Swimming Relays, Races, and Games
Compiled by Daniel R. Mott: Roundtable Staff District 23

Siamese Twin: (Race, Relay) 
Have the Scouts form into pairs and stand behind a standing line at one end of the pool. The inside ankles of the pair of scouts are tied together. On signal, all pairs of scouts join their inside hands and jump into the pool. They swim to the opposite side using only their outside hands and arms for locomotion. The first pair to reach the other side wins. They can also be done as a relay.

Hoop: (Race, Relay) 
Several plastic floating hoops (i.e. hula hoops) are placed in the water, each at a specific distance from the water line. To prevent the hoops from moving, they are anchored by ropes to rocks (or similar weight) at the bottom of the pool. On signal, each Scout swims to the hoop assigned to him, the dives through the ring  and swims back to the starting line. The first swimmer to complete the action wins the race. For a relay, have all the members of the team go through the same hoop.

HEADS UP: (Race, Relay) 
This is a variation of the hoop race/relay where the swimmer comes up from underneath the water to go through the hoop.

Collecting Corks: 
Have the Scouts divide into two teams and line up at one end of the pool. The leader throws a basket full of corks into fairly deep water. As the corks land, all the scouts jump in and swim or otherwise move towards the corks. The team that accumulates the most corks and brings them back to poolside wins.

Water Balloon: (Race, Relay) 
The Scouts line up behind a starting line at the shallow end of the pool. On signal, each scout swims a specific distance across the pool pushing an inflated balloon in front of him.

Plunging for Distance: 
Each Scout dives in turn from one end of the pool.  He then glides underwater as far as possible without using his arms, legs or lifting his head from the water. When the swimmer comes up for breath, the distance is measured from the end of the pool to the point where he is standing. The scout with the longest plunge wins.

Underwater Tag: 
Use the shallow portion of the pool. One player is chosen as the swimmer.  He tries to tag the others who must duck underwater and swim away to avoid being caught. Players are safe from being tagged only when they are out of the chaser's reach or are completely under water.

How Many Ways to Get There: 
This game is played in waist deep water.  The object of the game is too see how many methods can be used to get across a pool. Each player takes a turn, using a stroke not used by the other Scouts.  At the beginning, the more familiar strokes will be used. After a while the Scouts will need to think of more inventive ways of getting across the pool. Whenever a Scout cannot think of a new way to cross the pool, he drops out of the contest with the last player being the winner.

Follow the Leader: 
The adult leader stands at the pool's edge and tells the others what stroke to use while swimming.  During the game, the leader asks for different strokes and the players who do not follow his commands are eliminated.  Finally only one swimmer the winner is left.

Rope Tug:  
The Scouts divide into two teams.  The two teams line up in waist deep water, each holding one side of the rope as in an ordinary Tug of War. At the signal, each side tries to pull a balloon fixed in the center of the rope over a baseline.

The Whale and the Herring: 
One Scout is the whale; the others are the herring. The herring form a single file, each herring with his hands on the shoulders of the person in front of him.  On signal the whale starts towards the end of the line; his aim to tag the herring in the rear. To prevent this, the other herring twist around as much as possible, still keeping their line intact. If the whale make his tag, he hitches onto the line, becoming the last herring. The first herring then becomes the whale. The game continues until everyone has had a turn being a whale.

Water Horse and Rider: 
This game is played in waist deep water.  The players form into pairs with one person being the horse and the other being the rider.  The rider rides on the horse's shoulders and the object  of the game is for the rider to pull the other riders off their horses. The last rider on his horse is the winner.  Variation: Run this game as a race or relay.

Water Baseball: 
The bases are on flats that are anchored in the water.  The game can be played in with either two bases (2nd & 3rd) or else with three bases and home plate laid out in diamond formation.  The player at bat hits a light rubber ball (about four or five inches in diameter or use a beach ball) with his fist or with both hands, Volley Ball fashion. Each player is allowed only one swing.  After the batter swings, he swims towards first base, while fielders swim for the ball. A player is out when a ball is thrown to a base before he reaches it; if he tagged by a ball, or if he hits a ball that is caught on a fly or if he hits the ball out of bounds.  The game is played with three outs per inning and the game is four or five innings long.  Teams may have as few as three or four players per side.

Player at Bat: 
This is played the same as Water Basketball with the following variation.  The player hits the ball and tries to swim to one base and back before being tagged.  If he succeeds, he remains at bat for another turn; if not he changes places with a player in the field. When all have had a turn, the one who has crossed the most wins.

