Pool Party Ideas: How to Throw the Best Pool Party

If you have your very own pool in your garden this makes for the perfect location for a party when the warm weather months arrive. However planning a pool party will differ greatly depending on who you are planning the party for. Here’s some inspiration for a pool party for children and for adults:

Children’s Party

Like any party for children, a pool party should be fun, exciting and with plenty of colour and things to do. And you want your children’s party to be the best in the school, don’t you? It certainly will be one to remember with these creative ideas.

Decorations

With lots of children and parents around space may be a little tight, so you don’t want to go too mad with the decorations. At the same time though, you want to add a bit of colour to your outside space.

(image: Eats Mountain APT)

Colourful flower leis door curtains, bunting along walls and bright table cloths are all great ways of adding a little excitement without wasting space. You could lay out a few buckets and spades on tables, make a wreath out of cocktail umbrellas or lay out a mini sandpit for the kids to dig for treasure. The possibilities are endless with only a little imagination.

Food

Apart from the pool itself, the food is likely to be one of the most important parts of the party, so it best impress. Themed cupcakes are always fun, and these are quite affordable to order from a local bakery. We love the idea of little sharks, rubber rings or even flip flops adorning these sugary treats.

(image: Forums: The Sims)

For something even more creative, you could try making rice crispy popsicles. These are simply rice crispy bars, with a lollipop stick in and dipped in a mixture of white chocolate and a food colouring of choice, but they look amazing.

(image: Karas Party Ideas)

No children’s party is complete without a cake, whether you are celebrating a birthday or not. And what is more apt than a cake that looks like your swimming pool?

(image: The Party Cake By Andrea)

Other fun food ideas could be displaying pencil sweets as pool noodles within buckets, or fruit polos and mini doughnuts look just like rubber rings.

Games

Keep the little ones entertained with some pool party games. Our favourites are Marco Polo, shoulder wars and simply throwing around a beach ball.

Other Things to Consider

• Pool safety – can they all swim? Do you have floatation aids? And who is going to keep watch as a lifeguard? • While the children are in the pool what will the parents be doing? Make sure there is at least food and seating available for them.

Adult Party

The first thing to decide when inviting adults over is whether you are going to have a pool party or a poolside party? This is likely to be influenced by whether it is a day or night event. You could either have people over for a swim and sunbathe, or hold a sophisticated garden party in the evening while waterside.

Food and Drink

Either way, the one thing that separates an adult party from one for kids, is the alcohol. In order to keep things easy why not create a signature cocktail for the night and invite guests to BYOB. The more colourful and fruity a cocktail the better. You could even serve it as a punch.

(image: Hans Peter Meyer under CC BY-SA 2.0)

If you are eating in the day a BBQ may be a fun idea, or a buffet of skewered kebabs, pasta salads and sandwiches. For an evening get-together bite sized canapés may be more suitable.

(image: Gig Masters)

Decorations

Unlike with a children’s party, there’s no need to go mad with the decorations. You may not need any at all, however some can be quite practical. Poolside parties will need some kind of lighting, whether this is fairy lights draped among nearby trees, floating ball lights in the pool or carefully placed candles.

(image: Foto Hacker)

And comfortable seating is a must, for a relaxing party. Gazebos or cabanas filled with soft furnishings make the perfect group seating areas, and provide a little privacy from the main party. Is your mind brimming with pool party ideas now? Then get organising! Don’t forget to clean your pool before you have guests over! We’ll be expecting our invitation in the post.