Unique Pool Toys and Games

For children summer brings a lot of exposure to water, whether it be in the pool, beach, lake, or swimming lessons. Practice makes perfect and after a lot of time spent frolicking in the water this summer, my son enjoyed learning how to hold his breath and mastering how to swim underwater. This prompted his requests for games and activities in the pool with "sinking toys." 

A quick trip to the toy aisles mid-way through the summer season resulted in a lot of disappointment, as the only available items included some water toys for the yard, blasters but mostly boring diving sticks.

These are some of the new unique pool toys and games we've been enjoying that you can purchase mainly from online toy retailers that will peak the interests of both children and adults.

Chuck-O-Splash

Do you love to play corn hole? Our family loves to play corn hole, but the games are often made of wood and extremely heavy. If given the choice, during the hot summer months I'd rather be floating around in a refreshing pool.

Utilizing a floating game board, Chuck-O-Splash brings the popular game of corn hole into the water, at the lake, pool or ocean.

After a quick, 15 minute assembly, players take turns throwing floatable bean bags into the center opening.

 

In addition to the pool, Chuck-O-Splash can be used on land in the yard and is easily folded flat for transportation and storage of the beanbags. For young kids who might not yet have success aiming their beanbags into the hole, fold the board flat and encourage them to aim their beanbags, landing on top of the toy while it floats in the pool. 

Aside from the game board, the floatable beanbags are perfect for young children to swim after or serve as the basis for a fun, new pool game they create with their imagination.  

Sonic Search Underwater Game

For kids who enjoy the endless game of Marco Polo that might not always have a person to play with, consider Sonic Search. Simply push a button on the toy and place it in the water. The game will eventually submerge, projecting a loud sonic beeping sound that can only be heard underwater. During this underwater game, kids will have to rely on their hearing to point them in the direction of the toy, before using their vision to find the toy and bring it to the surface.

With only one player children might be able to quickly locate the toy, so provide additional incentives by timing how quickly they can locate and retrieve the toy.

Given that Sonic Search is a round, plastic toy, I would't recommend children use it to play catch and that caution should be shown when throwing the toy to submerge it in the water. 

Irregardless of how children play Sonic Search, this is a much more versatile toy than a boring diving stick!

Bocce Splash Game

Bocce, one of the best beach toys is a traditional summer game played in the yard or the beach, where players roll out a colored ball, then throw individual balls as close to the target as possible. Players earn points for having the best aim.

Bocce Splash brings the bocce concept into the pool, except players win by throwing small round discs as close as possible to the floating target. When game play is over the target folds and is capable of storing the discs inside when not in use.

 The small discs can sink, and are also a great diving option. However, kids will also love watching the discs actually bounce from the surface of the water onto the mat!

Bubba the Bottom Feeder is the ultimate underwater pool game. Small hard-plastic, air-filled goldfish of varying weights, float around the pool.

On your turn, find a gold fish, then swim underwater, placing it in Bubba's mouth. Make sure to hold your breath long enough to place the fish inside Bubba's mouth! When Bubba has eaten enough fish, he will rise to the surface. If he swims to the surface from your goldfish, you win!

For competitive children or those who maybe even have a fear of the water, the Banzai Bumper Boat turns any pool into a live-action arcade game. Due to a battery operated propellor system, children can maneuver and steer their boat all around the pool, then use the trigger activated squirter to splash swimmers, other players in bumper boats, or any bystanders who might be hanging out near the waters edge.