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Mermaid Relay Race with Swim-Thru Hoops
A Mermaid Relay Race is the perfect pool party game for any mermaid themed birthday party! Kids love racing through hoops like a mermaid! Plus, relay races take the pressure of winning off the individual kid. Team racing means half of the party wins each time you play, and as both parents & party performers know, more winners = more fun!
You will need:
- 2 Swim-Thru Hoops
- 2 batons
- – You can use Mermaid Wand Dive Toys, Mermaid Barbies, or any similar length toy that’s easy to grab, hold, & hand off
Mermaid Relay Race Gameplay
How to Play:
In a relay race, members of a team take turns completing a course to see which team can finish the fastest!
For beginner swimmers, race the short length of the pool. For advanced swimmers, race the long length of your pool. For an added challenge, have the kids race “like a mermaid” if they are able to efficiently swim with their legs pressed together to do the “dolphin kick.” Do NOT physically bind a child’s legs when swimming!
The game host stands in the center of the course with outstretched arms, a dive hoop in each hand. Dive hoops add just the perfect amount of flair- it gives the kids a goal to aim for (other than the wall) and adds an extra challenge to the course. The game host can hold the hoops up at the surface to make it easy, or down at a diving depth to make it more difficult, depending on the swimming ability of the players.
Divide your party into two teams and have them line up along the edge of the pool. Teams send one player at a time through the course, carrying a baton. The player must swim through the hoop, touch the opposite end of the pool, then swim back through the hoop and return to the start. The next player in line should be ready to receive the baton and begin their swim through the course. The returning player should hand off the baton, then hop out of the pool and sit along the edge to signify they have completed their swim. This pattern continues until all players on either team have completed the course.
How to win:
The team who gets all their members through the course and sitting along the edge first, WINS!
* If you have an uneven amount of players, the team with one less player can send one team member through the course twice. This person should go first & last.
Tips from a Professional Mermaid:
I like to use batons that match the color of each hoop. Some kids are easily turned around, so having a team color helps them remember which hoop to swim through on their way back! 😉
Want to level up your game?
You can make the course as challenging and dynamic as you can imagine, given the capabilities of each kid. You could add more swim through hoops to the course or even have each kid retrieve a piece of sunken treasure from the pool’s bottom as part of the course. You could also look into renting or buying mermaid tails for the kids to race in.
What do you think?
Are you going to host a Mermaid Relay Race at your next summer pool party?
If you loved this birthday party game, you may be interested in another blog post containing my full list of mermaid pool party games
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