Pool Party

Have fun in the sun with a pool party. Invite your friends and family over to catch some rays, then cool off with a dip in the water. Turn your backyard into a beach and pool oasis full of decorations, food and music. These parties are great for all ages and can be adjusted accordingly for your own fun in the sun.

Pool Party Invitations

For pool party invitations you need to use a beautiful photo of your pool oasis or a close up shot of a fun blow up. This will entice your guests and get them excited to see the party zone in person. Then be creative using words like "Sun"sational pool party, message in a bottle, or come for a fiesta at ___’s pool party.

Print out your information and take it onto a mini beach ball. These will have to be hand delivered, and also give your guests something fun to play with until your party.

Pool Party Decorations

Entry arch of beach balls
Hang Balloons, Streamers and Ribbons - consider mylar balloons that say aloha, tiki bar, etc.
Add grass skirts around food and drink stations
Bamboo tall lanterns
Rubber duckies hidden throughout
Hang strings of outdoor lighting over your seating area. Even if this is only a daytime party it will set ambiance and look sensational.
Multiple seating areas - you may wish to have a lounge area with couch, chairs and a fire table, a pool cabana area with lay down loungers, and multiple sit down eating areas. These can be on the grass with indoor chairs if necessary.
Have accents of tropical oasis throughout the party - mermaids, dolphins, beach balls, seashells, fish nets, lobster cages, sailboats, etc.
Add as much greenery as possible - Hibiscus (Hawaiian Flower), palm trees, etc. Often you are able to rent plants from your local florist.
Have a decorative basket filled with rolled towels.
Have an assortment of pool toys - diving toys, throwing toys, spraying toys, blow up floatables, pool noodles, flutter boards, the more the merrier
For centerpieces use fishbowls, add some shells and candles. Add some different designs of flower vases that are either all clear or look like beach glass (you can always spray inexpensive vases from a discount store). Fill the vases with glass beads and beautiful flowers.
Have live fish - all goldfish or colorful fish.
If you are going into the night time consider having sparklers, glow bracelets, etc.

Pool Party Games and Activities

Water balloon toss - have a partner to toss back and forth water balloons. After every 4 tosses take a large step back. See which partnership can make toss successfully at the greatest distance.

Super Soaker Freeze Tag - divide guests into multiple teams. Everyone gets their own super soaker. When you are hit with a water balloon then you need to sit and “freeze” then one of your teammates can free you to join the game again. Make sure you have a quick refilling station. Even consider using a large tub of water to dunk your supersoaker to fill.

Olympic Races - in the pool create a number of fun race style games. Of course there are the regular swimming races, but add a few everyone to have a enjoy. For instance, hop across the pool like a bunny, only use one arm and one leg, only use arms, etc.

Dance contest - this could take place either inside or outside of the pool. Play some fun music and show off your best moves.

Water volleyball tournament - you can get fantastic nets that fit across the swimming pool. It is also essential to either use a volleyball that is made for the water or use a simple blow up beach ball.

Hula dancing - teach your guest some hula moves along with the meaning that the hula moves represent.

Marco Polo - play the game of Marco Polo - first person, whose eyes are closed, yells Marco and the other guests respond Polo. The first person is trying to catch anyone. The first person can call fish out of water and if anyone is out of the water they are caught.

Frozen Mystery - freeze toys in water balloons. Then give your guests a number of tools to use to discover the mystery. Whoever finds the mystery first wins a prize.

Make Sandcastles - if you have a sandbox or beach area hold a sandcastle contest. Have multiple building forms, water spray bottles, and chiseling tools.

Sing some karaoke

Color with sidewalk chalk around the pool - the best part is that this washes off with the rain or hose afterwards. Sidewalk chalk works on many surfaces life the bricks on the side of your house, concrete patios, etc.

Listen to the Beach Boys, Caribbean music, Hawaiian music, etc.

Play or listen to some steel drums

Have a tattoo parlor - have an assortment of temporary tattoos to add to your guests.

Have a bubble station - have a bucket filled with premade bubbles, or create your own bubbles and use found items around your home to use to blow the bubbles.

If at night consider an outdoor movie with a concession stand, glow toys, glow bracelets in the pool, etc.

Pool Party Attire

Pretend you are on vacation and do up the look with: flip flops, mani & pedi, bathing suit, stylish cover up, big sunglasses, and sun hat.
Have lots of essentials on hand for your guests: towels, sunscreen, leis, sun umbrellas or shade areas

Pool Birthday Party Food and Snacks

Have on hand lots of appetizers - nachos and dip, all dips for veggie and fruit trays
If you are inclined to BBQ - hamburgers, hotdogs, chicken, steak, veggies
Order in a 3 or 6 foot party sub or pizza
Salads - potato, pasta, cesar, etc
Fruit skewers stuck into a honeydew melon
Watermelon
Goldfish crackers
Corn on the cob
Pool noodles - colorful licorice
Cookies
Brownies
Ice cream station with all the fixings of candy, fruit and sauces
Candy bar
Popsicles or freezes
Smores - fire roasted marshmallows, graham crackers and chocolate. These can be made over an open flame or in the oven.
Pool Jello Shots - mini cups with blue jello, topped with a ring jelly candy and gummy bear
Cupcakes with colorful swirl icing and add a drink umbrella to the top

Sunflower Cake

Corn on the Cob

Ice cream cake

Have on hand lots of appetizers - nachos and dip, all dips for veggie and fruit trays
If you are inclined to BBQ - hamburgers, hotdogs, chicken, steak, veggies
Order in a 3 or 6 foot party sub or pizza
Salads - potato, pasta, cesar, etc
Fruit skewers stuck into a honeydew melon
Watermelon
Goldfish crackers
Corn on the cob
Pool noodles - colorful licorice
Cookies
Brownies
Ice cream station with all the fixings of candy, fruit and sauces
Candy bar
Popsicles or freezes
Smores - fire roasted marshmallows, graham crackers and chocolate. These can be made over an open flame or in the oven.
Pool Jello Shots - mini cups with blue jello, topped with a ring jelly candy and gummy bear
Cupcakes with colorful swirl icing and add a drink umbrella to the top