds. The object of this pool game is to knock others off of their tube, into the water.

Coin Chase
Collect coins from the parents, as much as you can,and throw the coins into the pool. Yell “GO!” and all contestant jump in the water and try to collect as much as possible.

Diving Board H.O.R.S.E.
Players line up behind the diving board. Similar to the basketball game “HORSE”, the first diver states the dive or jump they will do. If they complete it, then the next diver has to duplicate the same dive (jump, flip, cannonball, whatever, but always different). If they also do it correctly – then the next diver also attempts the same dive. If a diver does it incorrectly, (and you may need a referee) they get a “letter”, beinning with H. The next person in line then gets to call the next dive. Once you mess up 5 times, (and spell HORSE) you are eliminated. Continue until all have been eliminated except one – the winner.

Ducky Push
You’ll need enough rubber duckies for each player. Swimmers line up on one side of the pool, and swim across to the other side, blowing or bumping the duck with their face only. You many not touch the duck with hands, or bite the duck and carry it in their mouth. Splashing other players ducks is allowed, however, no touching off the other player is permitted. First swimmer to get their duck safely to the other side is the winner.

Jump or Dive
In this game, line up the participants behind the diving board, and designate one person to be the caller. The diver runs and jumps off the board, and while in mid-air (not too late) the caller yells out either “jump” or “dive”. The contestant reacts in mid-air, trying to correct themselves into either a jump or a dive, but usually ending up in a belly flop!

Jump the Noodle
With one person in the deep end, treading water, hold a pool noodle laying flat on the water at a perpendicular angle to the diving board. Start easy, say 3-4 feet from the board, and after each round, move the pool noodle a foot further away, eliminating those whose dives don’t clear the noodle. This pool game is easy and fun for all ages.

King of the Tube
Much like King of the Hill, this pool game involves everyone trying to knock off the king of the tube. One swimmer sits in the pool tube while others try to knock her out, without touching her! only touching the pool tube. The winner is the person who can stay in the tube the longest, without being pushed off or flipped over.

Sharks & Minnows
Make  two teams of swimmers and choose a home base on opposite sides of the pool.  When the game starts, the minnows push off the wall or dives into the pool. The sharks push off when ready, and while swimming underwater, try to touch/tag the minnows before they reach the other side. If the minnow reaches the other side without being tagged, one of the sharks comes over to the minnows team. When a minnow gets tagged, however, he/she becomes a shark. The point of this pool game is to try and get everyone on your team.

Backyard Pool Main Drain Safety

Take precautions to prevent main drain entrapment. Replacing your main drain cover is easy and inexpensive. Usually the main drain cover is held on with two screws.

Almost all pools have suction drains on the bottom for circulation reasons. These drains connect to pipes that run directly to the pool circulation pump. Typical flow rate through a residential is anywhere from 40-80 gallons per minute. That’s a lot of suction. If a seal is made on a pool drain, while the pump is running, the suction force is enough to hold a man under water, or pull in hair.

The suction drain grate in swimming pools, spas, and hot tubs can become brittle and crack over time. In addition, the drain cover may be loose or missing. When a person stands or sits on the damaged, loose, or missing drain grate, the suction can hold you to the bottom. And not let go. So, it’s easy to make your pool safer, with the installation of a SVRS or a anti entrapment main drain cover.

SVRS stands for Safety Vacuum Release Systems that will disable the pump and or sound an alarm if the flow is blocked. Sensors on the pump detect vacuum and pressure and when thresholds are reached, the pump shuts off immediately to prevent main drain entrapment.

Excavating For A Pool – Hitting Rock

In the Austin area, limestone is the biggest problem when excavating for a pool. After being in business for more than 15 years, we’re aware of the expense it can be to excavate in a heavily limestone ridden area. The main thing with the excavation issue is to be prepared for worst case scenario, so your budget will not be maxed out. 

