Organizing A Spring Pool Party For Your Congregation: 5 Pointers

Pool parties are a fun way to engage kids with the church and one another. They encourage activity and socialization and are an excellent way to invite new families to get to know the church.

There are some things to remember when planning your party, especially in the spring. Here are seven pointers for organizing your party to help your event succeed.

1. Survey Your Families

Whether the party is for a Sunday school class, youth group or everyone in your church, you need to contact the adults involved about the best day for the party.

A pool party in spring is a fun treat, but it can compete with school, sports and other commitments your kids already have. Long working hours might also prevent an early afternoon party. Ask the families involved what times and days are the best for attending the party. You might not find a party time that works for everyone, but there’s no point in hosting an event that most people can’t be at.

One way to do this is to survey families at the beginning of the year to get an idea of when they can attend events throughout the year.

2. Provide Yummy Snacks

Swimming makes us hungry. While you don’t have to provide a feast for your congregation – though you certainly can having some snacks can make the event even more enjoyable and encourage people to stay for its duration.

Chips, cookies, fruit and vegetable trays are easy, excellent options for you and your church members to munch on during the party. If you want a heartier option, pizza is almost a universal hit. Don’t forget the drinks. Water, juices and possibly soda can wash down the snacks and hydrate your members for the next swimming round.

You could make it a potluck and ask members to contribute their favorite poolside snacks. Different recipes often lead to conversations, providing excellent bonding opportunities for your congregation members.

If you do purchase snacks, always expect more people to show up than expected. You want to ensure everyone has the right amount of food for them. Remember that many items, like packed chips, cookies and soda can last a while, so you can use them for the next event.

3. Make Safety the #1 Priority

Accidents can happen at any event, but you must ensure safety precautions are in place at your pool party. More than 4,000 unintentional drownings happen each year. While that means that the millions of people who enjoy pools don’t drown, you don’t want your pool party to turn into a tragedy.

Even if a lifeguard is present, you should check beforehand to ensure safety precautions are posted around the pool and reviewed with everyone before the first swimmers enter the pool. This includes not letting children past the 4 foot mark, ensuring weaker swimmers have flotation devices and having a first-aid kit and automated external defibrillator (AED) on-site.

Speak to the lifeguard about the pool’s rules, so everyone is on the same page. Some venues ask patrons to shower before entering the pool to avoid spreading germs. Others ask that no one jumps or dives into the pool.

If you’re outdoors, sun protection should also be a priority. Your congregants don’t need to leave a church event bright red and with an increased skin cancer risk. While you might expect everyone to bring their own sunscreen, it doesn’t hurt to have some around just in case.

Of course, leading by example is important. If you don’t follow the rules, congregation members might think they don’t have to either.

It's easy to plan a spring pool party for a church congregation.

4. Keep a Budget

Pool parties are one of those events that often cost more than you’d expect. While you can visit a public pool during daily operations, it doesn’t provide a personal bonding experience for your congregation and their guests.

Renting a venue for your party can provide a better experience but cost more. You’ll need to account for venue costs, snack costs and any other fees needed for a great experience. Consider all of the things that might make your party special. Do you want to provide treat bags? Will you provide color sheets or an alternate activity for kids who don’t want to swim? It’s important to think through everything early, so you can budget accordingly without draining another account.

It’s a great idea to have a church events budget throughout the year so you can hold fellowship and outreach activities throughout the year.

5. Plan A Rain Date

Fewer people are likely to show up whether the pool is indoors or outdoors if the weather gets bad. Forecasted weather can change, so you must speak to the venue about scheduling a second date if the first one gets rained out.

Don’t let April showers ruin your time at the pool. Ensure everyone knows the rain date in advance so they can plan accordingly.