11 Backyard Water Olympics Games
Dive into a splash-tacular summer with our ultimate guide to Backyard Water Olympics! Whether you’re looking to beat the heat, get the kids off their screens, or simply have a blast with family and friends, we’ve got you covered with 10 exhilarating water games that will turn your backyard into a mini water park.
From pool noodle jousting to epic water balloon battles, these activities promise endless laughter, friendly competition, and memories that will last long after the towels have dried. So, grab your swimsuits and competitive spirit—it’s time to make a big splash and find out which team will be the ultimate backyard water olympics champion! We’ve even created a Backyard Water Olympics Scorecard 🗒️ to get you started!
1. Water Balloon Relay
Supplies: water balloons🎈 and 2 laundry baskets 🗑️
For this relay, one player will stand across the yard holding a laundry basket on top of their head while their teammates take turns throwing water balloons across the yard and into the laundry basket. Once time is called, the water balloons in each basket should be tally’d and the team with the most water balloons in their basket wins!
2. Sponge Run
Supplies: 2 sponges 🧽 and 4 buckets 🪣
The object of this water olympics game is to be the first team to fill a bucket with water! Simple enough, right? Relay style, players will dunk their sponge in the water trying to soak up as much water as possible. They then have to place the sponge on their head and hold it while they run to the next bucket, wring out the sponge into the empty bucket and run back. Continue until one team reaches the water line mark on the empty bucket.
3. Water Bottle Toss
Supplies: 2 water bottles and 4 buckets 🪣
Prep: Fill a plastic bucket with water and place an empty water bottle in the bucket. Then place an empty bucket on the other side of the yard.
The first player will dunk their water bottle into the full bucket of water, filling it to the top. Then the player will toss the open water bottle to their teammate standing across the yard. The player that catches the water bottle will empty the remaining water into an empty bucket. First team to fill up their bucket wins!
4. Over/Under Pass
Supplies: Plastic cups 🥤 and 2 buckets 🪣
For this water olympics game, each team should get in a single file line and pass a cup of water from the front to the back of the line, alternating passing over players heads and under players legs. The last person in line will dump the remaining water into their bucket and run to the front of the line. The cycle continues until time is called and the team with the fullest bucket wins!
5. Dizzy Waiter
Supplies: 2 pool noodles, 2 trays, plastic cups🥤
Prep: Place 2 buckets of water on one side of the lawn, and 2 empty buckets on the other side.
Taking turns, players will spin around on a pool noodle 7 times and then pick up a tray of water cups. They will make their way to the other side of the lawn and fill their empty bucket with water from the cups remaining on their tray. First team to fill their bucket wins!
6. Water Gun Relay 🔫
Supplies: 2 water guns 🔫 and 4 buckets 🪣
Prep: Set up 2 buckets on one side of the lawn, and 2 buckets on the other side. One bucket on each side should be filled with water (for refilling water guns.)
The goal of this water olympics game is to be the team with the LEAST amount of water in your bucket when the time ends! Players try to fill up the other teams bucket with water using water guns. Set up a line around team’s buckets for an added challenge. Other players can be allowed to “goal keep” their team’s bucket from outside of the shooting line.
7. Sponge Dodgeball
Supplies: multiple soaked sponges 🧽
Prep: Soak about 10 sponges with water and place in a line, dividing two sides of your lawn.
Two teams line up on opposite sides of the backyard. When the referee yells “GO!” everyone runs to the center to the line of sponges and the battle begins!
If you get hit with a sponge by someone on the opposing team, you’re OUT! But if someone from the opposing team throws a sponge and you catch it, the thrower of the sponge is out. The team with the last man standing is the winner!
8. Shaving Cream Water War
Supplies: shaving cream, water guns 🔫
Each player gets a can of shaving cream and a water gun. Cover yourself in shaving cream and then attempt to wash off your opponents’ cream with the water gun. The team with the most shaving cream still on them when time is called is the winner!
9. Water Balloon Pop
Supplies: water balloons, plastic forks, blindfolds, and twine 🍴🎈
Prep: For this game, you will tie up about 40 water balloons onto a clothes line in two different colors.
The object of this water olympics game is for members of each team to take turns being blindfolded and holding a fork. Players are verbally guided by one of their teammates to their team’s color balloon and the goal is to pop the balloon without touching it. This continues on (relay style) until one team has popped all of their balloons!
10. Pool Noodle Joust
Supplies: 2 pool noodles, sprinklers
The key to an epic pool noodle joust in the heat of summer is to simply… turn on the sprinklers! For this water olympics game, each team nominates one representative to participate in a pool noodle joust against the other team. The first team to get 3 noodle pokes on their opponent is the noodle joust champion!
11. Frozen T-shirt Race
Supplies: 2 frozen t-shirts 👕🧊
Prep: Soak t-shirts in water, wring them out, and freeze them overnight.
Players race to thaw and put on the frozen t-shirts as quickly as possible. The first team to have their player wearing their frozen t-shirt wins!
Use this Backyard Water Olympics Scorecard to add a bit of friendly competition! 🗒️