As a pool installer, you never know the extent of rock until you actually start the excavation of the hole because not all rock is the same and some may be broken out in layers and others have to be hammered out with a machine.  We at Leisure Pools of Austin try to educate our customers beforehand of the expenses that can be associated with hitting rock during excavation, and the cost associated with the worst case scenario.  Please enjoy the installation video to better understand the process involved with dealing with rock during installation.

We found a great video on YouTube that explains what happens when you hit rock.

Green pool lighting technology

Pool lighting can be one of the largest energy hogs around the pool, especially when used frequently.

LED pool lights, now available, allow you to operate your pool lights at up to 80% less electricity than traditional incandescent fixtures. And what’s more, today’s pool lights are cool running, and with no internal filament to wear out, the bulbs virtually last forever. Combine these features with sophisticated controllers, and you can program patriotic light shows for July 4th, or a scary color theme for Halloween.

But what I’m really excited to tell you about – are the new pool light bulbs available. Yes! Lightbulbs! Halco lighting has introduced 3 new bulbs, at low cost, including a Pool light CFL bulb! These new CFL pool lightbulbs can replace a regular R40 bulb, burning brighter, at huge savings. You’ll want to use your pool light more often. And that’s good!

Pool Apps for your SmartPhone

I’m always looking for new apps for my iPhone.  Wondering if there were any good ones for pools, I searched the app store. Here’s a list of some current swimming pool apps available now for iPhone and iTouch models.

Pool Doctor – Price: $0.99
John Gazzini
Designed for pool and spa owners, select the Easy Balance feature to enter pH, Chlorine and get the basic information. For those more curious, enter more information and test results (from any test kit) into the Pool Doctor app, and get a customized treatment prescription. This app has calculators for determining water volume in 3 standard pool/spa shapes (rectangular, circular, oval), along with information on how to calculate water volume in unusually shaped pools and spas. It’s hard not to smile when “Doctor’s Orders” are issued. Includes an Ask the Doctor feature with 24 hr email response to your tough chemical questions.

Plumbing Formulator – Price: $3.99
Multieducator
Developed originally for the plumbing industry, this app has more than 60 formulas for calculations including optimum water flow, head in feet, temperature of waters when mixed, pipe expansion rates, heat loss, area and/or volumes of different pipe shapes, pipe pressure and water flow calculations. Also measures gallons per hour of gas, and BTU input of pool heaters. Helps to determine the overall resistance calculations necessary when mating pool equipment together.

Insta-LINK – Price: $6.99 Basic, $19.95/Yr Pro
LaMotte Co.
Called the Ultimate Water Balancing System, the Insta-Link works with the Insta-Test brand of pool test strips, made by LaMotte. You hold the strip up to the app, and it reads the colormetric data – and instantly goes to work analyzing the colors. Program in your pool size and other details and it makes treatment recommendations. Also allows the pool owner to manually enter water balance test results for analysis. Insta-Link also stores pool equipment make/model information – for the busy pooltech on the road. One very cool feature is the graphs and charts that the Insta-LINK produces. Look back over time to make a trend analysis of your pH or Chlorine levels. The Advanced Subscription also tests for Salt levels or Biguanide (Baquacil) levels.

Pool Calculator – Price: $4.99
Jason Linhart
Your basic water chemistry calculator, built from the technology of Jason’s online water test page at poolcalculator.com. He uses the fun scrolling selector to enter in your pool size and compute the gallonage. Then you enter in the readings from your test kit and it tells you just how much of certain chemicals to add to the pool water to achieve your your chemical goals. In addition to your normal water balance parameters, Pool Calculator will also make recommendations on Salt, Borate and Stabilizer levels.

HowsMyWater – Price: $5.99
pSiFlow Technology
Another test strip reader, this one will work with any test strip brand. Simply take a picture with your iPhone and a custom water treatment plan is displayed for your size pool. You can also enter in test readings with the easy to use sliders. Maintains a history of your pool chemistry measurements and can track dozens of pools. Includes a tutorial section and a glossary of terms.

