How do you throw a successful tween pool party?
Or do you want to throw a memorable summer blowout for your tween and the gang? Whatever you have in mind for your tween, a pool party is a great way to celebrate or turn a hot summer day into a special occasion.
Most preteens at this age think theme parties are for little kids.
A pool party for tweens, on the other hand, lets them relax, burn that much-needed energy and only needs a limited number of structured activities and rules – it’s the sort of party that can really run itself and (as long as you own a pool to begin with!) relatively inexpensive to run.
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How To Plan a Tween Pool Party
Summer is the best season for pool party ideas. The summer season makes your tween (and all of us) become more active and eat better. The warm weather can also improve your tween’s sleep and boost their immune system!
With so many benefits of summer, you do not want your tween to miss out on getting their daily dose of vitamin D. What better way to enjoy the summer than with a well-planned pool party.
Of course, the venue is already taken care of if you have a pool in your backyard. But do not sulk cause even if you do not have a pool, you can still hold a pool party. You can outsource the pool from most public hotels available for party rentals.
Here are some incredible tips for your tween’s pool party.
1. Let Your Tween Send Out Invitations
Before you begin the planning, allow your tween to envision the dream pool party. What does it look like? What foods will they like to eat during the party? Is there an overarching theme?
Once you have the vision, it will make party planning easier. And whether your party has a theme or not, make sure your invitations are fun and vibrant.
Don’t forget to include any items that your preteen guests should bring. These might include:
- Swimsuits
- Towels
- Sunglasses or visors
- Sunscreen
- Safe water resistance bags for storing clothes and non-pool gear.
- Waterproof cameras for capturing the memories
- Swim goggles or masks
2. Buy Cute Summer Decorations And Picturesque Pool Floats
Decorations are essential for setting the tone of any party. To give your tween’s party a relaxed, happy vibe, you need many attractive colors.
Flamingoes, beach balls, and palm trees are all great ways to liven up the party atmosphere. Don’t forget inflatables, as they also make great photo props for a perfect Instagram shot.
Other classic party decors include streamers, lantern lights, balloons, and tableware. Whichever direction you decide to take with the decorations, do not forget to ensure they have a summer feel.
Cute pool floats will also rock as your tween and her friend lounge on classic pizza, flamingo, unicorn, or ice cream floats. Floaties and life jackets will also come in handy if a friend of your tween doesn’t know how to swim (just leave them discreetly lying around for them to choose from).
3. Have a Wide Array Of Fun Snacks and Drinks
If your tween is spending many hours in the sun, you need to ensure the party has enough drinks for refreshments. For simplicity, fill a cooler with ice and popular beverages, don’t forget water.
You could also elevate your tween’s party by setting up a tiki bar with fancy drinks. With easy kids’ mocktail recipes, it will be a banger for the party. Another clever detail that will kill it is having a floating bar for your tween to deliver the drinks inside the pool.
Balancing between junk foods and healthy foods is essential for satisfying your preteen guests. Have a balance of fresh fruits for salads and typical party foods like crackers. Those who love salty foods will also have everything, like chips!
Dips are also great as they are healthy and filling. You can also decide to fire up the grill and treat your tweens friends to a barbecue. Not only are hotdogs and hamburgers inexpensive, but they are guaranteed crowd-pleasers. Remember to cover vegans by getting some veggie options.
4. Great Playlist and Pool Party Games
Summertime is about having fun! So your tween’s party needs a playlist that is full of hits. Streaming services have tons of curated party playlists for your tween to choose from and build their playlist. Remember to claim a free trial before the party to get rid of the pesky adverts every few minutes.
Outdoor waterproof speakers will come in handy to make the music play loud enough.
With plenty of food, music, and friends, your tweens’ party will be a blast. To take things up a notch, make sure to have games prepared. Pool party games are great, and you can always go for the classics like pairing up to play chicken or a water balloon fight – more ideas below!
- Jump over here to find some more outdoor gifts for tweens; many of these cool outdoor toys may be the perfect compliment to a pool party
5. Pool Party Safety Plan
Safety around the swimming pool should be your highest priority.
Having fun in the sun and splashing around the pool is excellent, without anyone getting hurt. Here are some general guidelines for everyone to remain safe as they take in all the fun:
- You need to select chaperones who should be ready to get in the water in case of an emergency – having mom and dad hanging poolside may not be appreciated; have you got an older responsible teen or cool aunty or uncle who’d be happy to play the role of chaperone/lifeguard?
