Have a Ball these Pool Party Ideas for your Next Birthday Party!

"Looking for coolest pool birthday party ideas?
We've got it ALL here!"

You won't have to sweat in the scorching heat of summer to bring this pool party to life! If you want a very cool pool birthday party, these pool party ideas are just what you've been looking for!

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Invitations

They won't want to miss a minute, so get guests to the party on time with one of these easy pool birthday party invitations.

• For this idea, you'll need bright yellow cardstock or construction paper and orange streamers. Create a sun by cutting a large circle from the paper. (You can fold it if you need to mail invitations). Draw sunglasses and a big smile on the face of the sun, and write "This is HOT!" around the edge. Turn the card over to write the time, date, and location of the party before attaching short lengths of orange streamers to make the sun's rays.
• Get the party started earlier with this fun idea! For each invitation, you'll need a beach ball and a permanent marker. Simply write the invitation directly onto the ball for recipients to inflate and enjoy! Suggested message: "Come have a ball with us! Wear your best pool gear to a birthday party for (name) on (date) at (location). (Time) – don't be late!"
• Create a life preserver by cutting a ring out of white cardstock and adding detail with markers. In an arc across the top half, write "Be the life of the party!" In a similar arc on the bottom, write "It's (name)'s birthday!" In smaller letters around the outside, write the date, time, and location of the event.

Costumes

Here are some creative pool party ideas: Include a note with invitations for guests to wear their best poolside gear. Bathing suits, straw hats, sunglasses, flip flops, and Hawaiian shirts are all great choices. At the party, have a summer photo shoot. Take pictures of the craziest, coolest, and brightest outfits. Don't forget a "what where they thinking?" category for lots of hysterical fun! If you can, print photos out during the party and display them for guests to see. Otherwise, get prints after the party for thank you notes.

Decorations

Even if you don't have a pool nearby, these pool party ideas will help you beat the heat!

Welcome guests to the pool with a Beach Ball personalized banner. The shimmering watery backdrop will put guests in the party mood, and at more than five feet long, everyone will know who the party is for! Keep a permanent marker nearby so guests can sign this keepsake.

A sun 20" pinata will brighten up any corner! Use it as decoration or fill it with treats for high flying action.

Add an authentic appeal to your pool birthday party with a personalized life preserver. This bold 21" Styrofoam ring with a fabric cover will hold 12 characters of personalization on top and another 12 on the bottom, allowing you to display a really great keepsake piece. It's only for decoration, however, so let guests sign it, but not dive in!

To complete the festive atmosphere, scatter balloons and streamers throughout the scene. If you're feeling particularly creative, group bundles of balloons together to resemble a large beach ball. Hang a festive Pennant on the walls, or criss cross the party area with them.

Set the table with plates, cups, napkins, forks, and a tablecloth from an assortment of Beach Ball Pool party supplies. Arrange place settings on the table, and then use several beach balls to create a centerpiece down the length of the table. For a tropical flair, set a coconut cup at each place.

Food

No set of pool party ideas would be complete without a cookout! Get your bar-be-que gear together before diving into this menu!

For drinks, keep it refreshingly simple with these pool party ideas:

• Lemonade – Always a poolside favorite, you can amp up the refreshment by serving with slices of fresh lemon.
• Iced Tea – Another great way to beat the heat, and another great use for a lemon garnish.
• Quick fruit smoothie – Blend fresh fruit with vanilla ice cream and just a touch of milk for a cool treat.

These summertime favorites are a can't-miss for a pool birthday party!

• Hamburgers – Serve with cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, and condiments. Don't forget the pickles!
• Hot Dogs – Add melted cheese to the usual toppings for a treat kids will clamor for.
• Chicken Salad – Cool, refreshing chicken salad is the perfect alternative to the hot foods.
• Fresh veggie tray – This healthy alternative to potato chips has all of the crunch and more of the flavor, but without the bad stuff. Serve with ranch or sour cream dip and kids will find it irresistible!
• Fruit pizza – Cover a store-bought pre-baked pizza crust with cream cheese before layering thinly sliced fruits on it. Great fruits to use: strawberries, kiwi, and blueberries.

When it's time for cake, there's sure to be a good one among these pool party ideas!

• Make a beach ball – anyone can do it! Bake 3-4 layers of round cake, and then stack them with icing in between. Trim the layers into a rounded shape by taking off the top edges, then ice the cake in the familiar wedged colors of a beach ball.
• Make a very cool and refreshing "watermelon" cake with these easy steps. Use red cake mix (strawberry, red velvet, or simple red food coloring in white or yellow cake mix will do) to fill several 8" cake pans. (You won't want to stack this cake, so make more layers to have more cake.) Pour the batter into the pan, but before baking sprinkle the top with chocolate chips or raisins, then bake as usual. When the cake has cooled, move it carefully onto a serving tray. Trim the rounded top portion off of the cake, revealing a "watermelon" beneath. For the finishing touch, dye icing green and cover just the outside borders (not the top) of the cake to create the watermelon rind. To serve, slice into wedges.
• Here's a sunny choice! Again, start with a round cake. Stack two or three layers, depending on how much cake you need. Ice generously between layers. Trim the top edge off of the stack, creating a slightly rounded edge. Coat the outside of the cake with bright yellow frosting and position a pair of sunglasses on the face of this sun cake. Trim the bottom border in orange icing for a hint of the rays.

Party Favors

Be sure to thank your guests by sending them home with one of these birthday pool party simple favor ideas.

First, what kid doesn't love games? Let the fun continue long after the party ends when you send them home with an Aloha bingo game. Divide one set up between two or three guests, allowing each one to take a few Bingo cards and chips to play with later. Also include Glittery beach stickers for notebooks, cards, and even their Bingo pieces.

Thank You Notes

Those great pool party costume photos you took earlier are about to turn into awesome thank you pool party ideas. If you can, find a scrapbook background page that displays rippling water. If not, any pool scene will do.

Tape prints of guests in their best pool gear to the background. Add winning captions, such as "wackiest costume" or "best sunglasses". Be sure to give everyone a special title! Include the pictures with thank you notes, and guests will remember your pool party for a long time to come!

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