These 10 lifeguard games for kids turn water-safety ideas into active, memorable play, with options for the pool deck, a suitable shallow-water area, or dry land. They work best as activities led by a responsible adult while a qualified lifeguard supervises any public pool; games never replace close supervision, swimming ability, or facility rules. Choose activities to match each child’s age, confidence, and setting, and stop if anyone feels uncomfortable or tired.
1. Lifeguard Says
This water-safety version of Simon Says uses simple commands such as “Lifeguard says, point to the nearest exit,” “Lifeguard says, hold the pool wall,” or “Lifeguard says, show me where your buddy is.” Players only follow a command when it begins with the cue phrase, so the game practices listening as well as recalling useful safety actions. Keep every movement slow and easy to do from a stable place, and use land-based actions if children are not confident swimmers. It is worth playing because children rehearse what to notice and do without pretending to perform a rescue.
2. Red, Yellow, Green
Give each child a clear view of three colored cards, then explain that green means move at a calm walking pace, yellow means slow down, and red means stop and hold still. Play on a clear pool deck or in water shallow enough for every participant to stand comfortably; running, diving, and sudden direction changes are out. You can add a lifeguard-themed prompt at each stop, such as identifying the pool steps or pointing out the adult supervising the group. The color cues are easy for younger children to learn, and the game reinforces that safe movement matters around water.
3. Buddy Check Challenge
Pair children and have them practice a simple check-in routine while standing on land or at the pool’s edge: name your buddy, confirm that the supervising adult knows where you are, and agree on a meeting point if you become separated. For a playful round, the adult can change the meeting point between turns and ask pairs to point it out rather than wander off to find it. Make clear that a buddy is an extra layer of awareness, not a substitute for adult supervision or permission to enter the water. This game is especially useful before a family swim because it gives children a short routine they can repeat in a busy setting.
4. Rescue-Target Toss
Set a large, soft target on dry ground, such as a laundry basket or marked hoop, and let children toss a foam ring or soft beanbag toward it from behind a line. Before the first round, introduce the safety idea that a bystander should call for an adult and use an appropriate reach-or-throw aid rather than jump into the water to help someone. Keep the activity as a target game: do not use real emergencies, have a child act as a person in distress, or throw equipment at anyone. It offers a playful way to discuss getting help and sending an object toward a target without asking children to attempt a rescue.
5. Floating-Toy Relay
In a designated shallow area, place a few lightweight floating toys within easy reach and have teams take turns moving one toy to a marked collection spot. Children should walk, stay in their comfortable standing depth, and carry or gently guide the toy rather than race, dive, or splash other players. Use only a small, uncluttered play area that the supervising adult and lifeguard can see clearly, and follow the facility’s rules about toys in the pool. The relay adds a simple team goal while letting children practice controlled movement and awareness of the space around them.
6. Water-Safety Scavenger Hunt
On the deck or at a supervised beach gathering area, ask children to point out items and places such as the lifeguard station, pool exit, depth markers, posted rules, and the adult responsible for their group. Keep it a pointing-and-naming hunt rather than a race, and do not let children search on their own or enter restricted areas. If a child does not know what a depth marker means, explain it using the facility’s signs and rules rather than asking them to guess. The activity helps children notice important surroundings before they start playing and can be adapted to any pool that permits a deck-side activity.
7. Safe-Entry Signal Match
Make cards showing simple situations—waiting for an adult, using the steps, checking that the area is open, or stopping when a lifeguard gives an instruction—and matching cards with the appropriate action. Children can work in pairs to connect each situation to its response, then explain one match in their own words. Keep the examples specific to the pool or beach where the group is playing, since entry rules and permitted areas vary by venue. This quiet, dry-land game is a good choice before swimming or when some children need a break from active play.
