Pool party ideas

[sixcloar]

My dd will be celebrating her 10th birthday in a few weeks. We have reserved the pool at my dh's work for the party. I found a couple of cute games to play in the water (Family Fun), but want to include a craft for the girls instead of goody bags. I planned to allow them to make some type of beach bag. Any ideas on how to do this inexpensively and fairly quickly.

Also, the only time we could reserve the pool is 4:30 and later. If we end the party at 6:30 or 7, do I need to provide dinner? That would drive my cost WAY up, and I'm trying to avoid that!

Any other great ideas for a pool party?

[MonkeyMamma]

My dd will be celebrating her 10th birthday in a few weeks. We have reserved the pool at my dh's work for the party. I found a couple of cute games to play in the water (Family Fun), but want to include a craft for the girls instead of goody bags. I planned to allow them to make some type of beach bag. Any ideas on how to do this inexpensively and fairly quickly.

Also, the only time we could reserve the pool is 4:30 and later. If we end the party at 6:30 or 7, do I need to provide dinner? That would drive my cost WAY up, and I'm trying to avoid that!

Any other great ideas for a pool party?

You could do an evening party and then serve just snacks. Samantha has been to many pool parties that begin at 7pm or 8pm and last until 10pm. Or if you are doing to do it during dinner time you could do finger sandwiches - that wouldn't be as much as pizza or hot dogs.

You shouldn't have to plan too much or too many games or anything. They will have a blast just swimming and playing.

For the bags you could have them stamp fabric paint on them with different shaped sponges. When you said craft I immeidatley thought of making flip flops. They are so easy and cheap. You can buy flip flops for $1 each at Michaels and then cut different fabrics for the girls to tie on. We did that at Sam's clumber party last year.

We did a luau party one year and played some fun games. We played Hot Coconut which is like hot potato but not with a potato. I played Hawaiian music in the background and they loved it. We also did hula hoop contests and water balloon toss.

Wish your baby girl a happy birthday!

[MamaBear]

My dd will be celebrating her 10th birthday in a few weeks. We have reserved the pool at my dh's work for the party. I found a couple of cute games to play in the water (Family Fun), but want to include a craft for the girls instead of goody bags. I planned to allow them to make some type of beach bag. Any ideas on how to do this inexpensively and fairly quickly.

Also, the only time we could reserve the pool is 4:30 and later. If we end the party at 6:30 or 7, do I need to provide dinner? That would drive my cost WAY up, and I'm trying to avoid that!

Any other great ideas for a pool party?

Wal-Mart has canvas bags in the crafts dept. Get some fabric paint and they can make some really cool bags.

Dinner? Pizza Hut has pizzas for $5.00 each! Chips and something to drink.

We had some weighted round rings that went into the bottom of the pool that we would dive through, pick up the object and bring it to the top.

Happy birthday!

[sixcloar]

I hadn't really thought of an evening party, but 8 is the latest that we can reserve the pool.

It's funny that you mentioned flip flops. That was my first idea. My concern was not knowing the girls sizes.

I am considering pizza just because it's easy!

[ABall]

oriental trading co has lots of pool party stuff and tote bags and fabric paint petty cheap.

www.orientaltrading.com

I would think that if you set up a table with some pizza an salad (pre-bagged) and some different dressings would be good, then put cupcakes out or piecies of cut cake so that they could get what they want ( I hate to say it but perhaps even get Totinos or what ever those $1 pizza are, would work and you can feed 2-3 people with one.

[MamaBear]

The flip flop thing is a good idea.

Another idea for the flip flop, some ladies here did this:
We swamped names, put the name on a piece of paper with size and then everyone draws a slip and buys that person flip flops and at the party they can decorate them and then give them to the person. KWIM?

http://www.wilton.com/recipes/recipesandprojects/misc/splashbash.cfm
Here is an adorable cake. If we lived closer I would make it for your dd. I LOVE decorating cakes!

[ABall]

one dozen flip flop sun catchers
http://www.orientaltrading.com/ui/browse/processRequest.do?requestURI=processProductsCatalo g&sku=48/4332&tabId=craftKits&cm_re=FF-_-Feature-_-F1L2

sun catcher paint
http://www.orientaltrading.com/ui/browse/processRequest.do?demandPrefix=11&productId=IN-56/1959&mode=null&requestURI=processProductsCatalog&xsaleSku=48/4332&sku=56/1959&cm_sp=Cross%20Sell-_-Product%20Detail-_-Product%20Detail

cheaper paint, with burshes, smaller bottles,
http://www.orientaltrading.com/ui/browse/processRequest.do?demandPrefix=11&productId=IN-48/2518&mode=null&requestURI=processProductsCatalog&xsaleSku=56/1959&sku=48/2518&cm_sp=Cross%20Sell-_-Product%20Detail-_-Product%20Detail

[sixcloar]

You know Amy, that's not such a bad idea. We will be on camp property, so we will have access to the dining hall kitchen. We could easly bake several of those pizzas quickly! I may check out Sam's pizzas and see what they would cost vs. ordering from a pizza place.

I looked at the Oriental trading catalog, and they have some cute things. I have to figure out what the shippings costs would be.

[ABall]

pool party ideas:
http://tradingideas.orientaltrading.com/trading_ideas/2008/06/pool-party-plan.html#more

[ABall]

ok, what can I say I love getting ideas from oriental trading co., here is a cute shell bracelet craft

http://www.orientaltrading.com/ui/browse/processRequest.do?demandPrefix=12&sku=48/3111&prodCatId=381542&mode=Browsing&erec=12&Ipp=16&No=16&Ne=90000&sp=true&Ntk=all&Ntx=mode%2bmatchallpartial&N=381542&tabId=craftKits&requestURI=processProductsCatalog&sd=Seashell+Bracelet+Craft+Kit

and here is a flip flop ceramic keep sake box, to paint,
http://www.orientaltrading.com/ui/browse/processRequest.do?demandPrefix=12&sku=56/9236&prodCatId=381542&mode=Browsing&erec=13&Ipp=16&No=48&Ne=90000&sp=true&Ntk=all&Ntx=mode%2bmatchallpartial&N=381542&tabId=craftKits&requestURI=processProductsCatalog&sd=12+Paint+Your+Own%21+Ceramic+Flip+Flop+Boxes

but you can go to the craft store and get the chip board ones and paint for $1 EACH plus paint.

[sixcloar]

I love the beach ball invitation on that ideas page. We talked about using beach balls, but I hadn't thought of putting them in waterproof containers.

[Jennifer R]

Pam, I was going to suggest the Sam's pizza. A df and I fed 2 adults and 5 kids for under $20 which got us 2 pizzas and icees for the kids so you would be under that by quite a bit. We can get them in Walmart here. I took the chance and tried one a few weeks ago and they still come out good. I wasn't sure how good they would come out not using an industrial oven but my 20 yr old ds is sold on them now!

Depending on how much you want to do, cupcakes are something that you could let the kids decorate themselves. You could have several flavors of icing and then have toppings to put on top. I've always done cupcakes when having kids over for bdays as it is a much easier way to serve the cake!

[ABall]

don't forget to check out the dollar stores for beach theme and also party stores, this stuff probably is on sale. They probably have Halloween stuff out now