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3 household items that enhance pool fun

Kids can be a tough crowd to entertain. In places where it's hot year round, like San Diego, old pool games can get stale fast. If your household is getting antsy and wants to try something new, seek out these 3 household items that can be turned into pool time fun for all.

  1. Water bottle: Invisi-bottle is an easy-to-play game suggested by Babble. If you have any empty plastic water bottles laying around the house, remove the label and fill it with water. Now you're ready to play. Line the kids up with their backs to one another in the water, and on the count of three toss the water bottle into the pool. They'll have to swim around and search for it, but it's tougher than it seems. Other than a different colored cap, the water bottle can blend right in with the pool. Keep the ball rolling and play several rounds until someone has won five times in a row. 
  2. Tubes and balls: Pool ping-pong is recommended by Parenting.com to keep the kids entertained on a hot and sunny day. All you need is a tube and some ping pong balls. For this game, kids don't even have to get in the pool. Toss the tube in the water and let children line up and take turns tossing the ping pong balls into the center. If some of the children are eager to hop in and retrieve the balls, that can become part of the fun, too. Make sure the little swimmers have some experience in the water before letting them jump in. Keep score and see who can get the most in. For a more interactive experience, have an adult jump in the water and hold the tube. Just be sure to keep it far away from the face so the ball doesn't accidentally hurt someone. 
  3. Toys and more: This last one depends on the swimming skills your kids possess. Babble.com referred to it as F-I-S-H, it's a water version of the game H-O-R-S-E. Grab a toy, ball or other household object that won't get ruined in the pool. Have the participants take turns using the toy to perform a pool trick. Maybe a handstand in the water or a little dance. The kids will have to repeat the move with the toy, otherwise they'll get a letter that spells out fish. Once someone gets the entire word, they're out and the winner is the last person in the game.

Grab your toys and suit up. It's game time!