8. Float-and-Find
With the lifeguard’s and facility’s approval, place a few bright, lightweight floating objects in a small, clearly bounded shallow-water area and invite children to retrieve one at a time. They should keep their faces above water, move at a comfortable pace, and pick up only objects floating on the surface; no diving, breath-holding contests, or reaching into drains and restricted areas. An adult should remain close enough to supervise each child according to their age and swimming ability, while the lifeguard maintains their normal coverage. The game makes noticing and retrieving a visible object engaging without turning underwater searching into a challenge.
9. Shark and Minnows—with No Tagging
Adapt the familiar game so it rewards awareness rather than speed or contact: a designated caller says “swim” or “freeze,” and the other children move slowly between two visible markers or stop where they are. Play on land or in an appropriate shallow area, and do not allow chasing, grabbing, blocking, or tagging; anyone can opt out or take a turn as caller. Keep enough space between players to prevent collisions, and stop if the group gets too excited to follow the rules. The recognizable theme can make a listening game appealing, while the no-contact version avoids making tackles or frantic crossings part of pool play.
10. Beach-Ball Boundary Ball
Use one soft beach ball and mark a small play zone that stays well away from pool edges, stairs, drains, and other swimmers. Players pass the ball gently to one another while keeping their feet on the ground in a suitable shallow area, or play on dry land if the pool is busy; no hard throws, dunking, or pushing are allowed. Add a pause signal so everyone stops passing and looks to the supervising adult before play resumes. This cooperative game gives children a simple way to enjoy a ball without treating the whole pool as a playing field or encouraging rough contact.
How to Choose
Start with the setting and the children’s abilities, not with the game that sounds most exciting. A dry-deck scavenger hunt or signal-matching activity can suit a mixed group, a busy pool, or children who are not ready for in-water play. For any water activity, use only an area permitted by the venue and appropriate to each child’s swimming ability; shallow water is not automatically safe for a child who cannot stand comfortably or needs close support. Keep the group small enough for the responsible adult to supervise attentively, and follow lifeguard instructions and posted rules.
Look for games with simple boundaries, slow movement, and no contact. Avoid breath-holding contests, underwater races, blindfolds, diving for objects, and games that encourage children to imitate an emergency or attempt a rescue. Use soft, pool-approved items only when the facility allows them, and keep toys away from drains, ladders, and other swimmers. Most importantly, decide in advance who is directly supervising the children: a lifeguard watches the facility, but caregivers remain responsible for their own children and should stay close, especially with young or inexperienced swimmers. If a game makes it harder to watch, hear instructions, or keep children within the agreed area, choose a quieter activity.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are these games a substitute for swimming lessons?
No. Games can reinforce listening, awareness, and basic safety habits, but they do not teach all the skills covered in swimming lessons. Enroll children in age- and ability-appropriate instruction and follow the pool’s supervision requirements.
Can children play these games without a lifeguard?
Games do not remove the need for responsible adult supervision. At a public pool, follow its lifeguard and entry rules; at any setting, an adult should closely supervise children in or near water and be ready to respond.
Which games work best for non-swimmers?
Choose dry-land activities such as the Water-Safety Scavenger Hunt, Safe-Entry Signal Match, or Rescue-Target Toss. If a non-swimmer joins an in-water activity, use only an appropriate area and the close supervision and support their needs require.
Should kids practice rescuing someone during a game?
No. Do not stage a pretend drowning or ask a child to enter the water to rescue another person. Teach children to alert an adult or lifeguard and, when appropriate, to use a safe reach-or-throw aid under adult direction.
What if a pool does not allow toys?
Respect the facility’s rules and switch to a deck-side or dry-land game, such as Lifeguard Says or Buddy Check Challenge. Never bring an item into the water unless the pool permits it.
Final Thoughts
The best lifeguard games make safety habits part of enjoyable play without asking children to take risks or act as rescuers. Pick a game that fits the location and each child’s ability, keep the rules simple, and maintain attentive adult supervision throughout. A short conversation about where to get help can make the game’s lessons more useful when it is time to swim.