Outdoor Games
How to play Marco Polo
One player locates others by their spoken replies and gently tags someone to pass on the role.
What you need
Supervised swimming area where every participant can stand comfortably; no special equipment
Set up the game
- Check pool rules allow play. A watching adult chooses a shallow boundary away from steps and obstacles.
- Choose Marco, who closes their eyes and counts to ten while others spread out within the boundary.
Playing Marco Polo
- Marco calls “Marco!” Everyone else promptly answers “Polo!”
- Marco cautiously follows voices; other players move away inside the area. In this family version, keep heads above water to hear and answer.
- A gentle tag makes that player the next Marco. Reset and count again. Stop when anyone asks; there is no point score or final champion.
Call again after a dodge
Marco hears a reply to the left. The speaker steps right. Marco calls again and follows the updated voice. The speaker must answer again; the challenge is evading while responding, not becoming silent.
Keep sound clues fair
Agree everyone answers every call. Do not play where noise makes responses indistinguishable, and pause if another swimmer enters the area. A small boundary makes resetting easier and keeps voices closer together. Players should not negotiate new ways of avoiding a response once Marco starts searching.
Choose by ability
An age number does not establish water competence. Standing depth is a restriction of this chosen family version; posted pool rules and lifeguard directions still apply. If supervised water play is unavailable, a land game such as Red Light, Green Light offers a simpler substitute without pretending a pool game is suitable for every child.
Beginner decisions
- Pause to listen rather than charging toward the first voice. A fresh response provides a better location than a remembered one.
- Keep the group small enough for the supervisor to track. Choose another game if a player dislikes moving with closed eyes.
Common rule mix-ups
- Remaining silent or diving under to avoid responding.
- Grabbing swimmers or wearing a blindfold that prevents opening the eyes immediately.
Questions about this game
Is Fish Out of Water required?
No. It is a common house rule, omitted here to avoid encouraging climbing out during pursuit.
Does the tagged player lose?
They change roles; this is continuous tag.
Sources and edition notes
Traditional pool tag, declared shallow-area family format; Fish Out of Water excluded. No universal official authority governs this game.
Sources and stated format checked October 14, 2026. This records a document check, not a claim of hands-on testing.
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