Saturation Index - Price: $3.99
iPoolMan
The Saturation Index or more commonly called the Langelier Saturation Index is a measurement of not just water balance parameters, but temperature and TDS. This app, and the Index it calculates would be more useful for public facility operators or anyone held to a higher standard. Also good for homeowners that can seem to get rid of cloudy water or poor pool water conditions. Simply enter your values into the Saturation Index app and all of the complicated math is done for you.

Water Flow – Price: $4.99
iPoolMan
This app was designed to help you properly manage flow rates in your pool, spa and pond filtration systems. Includes four calculators that will determine pool flow rate, turnover rate, # of turnovers, and a target turnover rate. Calculations can be shown in gallons per minute, liters per minute, and cubic meters per hour. Calculations are Approved by the NSPF, National Swimming Pool Foundation.

Two-Person Hot Tubs

There is a growing popularity in compact spas over the past few years—baby boomers are getting older and moving into townhomes and condos. The two-person hot tub fits well into very small yards and because of the size, they are inherently less expensive. In addition, the smaller units appeal to a new demographic: single women. For one, women are accustomed to taking baths, and may desire a similar experience in a hot tub.

It looks like this trend is here to stay.

Top 5 Hazards around your swimming pool

Take care when working around your pool, and spend some time making sure others know the potential dangers that exist in other areas of the pool – aside from the acknowledged threat of drowning or near-drowning.

Top 5 areas of swimming pool dangers

1. Diving Boards: Basic pool diving board rules include No Horseplay, One at a Time, Look before you leap, etc. This should be reinforced with all swimmers. If too many swimmers are using the pool, “close the board” to diving. Head injuries are common when divers slip or don’t dive outwardly. The most tragic of diving board accidents are spinal injuries when divers make contact with the pool floor. Most of these happen to be Male, between 18-35 years old, a bit overweight and also perhaps a bit tipsy. These accidents continue to put young men in wheelchairs at an alarming rate. Your pool may not be deep enough for a diving board, and if so, remove it from the pool deck.

2. Pool Chemicals: In the water, doing their job? Not really, what we are talking about here are pool chemicals transported and stored improperly. Keep all pool chemicals secure, in a cool and dry location, out of the reach of children. If you have lots of old pool chemicals laying around, with bags torn open, or the plastic bucket is cracking – find the time to make a trip to your local landfill to dispose of – or add them to the pool if suitable. Chlorine and Acids (pH down) are especially hazardous and must always be sealed tightly – and kept dry and seperated. Keep all chemicals from any possibility of mixing. For more pool chemical safety information.

3. Pool Electrical: The pool pump, pool lights, pool heaters, salt systems and controllers all use some form of electricity. Make sure that the conduit (the rigid or flexible tube containing wires) is replaced when it shows signs of wear and tear. Pool lights, installed incorrectly have electrified pools, have resulted in death. Timer clocks, and breaker panels contain enough amperage to stop a weak heart. Make sure that your circuits are properly grounded and the steel equipment properly bonded.  I guess we should also consider lightning. All swimmers out of the pool when you hear thunder, as lightning is attracted to water. Finally, never use an electrical appliance within 10 feet of the pool, and always make sure you plug into a GFCI outlet (the type with the test button). Want more pool electrical safety information?

4. Main Drain Hazards: With the passage of the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool & Spa Safety Act in 2008, much attention has been brought upon entrapment injuries, most caused by powerful suction of pool or spa main drains. The new law requires public pools to replace single main drains with safer dual main drain setups, and/or install sensoring equipment to shut off pumps in the presence of a vacuum – or entrapment. Drains, or vacuum cleaner lines or any suction port that hair, or body parts can be sucked into, can trap even good swimmers of large body size. If your pool has a single main drain which has a dedicated line running all the way to the pump, make sure that new, safer drain covers are installed. Also consider modernizing to a dual drain system, or installing sensoring equipment, as mentioned above. Follow this link for more information on main drain pool safety.