Shark:  
One player is chosen the shark and he stands, swims about, or treads water in the middle of the pool.  The Scouts stand in a line on either side of the pool edge.  Whenever a player chooses, he dives into the water and tries to make to the other side without being touched by the shark.  If the shark tags a player in the water, that player becomes the new shark for the new game.  Variation: Let the boys cross as many times as they want in a five minute period., giving the shark

Umbrella: (Race, Relay) 
The scout swims the specified distance picks up the umbrella from the leader, ducks under the water, opens the umbrella, raises it out of the water and returns holding it above the water with one hand.

Waterball Carry: (Race, Relay) 
The players stand at the edge of the pool.  The first Scout places a beachball between his legs, jumps in the water, swims the specified distance and back again. If the ball is dropped, the player must stop, place between his legs and continues.

Tunnel: (Race, Relay) 
The players form a straight line in chest deep water.  The first player goes under all the legs of the players behind him.  This continues until everyone goes through the tunnel.

Pebble: (Race, Relay) 
The player holds a pebble in one hand above the water while swimming the specified distance and back again.

Water Keep Away: 
Define the playing area boundaries.  A soft floatable object is tossed between players keeping the object away from "it".  The player is open to being touched by "it" while in possession of the object.  The person who is tagged by "it" is the next "it"

Water Ball: 
Two reams of equal size are on opposite sides of the pool.   A player shouts the name of a player on the other side of the pool and throws the ball to him.  If the person called catches the ball, the catcher scores a point.  If the ball is intercepted, then the interceptor scores a point.  If no one catches the ball, the thriller scores a point. The to score 15 points is the winner.

White Whale: 
The person who is it (white whale) starts out as a black whale.  He moves around and when he calls "Thar She Blows", he becomes a white whale and attempts to tag one of the other players.  The sides of the pool are safe zones.  The white whale can call 'Black Whale' to encourage the players to move back towards the center of the pool.  When a person is tagged, he becomes the white whale.

Water Follow the Leader: 
The rest of he players perform the stunts the leader plays as they go through the water. Pick a new leader after a specific amount of time.

Underwater Football: 
When the game is started the team with the ball swims underwater to the opposing goal. The other team attempts to tag the carrier.  This all done underwater.  A team member who breaks the surface is out of play for that particular play.  Teams have four "downs" to score; after which offense and defense change roles.  The boundaries of play can
be adjusted based on the ability of the players.

Still Pond: 
One person is chosen as IT.  The players line up on one side of the pool and IT on the other. "IT" closes he eyes and counts to ten.  When ten is reached "IT" opens his eyes and calls "Still Pond" where upon all the players must start swimming and float in place. Any player caught swimming returns to start.  The first player to reach the other side becomes "IT" for the next game.

Poison Balls: 
Stretch a rope foe a net. Divide into two teams. Have a number of balls. The object is to toss the balls over to the opposing teams territory on the other side of the net. The team that clears their area of balls first wins. If a ball goes out of the pool for some reason, the last person to throw it, retrieves it.

Mount Ball: 
This game is played with two sets of players with one person sitting on the shoulders of the other. They face each other and pass a ball between each other as fast as possible without dropping it.  When the ball is dropped, the players change places. The pair with the longest string of successful throws is the winners.

Marco Polo: 
One player is chosen to be "Marco". With eyes closed he will attempt to locate and tag another player who will become the next "Marco".  While "Marco" moves blindly about he calls out "Marco", to which all the other participants must reply "Polo" regardless of how close that person is to "Marco".

Fisherman: 
One player is named "Fisherman" and the rest of the players are "Fish" who line up on the other side of the pool facing the fisherman.  When the fisherman says "let's go fishing", the other players attempt to cross the pool without being tagged. A net is formed when at least two players are caught. To form the net the caught players hold hands. The players attempt to swim under the net or around the edges. The fisherman
remains free to catch fish. The last fish caught becomes the next fisherman.

Black and White: 
A floatable object is used with one side colored black and the white. Examples are a piece of wood painted black on one side and white on the other or a Frisbee marked with a highly visible "X" on one side. The two teams (one is the black team and the other is the white team) line up in the center of the pool. The object is tossed into the air, the players shouting "Black" or "White" depending on which side is floating up after hitting the water. For example, if Black is called then all members of the Black team will attempt to tag all members of the White team before they reach the designated safety zone such as the side of the pool.