Thursday, June 2, 2016

Tips For Hosting a Pool Party

Summer is officially here, which means it is pool party season!  We entertain frequently, whether its family, friends, or the youth group at our church.  I have put together some tips to have a fun pool party, including snacks and games!


Decide on a Date - Once you pick a date and time, invite your guests.  You can either send invitations in the mail, create a Facebook event, or just send a group text.  I have used all of these methods, so pick which one works best for you, depending on the number of guests you are inviting.

Snacks - Serve finger foods and snacks that do not require a lot of prep work.  One of my go-to dishes are BBQ meatballs because you can cook them in the crockpot.  I also like serving chips and salsa, pasta salad, and fruit because these foods can be prepared ahead of time.  I set up a table with the food and drinks and allow guests to graze in between swimming and playing games.


Decorations - I head to the dollar store to pick up plastic utensils, paper plates, and other items needed.  I picked up a few colorful pots at the Dollar Tree and they were perfect for holding the forks and spoons!  You can also find seasonal decorations like streamers, banners, tablecloths, and string lights.

Games - Have a couple of fun lawn games like Molkky, cornhole, or volleyball ready for your guests to play.  If you will have small children attending, I recommend sidewalk chalk and several balls (which can also be purchased at the dollar store).

Molkky lawn game
Molkky, by Tactic Games, is a wooden lawn game that is fun for any age.  It is an updated version of an old Scandinavian "throwing game" called Kyykkä that has been around for hundreds of years.  It is similar to bowling as you take turns trying to knock down the pins.  It is scored by adding up the numbers on the pins that fall and the object of the game is to get to exactly 50 points.

Molkky game set up
Provide Extras  - I bring out extra seating for a large number of guests.  We have a pretty big deck with a table that seats 4, 2 lounge chairs, and 2 Adirondack chairs, but I bring out a few extra lawn chairs too.  I also lay out a few extra beach towels just in case someone forgot to bring one.

Clean up - Have a trash bag or trash can by your food table to allow your guests to throw away their trash, which makes for easier clean up when the pool party is over.



What are your favorite summer games?  Do you have any additional tips for a pool party?

Disclosure:  This is a Featured Party opportunity from Tryazon.  I received the Molkky game for review purposes, but all opinions are my own.

8 comments:

  1. I grew up with a pool and really miss it! These are great tips! I need to check out that Molkky game! Sounds like fun!

    Jill
    Doused In Pink

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    1. Jill, even though it can be a lot of work, I really love having a pool! The Molkky game is pretty fun!

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  2. I haven't heard of that game, but it sounds fun!

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    1. It was harder than I thought< but I think it may be fun when the youth come over!

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  3. I haven't heard of that game, but it looks fun! I love salsa and chips at a pool party... and fresh guac!

    Carrie
    curlycraftymom.com

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    1. Carrie, Oh yes! I forgot about fresh guac! I finally made some fresh this year!

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  4. Molkky looks like a great game! Have a great summer Mary. Totally jealous as we head into Winter brrrr

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    1. I hope your Winter is not too bad and sorry you have to see all these summer posts! :-)

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