Kids enjoy swimming as much as they enjoy parties. The two go naturally together. If you own a pool or you have access to one at a public facility available for rental, think about centering your child’s next birthday around it. Because of how active the children will be at this event and its water-based location, you do need to plan carefully to pull it off appropriately and safely. To meet those goals, dive into these pool-party suggestions.
Choose the Guests
Creating a birthday party guest list can be fraught with faux pas decisions under the best of circumstances. While inviting the whole class may make the task easier, you may not want such a large group around the pool; that decision will depend on the safety measures you implement. In any case, you may consider inviting parents along if your children are young, which will increase supervision possibilities. Otherwise, work with the birthday child to narrow the list.
Take Care of the Pool
Make certain the pool is prepared for the day. Have water testing Pittsburgh run samples to ensure it is clear of harmful microbes so that no one becomes sick by accidentally swallowing a mouthful. If you are renting space in a pool, check into the procedures the staff uses to clean and maintain it.
Hire Watchful Eyes
If you can, hire a certified and trained lifeguard; a public facility will already have one or more in place for your event. You may know of a teen in your neighborhood who has the skills, or you can ask at the local YMCA for contacts.
Get Your Gear
You can rent larger pool floats that will work to keep everyone engaged. You may also want to purchase extra small pool toys, such as soft balls and Frisbees to supplement any already on hand. Check with the rental facility to see what they can supply if you go that route. You should also have extra swimming and outdoor essentials for those who do not come prepared. These can include sunscreen, swimsuits, goggles and towels. Don’t forget to keep lots of water on hand; children can become dehydrated under the hot sun.
In addition to these extra swimming pool preparations, do not forget the traditional snacks, drinks and the birthday cake, of course. When you put everything together thoughtfully, a pool party does not have to be much work on the day itself; usually, the guests make their own fun and the event goes swimmingly.