Am I the only one that thinks of the Aquabats every time I think pool party? Or is my elder millennial showing? Well, it is full on Summer now and I am ready for our first pool party of the season. Before the 4th of July holiday I was able to share some of my favorite summer party tips on KATU’s Afternoon Live that are great for any outdoor party including pool parties, family reunions, splash pad parties, summer bbqs, and more. Follow these tips and you’re sure to say, “It was a cool party.”

Watch my segment on Afternoon Live for my Summer Pool Party Tips!

5 Tips for a Summer Pool Party + One Bonus Tip!

Five of these tips I shared on the TV segment above. However, the sixth, bonus tip below, is one I got from attending our first pool party of the season hosted by our realtors. I love sourcing great party tips from others (giving credit where credit is due) and incorporating them into my own events in the future to help make my parties even more fun going forward.

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One of the things I’ve learned over the past few years as time or resources have become more limited is that it is okay to NOT do everything I want to do. It is okay to not be ready at party time and have friends help pitch in. It is okay to not photograph everything ahead of time. If you have the time, resources, capacity, and desire to go full Pinterest mode then enjoy it to the fullest (I know I do!). However, if that is an expectation that is weighing on you (as it has me over the years), please do your best to let go of a few things. Edit your list. Be okay with almost.

Tip 1: Have Summer Party Protection Essentials ready to go!

This summer party tip goes well beyond just pool parties. I have a summer protection kit set up at my house throughout the entire summer for my own kids to use as well as guests at impromptu bbqs and, of course, my summer events.

As a skin cancer survivor, I take skin protection very seriously and tend to have sunscreen on me at all times. But, I also understand that when people are running out the door it is easy to forget something that you only use once in a while. So, having things like face sunscreen, body sunscreens (both spray and lotion), bug bite prevention, and wipes for cleaning hands, makes skin protection easy for guests and doesn’t put someone on the spot to ask others if they did forget.

Tip 2: Keep Extra Pool Supplies on Hand!

If we all lived by the rules of the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, then we’d never leave without our towel. But, I know I’ve been at a pool party before sans towel or wishing I had a pair of sunglasses, or maybe an extra pool float.

You certainly do not need towels and supplies for everyone and don’t need to go out and buy extra items. But, sourcing your supplies for some extras to keep available for people to use if they forgot their own is helpful. Add a sign* or bucket for returning the items if you’re worried they’ll be mistaken for favors.

Tip Three: Prep hydrating, healthy, and easy to eat snacks for quick snack breaks that lead right back to play!

Listen, when everyone is enjoying themselves swimming or playing outdoor party activities such as wiffle ball, cornhole, kickball, or playing in a splash pad, they simply do not want to stop long to eat a bunch of food! Plus, they don’t want to feel too full or heavy for more playing in the heat. Make easy to eat snacks that are mostly healthy, somewhat sneakily hydrating, and fun to eat!

Ideas for foods to serve at a summer party:

• Fruit kabobs! This was featured on the Afternoon Live segment above. Food on a stick is just naturally fun. Fruit is hydrating, quick to eat, healthy, and delicious! Wash and cut fruit into bite size pieces and add to a skewer. Use a melon baller or small cookie cutters to create more interesting fruit kabobs or to match a theme, like star shaped watermelon slices for your Independence Day Party.
• Cheese sticks and cheese snacks. Prepackaged isn’t my normal go to for parties, but they are perfect for this type of event. Keep the cheese on ice and people can grab a pre-packed cheese stick, eat it easily without the need of a plate, and discard of the package before jumping right back into the pool.
• Individual snacks: Chip bags, pretzels, snack bars, squeeze pouches… all of them make great fast snacks for a summer pool party! While I’d normally not go for individual servings, this is useful for not getting pool water in snacks or having a bunch of half filled plates laying around getting gross in the heat.
• Bite size appetizers: Caprese bites on a toothpick, italian antipasto skewers, crostini, and similar easy to grab and eat without a plate appetizers are also solid choices for an active outdoor event.

Tip Four: Make hydration fun!

For my boys there seems to be nothing worse than me telling them to drink more water or how important hydration is! But, if I make hydration fun by putting out interesting mixers and making it more like an activity than a chore, they will hydrate themselves without effort (or groans)! Don’t forget to use plastic, compostable cups*, or other outdoor drinkware so that you don’t have breaks that end up closing down the pool for the day.

Items to Stock with your Hydration Bar:

• Ice and water! I use a big water jug and fill it with ice and water. I then put an ice bucket and scoop to the side so people can add ice to their glass as well. When it is really hot, this will be welcomed. You can also use water bottles if you choose, but then you’ll limit your ability to add in fruit and other fun additions to your drinks limiting just to powdered mix in items or juices.
• Cut up fruit, vegetables, and herbs. While you can make different mixes of flavored water it takes a bit of the fun out of making your own combinations. Cut up produce such as strawberries, lemons, limes, oranges, cucumbers, mint, basil, and other such fresh items.
• Liquid sweetener. I personally like my water without sweetener, but sometimes a little simple syrup* or agave syrup* will help take the flavored water to a more enjoyable level.
• Electrolyte or flavored mix ins. Grab some of the flavored water drops*, your favorite electrolyte powders*, and other such mix ins that people can add to their waters for a punch of flavor.
• Something for stirring and muddling.* I like to keep a muddler and long spoon or several long stir sticks at the table for people to mix in their favorite combinations and get the most flavor out of it.

Tip Five: Keep it on ICE!

The saying goes, hot things hot and cold things cold. In an outdoor party you’re likely not serving heated appetizers, but if you do then remember to consider food safety—the heat of the day is not hot enough for several hours of hot food safety. More likely though, you’ll be serving items that need to keep chilled. Every summer, despite having an ice dispenser and plenty of ice trays, I buy ice in bulk. Utilize ice chests and your freezer space to keep it cold.

Keep food cool by putting food in one tray and top it on a tray of ice, utilize these amazing cold food serving trays*, or use inflatable serving bars* to fill with ice and add your trays of food or chilled drinks.

Bonus Tip 6: Create fun favors for the kids to take home to keep the party going!

Now, not every party needs a party favor. Gulp. Sacrilege from me, I know. But, if you have the budget and the desire then this is a great one for a summer pool party!

We were recently invited to our first pool party of the season by our amazing Oregon and Washington based realtors, The Enloe Group. The party was fabulous as all their parties are, but the party favor was exceptionally sweet! My son loved grabbing a beach bucket filled with sidewalk chalk, a beach ball, and bubbles. Such a great gift for a pool party.

Other excellent favors would include different sized flip flops, sunglasses, sunscreens, towels, pool floats, and other such summer-related items.

Use these five tips plus summer fun bonus tip for your last-minute summer BBQs where kids (and adults) will be running around playing games, at your next splashpad gathering with moms, your summer birthday parties at the park, or your next pool party. Keep hydrated, cool, protected, and prepared for a fun and safe event!

What are your summer party tips? Share in the comments below!