A swimming pool can certainly be a private oasis or backyard vacation for close friends and family. But if you’re like the millions of people who gear up to throw a pool party every season, the following pool party checklist will help you make a serious splash with your guests!
The following tips and suggestions will help make your swimming pool party planning a breeze.
1. Choose a theme
Hawaiian Luau. Surf’s Up. Inflatable Fun. There are all kinds of fun products on the market to deck out your swimming pool in a chosen theme or style. The best rule of thumb here is… whatever floats your boat!
2. Invitations
Set the stage for your pool party by sending invitations that highlight your theme. Also be sure to include anything that your guests need to bring – sunscreen, beach towel, covered dish or snack, drinks.
3. Decorations
Turn your backyard swimming pool into a tropical oasis with inflatable palm trees, tiki statues and tiki torches (citronella ones can provide protection from pesky insects). For an evening pool party, create ambiance by hanging paper lanterns over the pool. Drape brightly colored beach towels over chairs for each of your guests. Sprinkle a runner of sand across a table and place some seashells or a candle in the center for a beachy feel.
4. Chairs
Make sure you’ve got plenty of lounge and beach chairs around the swimming pool for your guests.
5. Activities
Have plenty of rafts available for adults and inflatable beach balls and innertubes, as well as diving sticks and other water toys. Having a children’s birthday party? Balloons make a colorful fun addition to swimming pools – hang them up or let them float on top of the water.
6. Food
Grilling out by the swimming pool is always a good choice-the smells and sounds add sizzle to your pool party. Have a condiment tray available and serve snacks that won’t spoil in the sun, such as tortilla chips and salsa, pretzels, crackers, fruit and veggies. Serve the food on plastic recyclable plates (keep all breakables away from the swimming pool) with plastic eating utensils.
7. Beverages
Fill a cooler up with bottled waters, lemonade, sodas, juice boxes and beer and keep plenty of ice on hand.
8. Music
Play your favorite summer tunes outside on waterproof speakers. If you don’t have waterproof speakers, make sure you keep your radio or stereo far enough away from splash zone!
9. Shade spots
Provide guests with some shelter from the hot summer sun! If you don’t have trees in your yard that provide shade, be sure to provide a beach umbrella, a canopy or extra sunhats.
10. Bug Spray
Keep those uninvited pesky guests away!
11. First Aid Kit
A standard for any swimming pool.
12. Supervision
Always make sure that an adult is supervising children in the swimming pool at all times.
13. Stuff to have on hand
Sunscreen, extra towels, plastic bags for people to take hoe their wet swimming suits and towels.
Most importantly, remember to make your own pool party checklist based on the theme you’ve chosen and the guest you’ve invited. It only takes a few minutes, and with this as a starter for your own pool party-you’re well on your way to throwing a bash your family and friends are sure to remember!
