Which pool party ideas are best for small yards?
If you’re lucky enough to have a pool at your home, you’re likely to be the most popular neighbor on the block this summer. But don’t feel intimidated if your yard doesn’t have the space for a massive gathering. Small yards are still perfectly suitable for throwing an all-out backyard summer event.
If you’re thinking about throwing a pool party in your small yard, all you need is the right decor, accessories, food, drink and entertainment. Your guests will be too busy having a good time to care about the size of your yard. With the proper preparation, you too can throw the biggest small pool party of the season.
Small yard pool party decor
Before you start sending out invitations, take a good look at your yard to see how you can enhance it while staying within your confines. Good vibes begin with the visuals, so ensure your yard looks great and free of dead patches of grass, weeds, unsightly debris or doggy droppings. It should also go without saying, but make sure your pool itself is also clean before welcoming your guests. You can decorate the exterior of the pool with any number of streamers, balloons and kitschy signage, not to mention holiday-themed flags and banners.
When the sun goes down, keep the party going with some decorative tiki torches providing your light. If you’d prefer a longer-term lighting solution, install some patio string lights for a low-key evening ambiance. Solar-powered garden lights are another excellent addition for after-dark entertaining, although they are best used for lighting pathways rather than providing illumination. Similarly, you can dress your pool’s exterior with some stylish solar string lights to add even more elegance to your evening event.
Small yard pool party accessories
Once you have your decor and the pool itself, you’ll need to prepare for the party. For the time spent out of the pool, some space-saving furniture is a great accommodation for your guests who prefer staying dry. Some deck boxes double as seating, giving you the convenience of furniture and storage in one unit. Others come with built-in tables or tops that let them function as a bar cart or serving station for food and drinks.
Small yard pool party entertainment
Outdoor activities are fun for all ages, both in the water and out. For in-pool excitement, an inflatable basketball set makes for a great group game akin to water polo. Another popular game on dry land is cornhole, or “bags” in some regions. Other popular inflatable games combine multiple activities, providing a variety of entertainment for all ages.
Floatables aren’t just for the kids, either. This water-bound drink holder has five individual beverage holder slots and a center basin that can serve as an ice bin for cold beverages or chilled fruit for snacking. You can also bring the tunes onto the water with a floatable, waterproof Bluetooth speaker. If you want to keep the music on dry land, you can find fun and discreet speaker options, like these LED Tiki Torches with built-in speakers.
Yard games are fun on the smallest patches of dry land, too. Bocce ball is a popular and easy-to-play game for all ages and requires a relatively small area to play, but the competition can still get heated. Giant-sized Jenga-style block games are another fun outdoor activity for kids and adults, as is ladder toss, and neither requires a giant-sized yard to enjoy.
Small yard pool party food and drinks
No party is complete without beverages and snacks. First, take a look at your guest list. Are you hosting an all-ages pool party or an adults-only event? If you are planning on hosting kiddies, you’re better off avoiding an adults-only punch, so plan on making a delicious summer spritz without the alcohol. Try filling an outdoor-safe dispenser with fruit, juice and seltzer for an easygoing, breezy beverage. This might not be the best idea for little ones, so juice boxes are the way to go if you want to avoid a mess.
Of course, grown-ups need to hydrate, too, and if you want to avoid plastic waste, you can opt for canned water in still and sparkling varieties. For flavored sparkling water fans, grab a variety pack to make sure all your guests are satisfied. Make sure to keep some koozies on hand to keep your cans cool. To store all of your beverages, you have several cooler options, including patio furniture with built-in ice buckets. If your small yard has a little extra space to squeeze in a bar cart cooler, you can keep even more drinks on ice.
Almost everybody of any age loves a popsicle on a hot afternoon, and nothing beats the homemade variety. You can either purchase an all-inclusive kid-friendly kit or fancier stainless steel set with all the trimmings, more suitable for adult popsicles.
For the adult popsicles, just add tequila and orange liqueur to limeade for an easy and tasty frozen Margarita on a stick. Wine lovers can mix red wine with lemon-lime soda and some small pieces of fruit for a Sangria popsicle. If you want to beat the heat and catch a buzz without the stick, there’s an incredible hack that’s fun to look at and to drink. Use some large ice molds (typically used to make ice for whiskey) to make big ice rocks with whiskey, orange juice and lemon-lime soda. Serve in a tumbler topped with soda water for a drink that stays cold and gets you buzzed over a long, hot day.
As far as food is concerned, popular staples like guacamole and tortilla chips, potato chips and dip or cheese and crackers are all great backyard snacks that don’t require a large spread. A tray of pigs-in-blankets goes a long way for the meat eaters, but fresh-cut veggies and spinach dip please vegetarians and carnivores alike.
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