Marco Polo

Definition

A swimming pool game in which one player is blindfolded or closes their eyes while others swim around attempting to avoid being caught. The blindfolded player calls 'Marco' and listens for replies of 'Polo' to locate and tag the other swimmers.

Example Usage

The kids spent all afternoon playing Marco Polo in the pool during summer camp.

Origin

Named after the 13th-century Venetian explorer Marco Polo, though the connection to the game itself is not entirely clear.

Fun Fact

The game has been adapted beyond pools to dry land as a blindfolded chasing game, similar to hide-and-seek variants.

Source: Definition backfill (hailey)

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