Step aside, Marco Polo! Our pool games offer a fresh -- and refreshingly wacky -- approach to cooling off. Whether you're playing in a hotel pool on vacation or hosting a gang of kids at a backyard swimming spot, they're sure to add some splash to your summertime fun

PASS-THE-BALL RELAY

Take a dry-land party game and give it a dunk in the pool
Two teams each form a line. At "Go," the player at the front of each line passes a ball over his head to the player behind him, who then passes it between his legs to the person behind him, who then passes it over his head, and so on. When it reaches the last player, he swims the ball to the front of the line (either through the legs of his teammates or next to them) and starts the relay again. The first line of players to return to their original order wins.

HIDE THE BALLOONS

Can you catch -- and keep -- more than your opponents?
Place a dozen or so inflated balloons in the shallow end of a pool. Players compete to see who can grab and hold the most balloons under their bodies in 30 seconds. Our bet? It will be hard not to laugh as the balloons come flying out of the pool! But we'll let you make the call on whether stuffing balloons into bathing suits is cheating. (When the game's done, be sure to pick up any popped pieces.)

BOTTLE BRIGADE RACE

Turn empty plastic bottles into instant pool toys
It doesn't get much simpler than this. Contestants race across the pool while pushing an empty plastic bottle with their feet.