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Are you looking for new ways to keep the kids active in the warmer months and out of your hair?
The backyard pool is home to some of the greatest childhood memories, so we’ve found some activities that will get the kids outdoors, in the pool and entertained for hours! Some of them don’t require any additional equipment and won’t cost you a cent!
Pebble diving
For this game, you’ll need to buy a bag of brightly coloured pebbles (if you can’t find any, you can always paint your own). Make sure you’ve cleaned them, so they don’t disrupt your water balance. Once that’s sorted, the game is a no-brainer! Get the kids to whack on some goggles, throw the pebbles in the pool and then they can race each other to see who can dive in first and collect the most pebbles – then repeat! This game requires minimal effort from the adult supervisor (a bit of pebble-throwing) and means you can also enjoy some relaxation poolside – everybody wins! Well, except for the person who collects the least pebbles…
Floatie race
These days you can buy floaties in all shapes and sizes. You can float on a flamingo or laze on a lemon! Stock up on the floaties in your desired form, and then you can oversee (or participate if you’re a touch competitive) a floatie race! The hilarity is seeing who can get to one end of the pool and back on their giant flamingo or lemon! It will ensure lots of laughs, and tired kids at bedtime. Then tired parents can enjoy floating in the pool in peace!
The pool salon
Source: Alex Bellink via flickr
It’s an old classic, but when you’re a kid, is there anything funnier than dipping your head underwater and creating a crazy hairstyle from your wet hair? We don’t think so. Make it a competition and get all the kids to surface with their whackiest looks. You can even make the judging process a fashion parade – because wet hair is so hot right now!
Invisi-bottle
This game is ideal when you’ve got a few extra kids in tow. Source a clear 2-litre plastic bottle (don’t use glass), ideally with a white cap, and fill it up with pool water. Then divide your backyard crew into two teams and line them up on opposite sides of the pool – facing away from the water. The adult supervisor then throws the bottle into the water, and when the players hear the splash of the bottle, they’re allowed to jump in and try and find the bottle! Sounds like a cinch, right? Not so fast! Because the bottle is clear, it blends in with the pool’s surface making it quite tricky to locate. It’s a fun and challenging game for all age groups – and won’t cost you an arm and a leg!
Jumping pool photos
Grab a smartphone and get shooting! The kids will have a blast leaping into the air and striking a pose while you’re on photographer duty*. Not only will the photos give them the giggles, they’ll also be a priceless keepsake one day!
*If you’re a real phone whiz, use the slo-mo feature on your phone camera!
Sounds like fun to us! These activities should keep the little and big kids in your life entertained all pool season!
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