Summer! Yes! Host an easy pool party with these simple ideas! Cool stuff from pool party invitations to pool party decorations and favors.
Most kids love to splash in the water and this party will provide lots of that!
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Pool Party Ideas For Kids
- Fun THEMES for your pool party
- Cool INVITATIONS for gathering the most awesome friends together
- Amazing DECORATIONS to create an exciting atmosphere
- Easy FOOD to give you energy… or a sugar rush
- Entertaining GAMES for having fun with friends and family
- Awesome FAVORS to thank the guests for coming
What do you really need to host the most amazing pool party?
I’d say a pool and fabulous friends!
The pool does not have to be big either especially for small kids. Younger kids will have a blast with an inflatable pool and other fun water play things like slip’n slide.
So, if you have a pool, any day can be a day for a pool party. Spontaneous pool parties are fun and can be thrown on spur of the moment. You have a pool, you have friends. Throw in a few snacks you find in the pantry and call it a party!
But that’s not always what we want. You can host the best party of the summer with these amazing pool party ideas!
1. Pool Party Themes
A pool party is a pool party with or without a specific theme but having a theme can make it easier when planning the decorations and food. Here is a list of fun pool party themes:
- mermaid (cute mermaid party ideas)
- under the sea
- nautical (pretend you are on cruise ship – cruise themed party ideas)
- sharks
- beach ball
- surf board
- luau (cool luau party ideas)
- dunk & donuts
- ice cream (sweet ice cream party ideas)
- flip flops
- Nemo
- country club
- pirates
- sail boats
- spa (lovely spa party ideas)
- submarines
- pool noodles
- triwizard tournament (Harry Potter themed party – Triwizard Tournament)
2. Pool Party Invitations
Fabulous friends will love fabulous invitations. Get them excited about your party by sending them theme fitting invitations.
1. Beach Ball
A cool, always popular invitation is the beach ball invite. Use a permanent marker to write your party details on a beach ball. Send it to the guests with a note to inflate it.
Mini beach balls won’t break the bank and work well for this project.
You could also make a beach ball shaped invitation out of card stock and write the party details on that.
2. Flip Flops
Flips flops are the perfect shoes for pool parties. Receiving a flip flop shaped invitations whether it is a real one or made of card stock will put a smile on the recipient’s face.
The inexpensive foam flip flops make awesome pool party invitations.
3. Other Pool Essentials
Tie your invitation to a fun pool item such as
- sunglasses
- pool noodle
- towel
- sunhat
- pool toy
- cup with a straw
4. Pool Noodle Floats
Cut a pool noodle into small rings, “floats”, and either write your party details on it with a permanent marker or attach a tag to it.
5. You’re Invited! Pool Party Printable
Beautiful customized pool party invitation printable. Fun image makes you want to jump into refreshing water.
Get ready to celebrate birthdays, graduations, summer at this pool party bash!
3. Pool Party Decorations
1. Dessert Shaped Floats
Put these delicious looking dessert-shaped pool floats on the dessert table or toss in the pool.
Your pool will look quite irresistible!
2. Swim Rings
Use swim rings in creative ways.
- Make a swim ring wreath.
- Use a swim ring as a welcome sign. Make a sign to display in the middle of the ring.
- Fill up inexpensive mini swim rings with water and decorate the snack table with them.
Simply use any water toys to create awesome centerpieces.
3. Lanterns
Colorful lanterns look awesome. Match them with your pool party theme.
It’s a cheap, fun way to decorate the party area.
4. Pool Noodle Garland
Make an easy pool noodle garland. The idea is from Create Craft Love. To add your own creative touch to it hang up lanterns, beach toys, or fun signs from it.
You could also make a pool noodle wreath. Cut up the piece like in the picture. Make a split to each piece and wrap around a hula hoop.
5. Towels, Sunglasses and Flip Flops
Use towels as table runners.
Place summer fun items all over the place. Make wreathes and garlands with them.
6. Sunscreen and Towel Station
It happens, someone will show up with no towel. Make them feel taken care of by placing extra towels in a basket.
A sunscreen station can come handy too. Your guests will appreciate your thoughtfulness.
7. Beach Balls and Other Toys
Beach balls, buckets, shovels. Pool parties can be about the beach too! These fun customized beach ball printables are from Lauren Haddox Design. They will make party decorating easy!
8. Music
Not a decoration BUT an important part of the party atmosphere. Everything is more fun with music! Play your kids favorite summer music and get the party started.
9. Pool Hangout
Need a break from splashing in the pool? No worries, you can still hangout in a pool… in a fun lounge made with a kiddie pool!
This awesome idea is from Ideas 2 live 4!
4. Pool Party Food
Everybody likes to snack at parties! I searched for some healthy and tasty snacks… and for some not so healthy but super yummy!
1. Bear Snacks
Just look at these adorable Teddy Graham Bears in Swim Rings! You might have a different word to describe them haha.
