How to throw a pool party in a large yard
Summer is here and if you’re one of the lucky ones with a pool, it’s almost guaranteed you’ll be hosting a pool party in short order. However, if you’ve never hosted before, or you’re just a bit rusty from the cooler months, you may be wondering where to start. There are so many options to consider when choosing the right food, drinks, games and decor.
The best pool parties will make your guests laugh, relax and truly enjoy themselves and all that summer has to offer. With the right decor, games, refreshments and little extras for your spacious yard, you’ll be the host of the summer before you know it.
Pool party decor
Depending on your yard and the theme you’re going for, the best pool party decor will range from minimal to all out. Your landscaping and gardening may be enough for a relaxing afternoon by the pool, but it’s best to consider an overall theme.
Balloons are a great choice to tie a color scheme and theme together. Blown-up balloons can be thrown in a pool for a fun and simple floating decoration. Alternately, fill them up with helium and confetti for a little spark — you can even attach them with string to weights placed at the bottom of your pool, so they pop out of the water. Different colors and sizes of balloons can be linked together in an arch as a fun and inviting entryway, and in a large yard, you should have the space to hang it (you can even use a kit to do this). If you’re hosting young kids, take it a step further with balloon animals, which are easy to make with an animal balloon kit.
Pool accessories can play double duty and become a part of your decor scheme. Make your guests laugh (or cringe) at some out-there kitschy pool floats. You’ll find everything from pineapples and pizza to flamingoes and mermaids. They’ll liven up your yard and everyone will have a blast floating on the water.
Decorative accents can also add flair to your food areas, like a buffet table or dining seats. Adorn these areas with lanterns, flowers (for low maintenance, go for some artificial blooms) and colorful pennant flags for a cool summer vibe.
Pool party games
A surefire way to delight your guests and keep the party going is with some games, both in and out of the pool. Here are just a few examples you can try:
Coin diving. Throw coins into the pool as your guests stand at one end. When the coins sink to the bottom, blow a whistle and have them race to the bottom to collect everything they can. If you’re feeling generous, let them keep the change.
Cornhole. In this lawn game, you toss bean bags toward a board with a hole in the middle and get points for landing them on the board or through the hole.
Rubber duck race. Have your guests choose a rubber duck and decorate it with markers or paint (if you choose paint, allow enough time for it to dry). Once everyone’s ready, race the toys from one end of the pool to the other. Players can get creative by splashing, blowing or pushing with their noses to make their duck move.
Pool party drink ideas
No pool party is complete without some ice-cold beverages. Whether your guests are spending all their time in the water or relaxing on a lounge chair, they’ll get thirsty pretty quickly. The simplest thing to do is to stock a cooler with a selection of flavored water, juices, soda and kombucha. Beer and wine spritzers are good, refreshing alcoholic options.
If you want to take your food and drink options to the next level, try a floating bar. Additionally, with a large yard, you probably have the space set up a tiki bar, complete with music and decorations, along with fruity cocktails.
Pool party snacks
By no means do you need to make a large meal for your guests, but you should at least serve some tasty snacks to keep them satisfied. Pool party food can be simple and low maintenance.
Fresh fruit and veggie slices are good healthy options to keep people refreshed and satiated all day long, or you can kick it up a notch with a tasty fruit salad. Salty snacks like chips, pretzels or popcorn are ideal because they will keep your guests’ electrolytes and energy levels up. Serve these alongside select dips like hummus, dill, salsa or guacamole for a complete snack. If you have enough prep time, you could even whip up some homemade appetizers like bacon-wrapped feta-stuffed dates or a Caprese salad.
Seating and shade
It’s true that not everybody actually loves to swim or be in the water, but they may be more than happy to come by and lounge. Make your guests as comfortable as you can with some reclining lounge chairs where they sit and tan. It’s also a great idea to put up a patio umbrella to provide some relief from the sun.
It’s good to be aware of the blaze of a hot sun, and UV rays can be intense from the reflection of the water. Some guests may be very aware of this and bring their own sunscreen, but not everyone will have it top-of-mind, and guests may want to reapply after lounging and swimming since sunscreen wears off pretty quickly.
Set up a sunscreen station to make sure your guests have everything they need for sun protection. This little gesture is a nice touch that will go a long way. Simply put out a few varieties of sunscreen on a small table — consider both lotion and spray forms along with different SPF levels, but an SPF of at least 25 offers the best protection.
Emma Caplan is a writer for BestReviews. BestReviews is a product review company with a singular mission: to help simplify your purchasing decisions and save you time and money.
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