Pool Toys and Swimming Pool Games

Make the Most of Your Backyard Swimming Pool

Backyard swimming pools can become a hub of summertime fun and activity when you bring pool toys and swimming pool games into the picture.  Pool toys and swimming pool games allow you to do more with your pool than just swim, float, and soak up the sun.  They add extra fun to neighborhood parties and family get togethers and allow you to make the most of the swimming season, which sometimes seems way too short.  A wide variety of toys and games for pools are available, from the more common basketball and volleyball sets, to the less common remote controlled boats and toss games.  Choosing the right toys and games for your pool depends only on your family’s preferences and on how much you are willing to spend.

Two of the more commonly known pool toys and swimming pool games are basketball and volleyball.  Swimming pool basketball games that float on the water’s surface are often the least expensive of the basketball games, and they are particularly fun for kids.  These can be inflatable or pop up, which makes for easy storage.  At the other end of the spectrum of basketball sets for pools are those made for the serious basketball enthusiast.  These come with sturdy bases which can be filled with water, a reinforced backboard, adjustable rust-proof metal rim, and regulation size ball.

Just like with the basketball pool toys, you’ll find volleyball sets for pools that range in cost based on the quality and number of features available.  Better quality volleyball sets are rugged enough to be used in both home and public pools.  All volleyball sets should come with sturdy posts, but the material out of which the post is constructed will be one feature that determines the product’s price point. Another feature that may help determine price is the net.  Some nets are adjustable in height and length so that they allow you to create a custom fit for your specific pool. If the net is not described as adjustable, make sure that its dimensions are right for your pool. For in ground pools, some volleyball sets come with weighted bases for stability, while others have heavy-duty plastic bases which, when filled with water, help keep the net from sagging or collapsing into the water during active play.  For above ground pools, volleyball sets will often come with special brackets that attach to the pool’s top rail.

Some of the less commonly known pool toys and swimming pool games include remote controlled boats and toss games.  Remote controlled boats are fun for everyone, regardless of athletic ability, and they can be controlled no matter if you are hanging out in the water or lounging poolside.  A favorite choice among pool owners is the boat that doubles as a skimmer. Remote controlled pool skimmers make the cleaning up of leaves and surface debris a much more interesting and amusing activity.  Additionally, it’s easy to create your own games with a remote controlled pool skimmer and score points with every bit of debris collected.  Another fun remote controlled boat resembles a flying saucer and squirts water at the touch of a button.  You can surprise an unsuspecting friend with a stream of water shot from twenty feet away — just be sure your friend is a good sport.

Classic yard games, like ring toss and bag toss games, can also be enjoyed in the swimming pool.  These pool toys are a fun choice for swimming parties and small family gatherings, but they can also be played by a single person.  You can play while in the water, or you can toss the rings or bags onto the floating structure from poolside.  Ring toss and bag toss swimming pool games, as well as remote controlled boats, are generally less expensive than the standard basketball or volleyball sets for pools, but you should still be able to find any of these types of pool toys in a reasonable price range.

In short, you really can’t go wrong when choosing from the many types of pool toys and swimming pool games that are available if you make sure to consider your family’s play preferences as well as your budget.  No matter what you decide to get, the simple act of adding toys and games to your backyard pool allows you to make the most of the swimming pool season.