By Staff
waterhead.com
September 28, 2011

Pool parties are arguably one of the most exciting and fun-filled form of parties. Guests can burn the extra calories from indulging in food, usually of the unhealthy variety, and drink, almost instantaneously by jumping into the pool and having a swim. Americans are known to indulge in swimming and other related activities either for fun or as a serious exercise meant to improve their health and wellness. As a matter of fact, it is the second most popular sporting activity in the United States. According to statistics by CDC, there are currently 8.8 million residential and public pools in the United States. On the same note, statistics indicate that there were approximately 339 million pool visits in United States in 2006. It is also quite interesting to note that at least 41 percent of children aged between seven and 17 years, and 17.4 percent of American adults visit the pools at least six times a year. 

Pool parties are an incredibly fantastic way of not only socializing with friends and relatives but also cooling off. It is of the essence though to ensure that the right pool supplies are available to prevent cases of recreational water illnesses (RWIs), sunburns and drowning. Pools parties spare you the trouble of having to accommodate everyone in the house during extremely hot summers. You can either hold a pool party at the comfort of your home or at a recreational facility within your area subject to approval by the facility’s management. If you intend to use your own pool, it is important to know that many local authorities across the United States require a trained life guard to be present in such events.

Planning a pool party entails ensuring all the pool accessories are in place in order to avoid disappointment when revelers start to arrive. Start by ensuring that the swimwear is in order. Swimsuits are no longer a preserve of the ladies as they have also entered the men domain. These include jammers, briefs and bodysuits. Designers have understood women’s tastes and preferences when it comes to swimwear and so it is quite easy to find fashionable, bikinis, skin backs and other varieties. There are many designs to choose from and if possible you should ensure they rhyme with your party’s theme. You can take time to check online for the best deals in terms of price, shipping and customer service. 

It is important that you keep in mind your guests' tastes, preferences and dislikes in order to ensure everyone has an enjoyable time. It’ll really be a great idea to match up with designer swimwear because it really appears much more elegant and sophisticated. If you intend to bring kids on board to the pool party, ensure that each one of them have at least two swimming kits and if possible have their names in their respective kits. This also includes products such as towels and sunscreens. For the latter, you would need to offer to guide them on the best way to use the products. This is to avoid cases of allergic reactions.  Always make sure you have enough towels in case some of the party goers have forgotten their own. Most people prefer relaxing in the shade. So if you will be holding the party during a hot summer day, it is important to have umbrellas and lounging chairs. 

Coming up with a pool party-themed cake that is both spectacular and special is also something you should also think about. There are different flavors from which you could choose from including chocolate, cinnamon and vanilla. A striking theme that you could choose for the cake is an upside down pineapple theme with a tropical fruit on the top.

For safety measure, make sure you have some floatation devices such and life jackets. To create that laid back atmosphere, mix things up with various forms of floats. Pool lounges of various shapes and forms would help you achieve this effect. For these, you would have to decide between foam and inflatable ones. If you intend to have a BBQ pool party, it is important that you consider the type of utensils to be used. A good idea is to go with paper cups and plates or plastic utensils since expensive silver or chinaware do not always work well outdoors; especially for an animated and wild party. Another idea is to look for customized banners to make the party appear more special. 

Pool parties are basically the mainstay for summer holidays and good preparation is always of the essence. While planning a pool party sure you start with invitations before trying to figure out the most appropriate decorations for the event. Food always plays a significant role in the party and should be given utmost attention. The same should be accorded to fruit coolers and sensational drinks such as wine and liquor. However, neither food nor drink would be able to bring the party to life without the necessary pool party props.