Got a birthday coming up? Why not throw a pool party. Kids love pool parties, and it is a great way to keep an eye on all of the little ones, and to enjoy the hot sun on a beautiful summer day. Here are some great tips for throwing your kid the best pool party.
1. Incorporate a water or ocean theme
Themes always make the party more enjoyable. Have your child pick out a water or ocean related theme so you can decorate to incorporate your pool into the theme. From an under the sea mermaid theme to a day at the beach theme, having your child pick the theme will create a more exciting experience for all the kids. Here are some great party themes to spark inspiration!
2. Send out water-themed invitations
Incorporate your theme into your invitations. Invitations are a part of the party process, and having your child make the invitations with you will start the fun early. These invitations can have cool design elements such as fish swimming in the water, sunglasses, sand on the beach or mermaids.
3. Include decorations that go with the theme
Finding decorations that fit your theme is essential to a successful pool party. If the theme is at the beach, create a sandbox with shovels for kids to play in. If the theme is The Little Mermaid, put seashells around the pool, have fish-like floaties and under the sea themed music.
4. Look for some great games to play in the water
Kids love games! Finding some fun yet safe games to play in the pool will keep the kids engaged. Some simple games to play in the pool are:
∙ Marco Polo
∙ Underwater charades
∙ Atomic whirlpool
∙ Octopus tag
We recommend trying out these four more games in the pool as well.
5. Bring in other sources of entertainment
Even though the pool is the main event at pool parties, there are plenty of other entertainment options to choose from. Sometimes, kids need choices to stay stimulated so having a photobooth, slip and slide, relay races, bubble station or water balloons might be ideal for throwing the best pool party.
6. Serve the best summer foods
Bring your kid’s favourite foods to enjoy at the pool party. Cake or cupcakes are a must when it comes to birthday parties, and having a fun looking dessert is the key to a great pool party. As an option, style the food and drinks according to the theme, and make sure to have lots of water and fruit available to keep the kids hydrated.
Pro tip: Have the kids eat after swimming then have them play a relaxing game to help the food settle before swimming again.
7. Make sure to have pool party essentials on deck
One of the most important things to have for a successful pool party is to have all the essentials on deck. This includes:
∙ Lots of water to drink
∙ Safety devices such as floaties and life jackets
∙ Sunscreen station to reapply every two hours
∙ Shaded areas for a break from the heat
∙ Extra towels incase a towel gets too wet or someone forgets to bring one
∙ Extra flip flops incase the pavement gets too hot
∙ A changing station
∙ Lots of adult supervision!
Looking for more pool party tips? Check out our family pool party tips for the summer.