- Be sure the pool area is clean and free from debris that could be stepped on, tripped over, or used inappropriately.
- If the pool where the party is to take place does not have lifeguards, ask a few of the invited tweens’ parents to help you watch the party.
- Remove unnecessary pieces of equipment, children’s toys, hoses, sandals, etc from the pool area to free up space and eliminate temptations.
- Have some waterproof phone cases with you to document the best moments while inside the pool.
- Take precautions to keep pests away: Tiki torches are great as they repel bugs, but if you do not plan on using them during the party, try burning some candles with a strong scent.
- Create a sunscreen station. Skincare experts recommend reapplying sunscreen after every two hours. Especially when you spend the day outdoors, encourage the tweens to apply it as needed and ensure the sunscreen is SPF 30 or higher.
- If there is any problem, calmly pull the tween aside and explain your rules.
- There should be written rules if you host the party in a public pool. If it is a private pool, you must create rules and explain them to your tween’s guests. Discourage any horseplay, diving, and stunts, as they are easy ways to get serious injuries.
- If you know an older tween who has lifeguard training, you might offer to hire them for the day.
Got a tween girl worried about being on her period for a pool party? Make sure you check out our guide to period-proof swimwear for tweens; don’t let her journey to womanhood dampen the pool party fun!
Tween Pool Party Themes
The secret to throwing the best pool party ever is choosing a theme that resonates with your tween’s age group. Here are some of the most fun and popular pool party themes that are age-appropriate and sure to delight all your tween guests.
Luau, Leis, and Other Hawaiian décor
Luau are so much fun, with bright colors, lively activities, and delicious foods.
Let your preteen take her guest on a kid-friendly journey to the Aloha State with a Hawaiian Luau pool party. Leis are popular themes, making pool party decorations easy and affordable.
Your tween guests should wear their most colorful tropical swimsuits. The brighter, the better!
Backyard Beach Party
Transport your tween with her pack to a beach-themed pool party for tweens. Summertime is a great time to create a beach in your backyard. You might decide to decorate the table with seashells and fishnets.
Float toy sailboats in the pool and have a sandbox on the side to bring in the beach feeling. With this theme, your tween and friends should rock flip-flops and swimsuits. You might even spice it by gifting the guest a sand bucket filled with beachy treats.
Pirate Pool Party
Ahoy, matey! Let your tween hit the open seas for the adventure of a lifetime by throwing a pirate-themed pool party. Pirates are mostly known for wearing red and black, so use this as your tween’s party colour theme.
You can also create a pirate photo op by getting an old cream or yellow sheet and painting a vintage treasure map on it. Decorate your pool area with skull and crossbones flags and treasure chests—place parrots on the backs of pool chairs.
Before the party begins:
- You should toss jewels, toys, and plastic gold coins into the pool. Allow the items to sink to the bottom of the pool.
- Have the tweens jump in the pool to find the buried treasure underwater.
- See who can collect the most prizes!
When put in stripes and polka dots, red and white patterns are the real deal when sticking to a pirate theme. Remember to add touches of black, a captain’s hat, and an eye patch!
Tween Pool Party Decorations and Favors
Check out these cool pool party favor ideas and decorations. Your tween will make a splash with any of these fantastic toy ideas for their pool-themed party.
- Giant Inflatable Pizza Slice
- Inflatable Volleyball Net
- Squirt Guns
- LED Beach Ball
- Rainbow Inflatable Beach Balls
- Beach towels around the pool for convos or laying-out.
- Keep the bugs away. Set a mood with citronella candles. It might also help if you have bug spray available for your tween’s guests.
- Ask your tween which music he/she would like to play during the party, as beach music is a must!
- Watermelon Ball Game
- Use bright color table cloths and hanging strings of lights to set the mood for an evening party.
These pool accessories and beach items will add to the natural decor.
Fun Tween Pool Party Games
Tweens pool party games can add hours of entertainment that bring plenty of laughs to any summer gathering. Ensure various game options, as many preteens do not always enjoy structured activities.
Here are some party games if you are hosting a pool party:
- Octopus Tag
- Noodle Joust
- Sharks and Bait
- Speedy Duck
- Hot Diggity Dog
- Pool Hippo
- Balloon bomb race
- Wet Shirt Relay
- Bottomless Dwellers
- Greasy Watermelon
- Volleyball
- Grape toss
We hope these pool party ideas will help your tween host the most memorable of pool parties. If you’re looking for more tween party ideas, make sure you also check out:
