Relaxing and chopping it up with your friends in a hot tub is fun enough, but it’s always fun to liven things up with a game from time to time.
In this post, I’ll break down a list of 10 great hot tub games for people of all ages; some games are ideal for kids and teenagers, others can be played with the entire family.
After reading, you can download, print, and laminate this one-pager of hot tub games + instructions if you’d like a copy to keep near your hot tub!
Hot tub games for kids and teens
1. Dodgeball…ping-pong style
For this one, you will only need at most ten ping pong balls. It can accommodate three to five players. this game is similar to classic dodgeball (where the last person standing wins)…but with a twist: no throwing allowed.
How to play
To begin, float five ping pong balls on the top of the water. Each player must move around to avoid the ball while keeping their feet planted on the floor. When a ball touches someone, they are out of the game; after a ball touches a person the actions stops while they exit the hot tub.
Each time a new player exits the hot tub, add a new ping pong ball. The winner is the last person left alone in the hot tub.
Game rules
- Start with five ping pong balls in the water.
- Each player’s feet must to remain on the floor
- A player cannot pick up or touch a ping-pong ball with any part of their body
2. Sink the Battleship
This classic hot tub game requires two plastic cups. One is the “ship,” and the other is used to pour. This game works for any number of people. The objective: don’t be the person to sink “the ship”.
How to play
Select the cup to be the “ship” and place it in the center of the hot tub. Next, add a little water to the cup to keep it upright. Each person will take a turn adding water and will pass their cup to the left. The one who makes the “ship” sink, loses.
Game rules
- Each player takes a turn pouring water from their cup into the empty floating cup (the “ship”)
- After the water is transferred, the payer must pass the cup to the next person.
- Each round when the “ship” sinks, the person who sank the “ship” must get out of the hot tub.
3. Uno Splash
This requires a deck of waterproof Uno cards you can purchase here. They are easy to find and relatively inexpensive. This game accommodates two to six players.
How to play
Uno Splash is played the same as a traditional game of Uno, where players follow the number or color of the last card or play wild or instructional cards.
This game is great when played on a floating tabletop like this one.
Game rules
The rules are the same as traditional Uno, the first player to be out of cards wins.
Hot tub games for adults (or most anyone)
4. 90-Second Alphabet
90-second Alphabet…one of my favorites. This funny game is a classic from the TV show Whose Line is it Anyway? you can check out above. This game will keep you sharp, and also help you expand your vocabulary!
How to play
All players divide up into teams of two. A gamemaster (preferably someone not playing the game) selects a letter to start on, as well as a scene. For example, the scene could be: two New Yorkers fight over the last slice of pizza in a Manhattan food court.
Two players carry on a natural conversation with the first letter of each sentence being the next letter in the alphabet.
Game rules
- Each team must complete the entire alphabet in 90 seconds.
- If no team is able to complete the alphabet in 90 seconds, the team that advances the furthest wins.
- The round is over if an incorrect letter is used, a sentence doesn’t make sense, or if a person fails to answer in 3 seconds.
5. Celebrity Alphabet
This is another fun game, with the same basic concept as the one above. This one is a bit easier since you don’t have to complete sentences, but still challenging.
How to play
Start by naming a celebrity whose first name starts with the letter “A.” Then, as each person takes a turn, you move along the alphabet.
If you can’t think of a celebrity for your letter after 3 seconds, then you are out.
Game rules
- If you can’t think of a celebrity, you must get out of the hot tub (or out of the game).
- Everyone must agree the person named is actually a celebrity
6. Waterproof board and card games
Did you know that you can get almost any board game that you can think of in a waterproof or even floating version? Just be sure you leave the jets off for board games.
Below are a few great waterproof games and accessories you can use to play games in your hot tub.
Floating multipurpose tabletop
I like this floating tabletop for card games; this one also has a spot for small drinks which is nice. Be sure to pick up some waterproof playing cards listed below!
Waterproof checkers and chess
This multi-game board set comes with both checkers and chess pieces, perfect for your pool or hot tub. This one even has a place to place the game pieces on the side which is nice.
Waterproof playing cards and Blackjack table
Be sure to pick up a set of waterproof playing cards for those simple card games that don’t last more than 15 or so minutes. As always, be safe, and don’t prolong your hot tub session beyond recommended time limits.
If you really want to get crazy, consider this floating Blackjack table. It doubles as a pool float but also is a fun accessory if you’re in the mood for a late-night hand of Blackjack with friends.
7. Pool Pong
Pool Pong works just like beer pong, except you can play it in your hot tub! Check out this super cool cup holder here (that also comes with ping pong balls).
Always be sure to play responsibly, since hot tubs and alcohol are a dangerous combination. This game can be challenging enough just using water, great for pools as well.
8. Follow-Up
This is another good game that gets you thinking. You also don’t need anything to play and any number of people can make this work. The objective is to think of as many relevant items that start with the same letter.
How to play
First, you name an item in a category that starts with a certain letter like food:pizza. In the next turn, a person names a food that begins with the same letter; in this example, perhaps, pumpkin. You can play this game with any number of categories like animals, places, or even names.
Game rules
- If someone takes longer than 3 seconds to guess a food, they are out
- When someone can’t think of an item, the round ends; a player not in the game must decide the next category/item
- The last person remaining wins
9. Questions only
This game is good for anyone and any number of people, but it may be difficult for small children. It’s best if this game is played with a minimum of 3 people. This is another great game played on Whose Line is it Anyway?…one of my favorite shows growing up!
How to play
To play this game, have someone who isn’t playing the game select a scene; From there, each player must back-and-forth conversation with one other person asking questions only. Each person must answer the question of the last player but somehow still end in a question. There’s no real winner, only the person who continues the conversation with others going the longest.
For example: Player One: It’s warm out today, don’t you think? Player Two: Do you know how warm the temperature is?
Games rules
- The only rule is that you must always ask a question
- If a player doesn’t respond using a question within 3 seconds, the next player must step in
10. Mini basketball
Just two people can play this game, or you can divide into teams if you have more. You would be amazed how hard a mini-basketball game can be in a hot tub.
You can use either a floating cup and ping pong balls for this game, or you can actually buy some pretty cool mini basketball sets made specifically for the water.
I prefer basketball goals that you set up outside a hot tub like this one because they can be adjusted and moved to a pool area if needed.
More ideas for your hot tub experience
Hot tubs are typically viewed as an avenue for resting, unwinding, and relaxation—but that doesn’t mean you can’t have a bit of fun in them too.
Check out my blog post on 5 hot tub TV setup options for a few popular ways to either use TVs or projectors to watch movies or the big game straight from your hot tub.
Looking to spend more time in your hot tub? These are a few of my favorite hot tub accessories you may want to check out this season.
