The sun is out and the weather is hot; make this summer an unforgettable one with a family pool party! We're here to help you have fun while the kids are out of school. Families across the nation have come to us for over 20+ years to help them throw memorable parties. We have local event hosts who will arrive at your location, set up state-of-the-art equipment, stay for the remainder of the event, and pack everything up once the partying has ended. It’s their job to make your life easy so that you can enjoy your own party. Given our party experience, we want to help you have the best one yet with your friends and family. In this guide, you will find our "Top 5 Family Pool Party Activities," as well as the steps you need to follow in order to throw your own family pool party.
Top 5 Family Pool Party Activities
Make your party fun for everyone with planned activities. Listed below are some of our personal favorites that we’ve seen our guests enjoy time and time again. Parents, kids, and those of all ages are sure to enjoy your party with these activities:
1. Watch a Movie by the Poolside
Everyone loves a poolside movie night. Not only because it’s the bread and butter of what we offer, but such a unique experience is one you’ll never forget. A movie by the pool is perfect for winding down as the night carries on. We bring state-of-the-art movie theater equipment to your location almost anywhere in the United States. Our booming high-definition sound and crystal-clear projection set us apart from anyone else; we truly bring the modern movie theater experience to you.
2. Bring on the Water War
Transform your backyard into a battlefield with a water war, an exhilarating and refreshing way to beat the summer heat. To prepare for a water war, have water balloons ready to use and water guns for the ultimate fight. Fill the water balloons with cool water, tying them securely to ensure maximum splash impact. Equip yourself and your allies with an array of water guns, ranging from high-powered blasters to compact pistols, for strategic drenching maneuvers. Divide into teams and designate your territories, creating a sense of thrilling competition. The laughter and screams of joy will fill the air as the battle intensifies, creating family pool party memories that will last a lifetime. So, gather your friends and family, arm yourselves with water weaponry, and embark on an unforgettable water war adventure in the comfort of your own backyard.
3. Throw a BBQ Cookout
Nothing says summer better than a BBQ cookout. Guests of all ages will enjoy your party even more after eating delicious homemade food. Fire up the grill and be sure to cook enough for everyone. If you don’t have a BBQ at your house, don’t worry; many parks have them free for public use. You just may need to bring your own coals, fire starter, and lighter. Be mindful of the rules of the local park beforehand. Some parks may have guidelines on hours, coal, and alcohol in the area. Check out these amazing recipes from our favorite custom salts and spices shop, Roadie Rub:
Smoked Mac 'n' Cheese
Ingredients
1 Pound dry Elbow Pasta
½ Cup Unsalted Butter
½ Cup Flour
1 ½ Cup Milk
2 ½ Cups Half-n-Half
2 Cups Medium Sharp Cheddar Cheese (measured after grating) 8oz
2 Cups Smoked Gouda (8oz block)
2 Cups Smoked Gruyere Cheese (measured after grating) 8oz
2 ½ Tbsp Roadie Rub BBQ rub
½ Pound Bacon, cooked
Preparation
- Preheat smoker to 300
- Grease 9x13 pan (I use tinfoil pan)
- Cook pasta 1-2 minutes less than directions (drizzle with Olive Oil to prevent sticking)
- While the pasta cooking, grate cheeses and mix together
- 3 cups for sauce, 1 ½ cup each for middle layer and top
- Melt Butter is large pan over Medium Heat
- Sprinkle in Flour and whisk to mix (Should resemble “Wet Sand”)
- Cook for a minute while whisking
- Slowly mix in Milk/Half-n-Half mixture whisking entire time
- Continue to heat until consistency of thinned condensed soup
- Remove from Heat
- Stir in Roadie Rub and Half (3 Cups) of the Cheese (Slowly to allow to melt)
- Stir until melted and smooth
- Add Bacon and stir in a Large mixing bowl: Mix Pasta, Bacon and Cheese Sauce
- Pour ½ into Pan and top with 1 ½ Cup Cheese Mix
- Add remaining Pasta/Cheese Sauce
- Top with rest of Cheese
- Put rest of Cheese on top (1 ½ Cup)
- Smoke 30 - 45 minutes until top cheese is bubbly and hot
- Serve up!
Pichana Brazilian Steaks
Ingredients
Pichana Roast
Roadie Rub Bourbon Salt
Preparation
- Cut Pichana with the grain (2-3” wide)
- Place on skewers (I use 2 for each piece to make easy to handle)
- Sprinkle Roadie Rub Bourbon Salt all around
- Preheat grill to high on one side
- Sear for about a minute on each side
- Move to Indirect and cook to 115 - 120 degrees Fahrenheit
- Turn every 3 minutes to simulate rotisserie
- Rest 15 minutes
- Cut across the grain
- Serve up!
Kielbasa Campfire Beans
Ingredients
2 Cans Black beans, drained, and rinsed
2 Cans Great Northern beans, drained, and rinsed
1 Can Kidney beans, drained, and rinsed
1 Can Pinto beans, drained, and rinsed
1 onion diced & sweated down in bacon grease
1/2 cup barbecue sauce
3/4 cup ketchup
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp mustard
1 tsp chili powder
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup molasses
14.5 oz chicken broth
3/4 lb bacon cooked, cut into bite size pieces
1 lb Sausage cooked and crumbles
2 lb Kielbasa cut into bite size pieces
Preparation
- In a large slow cooker, add all the ingredients except for the kielbasa and stir gently to combine
- Place the kielbasa on top and cover with the lid.
- Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or high for 4 to 5 hours.
- Add more chicken stock if it is drying out.
- Stir in the kielbasa before serving
4. Slide into Summer
Slide into Summer with the exhilarating fun of water slides. Your kids are sure to have a blast as they race down a slippery slope over and over again. Guests will arrive in awe as the towering water slide builds excitement just at its site. If you’re looking for a more affordable option, buy a slip-n-slide instead. Have kids compete against each other in slip-n-slide races for a little bit of competitive fun. Adult supervision is recommended, as injuries may occur. To avoid this, have your slide on grass instead of a hard surface.
KC Foam Parties
If you’re in the Kansas City area, we highly recommend experiencing fun like no other with KC Foam Parties. The owners of KC Foam Parties, Tom and Deb Caldwell of ET Entertainment, have provided exciting outdoor events since 2009. Their amazing foam machines will fill your grass or pavement with a mountain of cool, clean, allergy-free biodegradable foam up to 30x30 feet and 5 feet high in minutes, for a fun-filled experience for all ages. Included are a professional sound system and beach balls to complete your foamy dance party event. A trained event host will be onsite during the event, providing complete set-up and tear-down. What are you waiting for? Have a foam party!
5. Play Marco Polo
Marco Polo is a pool game that kids have enjoyed for decades. The rules are simple, yet you'll find your kids having fun playing it for hours. One player is the designated Marco, and their role is to call out "Marco!" while the rest of the players are "Polos," who respond by yelling "Polo!" The goal is for the blind Marco to seek out a Polo with only the sound of their voices to rely on. Marco wins once a Polo is tagged. The tagged Polo then becomes Marco in the next round. Watch your kids have a great time with this family pool party classic.
How to Throw a Family Pool Party
Choose a Location
To begin planning your family pool party, start by choosing the best location. When deciding on a location, be aware of the expected crowd size. There should be enough room for your guests to be comfortable. The comfort of your guests should be your highest priority in order to ensure a good time. Keep in mind the space that would be taken up by tables, chairs, or an inflatable movie screen. If you plan on having your party at a pool that is not your own, be sure to ask for the owner's permission beforehand. There should be a nearby power source sufficient for powering our rental screens if you plan on renting. To see what is required for each screen, check out our "How to Power an Outdoor Movie Screen" blog.
Pick a Date and Time
Plan your party at least a month in advance. This gives you plenty of time to think ahead and invite your guests. More guests will likely show up if they know about the party several weeks beforehand. When choosing a date, consider having your party on a Friday or Saturday evening. Parents tend to be off work and most free during that time, maximizing your chances of guest arrival. Not only should you make sure that your party date works for your guests, but you should also make sure that it works for you. Plan ahead and be aware of the time you’ll have to spend setting up and cleaning up after the fun is done.
Choose a Family Pool Party Theme
Every party needs a theme to tie it all together. For a family pool party, some fun theme ideas may include under the sea, Hawaiian luau, pirate adventure, or tiki lounge. When your party has a distinct theme identifiable by decorations, costumes, food, and choice of movie, it allows your guests to be more immersed in the fun.
Pick a Movie
When choosing the best movie to watch at your family pool party, be aware of the age group attending and the theme of your event. If you have trouble deciding on a film, let your guests vote online. Social media polls are a great way to allow your guests to express what they want to watch most.
Send Your Family Pool Party Invitations
After you’ve finished planning your party, it's time to send out invitations. Make sure to have a clear note reminding attendees to bring bathing suits and towels.
RENT EXCELLENT EQUIPMENT FOR YOUR OUTDOOR EVENT WITH FUNFLICKS®
Screen for an Outdoor Evening or Indoor Party
Our fleet of inflatables is the best quality of screen that you can rent at an affordable price. Whether the party is going on in your backyard or at a large venue, there is an inflatable screen for everyone to enjoy. Our assortment of inflatable screens have a seamless viewing surface and can be blown up in minutes. We’ll be sure to get everything up and running before the show begins. At every event, we bring high-definition speakers that will knock your socks off and a theatrical projector with a crystal-clear display. For optimal viewing, an inflatable event should take place in a setting with minimal lighting and winds of under 15 mph.
Backyard 16'
12x7 display
100 guests
20 cars
Premiere 21'
16x9 display
250 guests
50 cars
Blockbuster 26'
20x12 display
500 guests
75 cars
Elite 32'
26x15 display
750 guests
100 cars
Epic 40'
30x17 display
1500 guests
150 cars
Xtreme 50'
40x22 display
3000 guests
250 cars
LED Display Screens
If you want a screen that can display day or night in almost any environment, renting an LED screen is the best option for you. Using electroluminescent technology, our LED screens generate light safely and effectively at any time of day. Hence, it isn’t a problem if you want to watch a morning show or an evening movie on our LED screens. Our panels and trailers are rated IP65, which means they are both rain and dust proof! All of our mobile LED trailers have onboard generators used to power the display. Therefore, no power supply is needed. Similar to our inflatable screens, our fleet of LED screens come in a variety of dimensions for a variety of crowd sizes. Event technicians across the country are available to bring our LED trailers anywhere for you to enjoy video games, live sports, movies, advertisements, or anything on!
MAX Light
8x5 display
MAX 127
12x7 display
MAX 158
15x8 display
MAX 1710
17x10 display
MAX 2313
23x13 display