All you need is Teddy Grahams, circle candy (e.g. soft lifesavers) and frosting.
I made simple powdered sugar frosting with water and food coloring. Just add water to the sugar to get the desired consistency. Drop some food coloring stir and decorate.
A cute easy pool party snack.
2. Submarine Sandwiches
These sandwiches make a great snack or lunch for the pool party. They look pretty cool with the bendable straw.
3. Twizzler Pool Noodles
The most easy pool party food comes from the store. Buy a package of colorful Twizzlers put in a bucket and call them pool noodles.
Who could resist the Twizzler Pool Noodles! Yummy!
4. Banana Splits On A Stick
Banana Splits on a Stick from Frugal Coupon Living look cute and are more on the healthy side.
This brilliant snack idea is going to be a hit! Make a lot of them, they will go fast!
5. Easy Beach Cups
Who would not love these easy pool party dessert cups!
Make a variety of beach cups.
1. Pick your “cup”.
- Vanilla Pudding Cup
- Chocolate Pudding Cup
- Blue Jello In A Cup
2. Add graham cracker crumbs for “sand” on top.
3. Add decorations.
- Teddy Grahams
- Life Saver Candy
- Peach Rings
- Cocktail Umbrella
6. Donut “float” Cupcake Toppers
A brilliant idea! These donut float toppers are fun and will make the dessert table totally awesome!
7. Fruit Salad
Prepare small servings of fruit in clear cups. Put a cocktail fork in for eating.
8. Sun Chips and Onion Rings
Sun Chips and Onion Rings (look like little floats) are a great choice for an easy salty pool party snack. Serve them from buckets.
9. Anything Round
Serve round snacks or desserts and call them “beach balls”.
- cheese puffs
- donut holes
- energy balls and truffles
- Whoppers chocolate
- candy coated chocolate
10. Ice Cream
What would pool party be without ice cream or milk shakes. Check out the fun ice cream bar ideas such as turning a cooler into an ice cream truck.
11. Pool Party Snack Mix
This snack mix is super easy to throw together!
Pool Party Snack Mix Ingredient Ideas:
- Pretzels
- Cheerios
- Fruit Loops
- Marshmallows
- Craisins
- Raisins
- Animal Crackers
12. Easy Summer Desserts
Explore other super simple summer desserts you can make with kids.
5. Easy Pool Party Games
1. Treasure Hunt
Throw dive rings in the pool and have the kids go find them. To make it more interesting use a permanent marker to write points on the rings. See who can collect most points.
Dive’n Spell! This game is really cool. You dive and look for letters to spell words!
2. Floating Treasures
In this game you don’t need to know how to dive. Scatter pool or bath toys that float in the pool. Give each contestant a list of items they need to find. The one who collects his treasures fastest is the winner.
This fun collection of magnetic floating toys comes also with fishing rods so you can use them for a fishing game too!
If your party is in the evening, you will love these glow in the dark floating toys.
3. Pool Noodle Race
Sit on the pool noodle and race from one side of the pool to the other.
4. Ping Pong Points
You’ll need lots of ping pong balls for this one. Write numbers on the balls for “points”. The teams or individual players will try to get as many balls and points as possible.
If you use colorful ping pong balls you could ask the swimmers to find certain colors.
5. Obstacle Course
You need hula hoops anchored with something heavy. Or fill the hoop with water and wrap a foot long piece of a pool noodle around it to keep it from sinking.
The swimmers swim through the hoops.
Add a couple of other things to the obstacle course such as a sponge ball toss and finding a dive ring.
6. Sponge Balls
Make these awesome sponge balls and play various games with them such as
- dodge ball
- toss in the bucket
- relay
7. Giant Ring Toss
How cool is this! A giant ring toss game for the pool party!!
RELATED POST: TRIWIZARD TOURNAMENT – An Unforgettable Harry Potter Party
8. Piñata
What would a party be without a DIY piñata! You’ll have fun making one and the guests will have a blast smashing it.
6. Pool Party Favors
1. Pool Hair Don’t Care Hair Ties
Cute collection of hair ties with a message “pool hair, don’t care” are perfect for this summer party. Customize the favor tag and give to your guests as a lovely thank you.
2. Shark Soap
Give your guests an awesome shark soap pool party favor from the Bath of Kahn.
The kids will be thrilled to wash their hands with this fun shaped soap.
You can pick a scent from several options.
3. Any Pool Related Item
- towel
- sun glasses
- flip flops
- sunscreen
- float
- beach ball
- pool toy
- water gun
Make Summer Memories
- Simple luau ideas for a summer party that makes you dance hula
- Summer bucket list for teens and tweens
- The coolest ice cream party ideas for hot summer days
- Fun things you can do at home, inside and outdoors. Boredom busters!
P.S. Save for later! My Tuesday Therapy is here to help you to make Great Memories!
