6 adults floating in a pool on floaties pool party ideas

Pool Party Ideas

Imagine it’s a warm midsummer evening. You spent the day melting away from the heat, trying to keep cool and stay hydrated. By the end of a hot day, you may not have the energy for a fun activity. But a pool party, on the other hand, is just what you could use!

There’s nothing more refreshing than taking a dip in a pool after sweating all day. If you’re fortunate enough to have your own swimming pool, you may be planning to host some parties this summer. Here is a guide for having the most amazing pool party, whether for kids or adults or for a birthday or bachelorette.

Table of Contents:

1. Kids pool parties ideas
2. Pool decorating ideas for parties
3. Pool party food ideas
4. Pool party ideas for adults
5. Birthday pool party
6. What to wear to a pool party
7. Pool rental for birthday party
8. Pool party outfit ideas
9. Bachelorette pool party ideas

 

Pool games for kids

Young boy smiling underwater

Marco polo- Marco polo is a classic pool game! If you’ve never played it before, don’t worry, it’s super simple! It’s essentially a game of tag, except the one doing the tagging cannot open their eyes. That person will shout “Marco!” and everyone else will respond “polo!” and the one who says “Marco” must try to tag everyone else by hearing where their voices are coming from.

Sharks and minnows- In this game, kids have to try and cross the pool without being caught by the “shark.” It’s another game that is similar to tag. Here is a perfect description of the rules for this game from Playworks.org.

“The shark stands in the middle of the play area and says,” Fishy, fishy, come out and play.” The minnows slowly walk toward the sharks. At any time, the shark can yell, “Shark attack!” At which point, the minnows must run to the opposite boundary line without being tagged.

Races- This one is self-explanatory. Kids love challenges and a race is a perfect way to compete against each other and test their swimming skills. It’s a great way to tire kids out.

Diving board contest- This is a fun thing to do if you have a diving board at your pool. Kids line up and do a unique jump from the diving board. It could be a flip, a belly flop, a pose, a cannonball, or any other creative idea they can come up with.

 Treasure hunt- Get some dive toys and have someone scatter them around the pool. The kids then have to try to retrieve as many as they can.

 

Mermaid pool party

Spice up any pool party by hiring a mermaid for entertainment and ambiance! You can hire a professional mermaid to swim around your pool, showing off tricks and chatting with guests. Aquamermaid provides real live mermaid entertainment!

 Mermaid with children in a pool


Pool decorating ideas

Pool party decorations

The best way to decorate for a pool party is to include some tropical décor! Make everyone feel like they’re on a tropical vacation or taking a beach trip! Realistically, pool parties do not require much decoration, because it’s more so about the swimming pool. But adding some accents is a nice touch.

Here are some great options for pool party decorations.

  • tiki torches
  • inflatable palm tree
  • balloons with lights inside that float on the water 
  • glow sticks
  • tropical decor  

Pool party food ideas

Your party guests will work up an appetite from all the swimming, so you better make sure to have some food for them! Here are some easy pool party snack ideas.  

  • watermelon
  • chips and dip
  • barbeque
  • deviled eggs
  • cheese and crackers
  • fruit platter
  • veggie platter
  • pigs in a blanket

veggie platter, cheese platter, orange juice, water

Pool party ideas for adults

You’re never too old to play games! Parties are the perfect opportunity to gather and play fun games, such as the ones listed below. Some are pool games and some are just great games to play in the yard.

  • beer pong
  • cornhole
  • badminton
  • beach volleyball
  • chicken match

 

3 people playing water basketball

Another thing an adult party will include is alcoholic beverages. Having a cooler full of cans of beer and soda is always a crowd-pleaser. Canned drinks are best because you don’t have to worry about glass breaking. Do be sure to have plenty of water available as well, especially since it’ll be outdoors.

Alcoholic beverages at a pool party

Another good idea for an adult pool party is to have floaties with cup holders or little inflatable cupholders that allow your drink to float on the pool.

A Mermaid Lesson

Another way to bring mermaiding into your pool party is to have a mermaid lesson! This can be for kids or for adults. Aquamermaid company provides tails and give a lesson on how to swim like a mermaid. It’ll bring out your inner child and create a magical memory!

Mermaid bachelorette party

What to wear to a pool party

Preparing for a pool party means planning a summery outfit and wearing a swimsuit. The best kind of outfits are ones you would wear on a vacation. Light and flowy, cute and tropical, brightly coloured, weather-appropriate fashions are best. Here are some excellent pool party outfit ideas!

Pool party women’s outfit ideas

Given the social element of a pool party, you’ll likely want to dress-to-impress, or at least wear something somewhat fashionable. Wearing a cute outfit is also a way to improve your mood and give you some confidence! Here are some adorable outfits for women to wear to a pool party.

Sundress:

Woman in pink sundress, wearing a sun hat

Shorts and Crop top:

Woman wear white jean shorts and green crop top

Matching set:

Women wearing pink matching short and shirt set and orange tank top

Mens pool party outfit ideas

Fashion is for everyone, so here are some great articles of clothing for men to wear to a pool party.

Shirt and shorts:

 Mannequin wearing floral polo shirt and white shorts and white hat

Swim suits:

blue board-shorts, blue bucket hat, green sunglasses 

Pool rental for birthday party

 If you don’t have your own pool and you ask yourself “Where can I rent a pool for a party?” then this section is for you!

Here is a great tip that many don’t know about. You can use the website Swimply.com to find out where you can rent a pool in your area.

Bachelorette pool party ideas

Bachelorette party wearing matching swim suits

If you’re getting married in the summer, then a pool party-themed bachelorette party is a great idea! Ladies love a refreshing dip in the pool on a summer day. Throw in some fun decor, festive drinks, and matching swimwear to make it a great party! Here are some things that would be perfect for a bachelorette pool party.

 Bachelorette in the pool with inflatable swan.

For more great ideas, specifically for a mermaid themed pool bachelorette party, check out this article!

A pool party is always a good time, whether you go all out or not, but these tips will help to make for an extra fun and memorable pool party! Hope you have a great summer full of pool parties!

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