Marco Polo Game Rules: Fish Out of Water, Fair Turns and Safety
Marco Polo is the pool version of tag. One player keeps their eyes closed and calls “Marco!”, everyone else must answer “Polo!”, and the caller tries to find and tag them by sound alone. It needs nothing but a pool and a group of swimmers. Here are the classic rules, the fish out of water rule, a fair way to choose who is Marco, and how to keep the game safe.
Basic rules
- Agree on the playing area, usually the shallow end where everyone can stand.
- Choose one player to be Marco. Marco closes their eyes and counts to ten while the others spread out.
- Marco calls “Marco!” as often as they like. Every other player must answer “Polo!” straight away.
- Marco moves toward the voices and tries to tag someone, keeping their eyes closed the whole time.
- The tagged player becomes the next Marco, and the game starts again.
Players may move, duck or swim away between calls, but they must answer every call. Going quiet to hide is cheating in the standard game.
The fish out of water rule
Many groups add one more call. If Marco thinks a player has climbed out of the pool to escape, Marco shouts “Fish out of water!”. Anyone who is out of the water at that moment becomes Marco. Some groups play the opposite way and let players sit on the edge freely; agree on the house rule before you start so nobody argues later.
A fair way to choose Marco
Kids often argue about who has to be Marco first, and in a long session the same few players can end up as Marco again and again while others never get a turn. Two simple fixes:
- For the first round, put every name into the Random Name Picker and spin, or use a Coin Flip when only two players want the job.
- For later rounds in a big group, use the picker’s remove option so each child is Marco once before anyone repeats.
The table shows why the second fix matters. It assumes a fresh random pick each round, with every child equally likely, for as many rounds as there are players. Random is the average number of children never picked with a fresh spin each round; Remove is the same with the remove option on.
| Kids | Rounds | Random | Remove |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 6 | ~2 | 0 |
| 8 | 8 | ~2.7 | 0 |
| 10 | 10 | ~3.5 | 0 |
| 12 | 12 | ~4.2 | 0 |
With a plain random pick every round, about a third of the children are never Marco at all after one full set of rounds. With no-repeat picking, everyone gets exactly one turn. That said, many groups simply let the tagged player be the next Marco, which is fine too; the picker is just for starting the game or when turns feel unfair.
Safety first
- An adult who can swim should watch the whole time. A lifeguard on duty does not replace a parent watching their own children.
- Keep the game where every player can stand, and keep weaker swimmers out of the deep end.
- Marco should move slowly with eyes closed and hands in front, and nobody should dunk or hold another player under.
- No running on the pool deck, even during the fish out of water rule.
- Stop the game straight away if anyone is tired, cold or upset.
Popular variations
- Land Marco Polo: played on grass with a blindfold, close to blind man’s bluff. Mark clear boundaries and keep obstacles away.
- Silent Polo: players may answer only three times per round, so they must choose their moments.
- Two Marcos: for big groups, two players are Marco and tag together.
- Sharks and minnows: a different pool chase game, often played in the same session, where the minnows swim across while the shark tags them.
Where the name comes from
The game is named after Marco Polo, the Venetian merchant who travelled to Asia in the 13th century. Why it got that name is not known for certain. One popular story links the call and answer to travellers calling to each other, but no clear source for that has been found, so treat it as a story rather than history. Like hide and seek, it is the kind of game children pass on to each other, and it has been common in pools in the United States for a long time.
FAQ
What is the fish out of water rule in Marco Polo?
If Marco shouts 'Fish out of water!' and a player is out of the pool at that moment, that player becomes the next Marco. Agree before the game whether this rule is in use.
Can Marco open their eyes?
No. Marco keeps their eyes closed for the whole round and finds players only by sound. Peeking is cheating.
Do players have to answer Polo?
Yes. In the standard game every player must answer 'Polo!' each time Marco calls. Staying silent to hide is not allowed.
How do you pick who is Marco first?
Put all the names into a random name picker and spin, or flip a coin when only two players want to start. For long sessions, remove each name once picked so everyone gets a turn.
Is Marco Polo safe for young children?
It can be, with an adult watching the whole time, play only in water where every child can stand, slow movement for Marco and no dunking.