5. Solid Pool Winter Covers: Sure, mesh safety covers are very safe, but the solid pool cover, held in place with water bags and such, or clamped around the edge of an above ground pool, are definately not safe. Solid pool covers, if a small child or animal falls on them, wrap themselves around the legs and body of the victim, with rushing cold water on top of the cover enveloping the person. Keep solid pool covers firmly anchored, and keep your cover pump operational, and limit or prevent access to the pool area during the winter.

10 Tips on managing dangerous pool chemicals

1. Store pool Chemicals out of Reach of Children: This would mean on an upper shelf or locked cabinet.

2. Store pool chemicals in a cool, dry location. Very hot or wet locations can cause fumes to develop inside the bucket or bag.

3. Store pool chemicals in separate locations. Keep acids far away from chlorine. Keep different chlorine types separated. This is especially important while transporting pool chemicals. In the event of an accident, mixed pool chemicals could shut down the beltway!

4. Do not allow any contamination of pool chemicals. The smallest amount of foreign substances, such as other pool chemicals, flecks of leaves or dirt – can react with your pool chemicals, resulting in fire or explosion.

5. Use a clean, dry chemical scoop. Small flecks or dirt or trace amounts of other pool chemicals can react violently.

6. Keep all pool chemical lids on tightly. Lock them down – they are fairly childproof, if installed correctly.

7. Never Mix Pool Chemicals. Add them to the pool separately.

8. Add chemicals to water – not water to chemicals. When pre-mixing a chemical solution – fill the bucket with water, and add the pool chemical to the bucket, while stirring.

9. While adding pool chemicals, be up-wind. Strong winds can blow broadcasted chemicals back into your face, or all over the pool deck.

10. Follow all packaging instructions. All pool chemicals have very specific instructions in use and storage. For instance. 1lb shock packages will tell you to use the entire packet at one time. Half full bags of shock laying around is quite dangerous!

Pool Energy Standards

We all know that the air conditioner consumes the most energy in the home, but the pool pump is a close second. The differences in power usage can be huge even between the same pump, one with a standard motor and one with an energy efficient motor. California, Arizona and (coming soon) Texas pool owners must use a 2 speed, variable speed or multi-speed pump when replacing existing pumps or motors over 1 hp.

 According to the new “Pool Pump and Portable Spa Energy Efficiency Standards” which will take effect Jan. 1, 2012 in Arizona, will require two-speed, mulit-speed or variable-speed pumps on all residential installations with a pump size more than 1hp. What this means to the homeowner is that when they’re current pump fails they will have to buy a pump that is either energy efficient”, 2 speed or variable speed. The energy savings is one key point in the war to going green, but the main and long-term benefit is the effect on the environment and greenhouse gasses.  Replacing old equipment with newer green technologies is something that anyone can accomplish to do their part in cleaning up the environment.

Correctly Sizing Salt Chlorinators

Many pool and spa professionals are incorrectly sizing salt chlorine generators, according to a growing school of thought.

If you can have two identical 16,000 gallon pools — one with a family of six that has two dogs, and the other with a retired couple — each of those pools requires a different salt chlorine generator system. “The size of the pool is not as important as chlorine demand.”  The U.S. is the only country in the world where salt chlorinators are marketed based on pool capacity, not chlorine demand.

However, many salt chlorinators are sold to residential customers based not on chlorine demand, but on the gallonage of the pool on which they’re to be installed. A particular model will be listed as having, for example, a 40,000-gallon capacity. The measurement is based on the amount of water a chlorinator can theoretically keep sanitized under an average bather load, when running for about eight hours a day in a cool climate.

Manufacturers and dealers who use this gallonage-based system often are just trying to make things simpler for residential customers unfamiliar with the concept of a bather load. But this system of sizing is actually multiplying long-term costs for consumers. Trying to keep up with a pool’s sanitation needs can quickly wear down an undersized chlorinator, especially in warm climates where chlorine tends to break down more quickly, and in pools with heavy bather loads.

SOURCE: excerpts from article “Experts Say Salt Chlorinators Often Sized Incorrectly” by Ben Thomas