Need ideas for a pool party for a 6 year old boy

[Ivan's Mom]

We are having a pool party for our six-year-old boy in June.  It will be at the community pool.  We will be serving food at the covered pavilion. There will be about 40-50 guests ranging in ages from 2 yo to adult.  Here are my only ideas so far:

Pizza delivered

Homemade lemonade and water in dispensers

watermelon boats with pineapple and strawberries

Homemade cupcakes

CD playing with fun beachy music ex. Jimmy Buffet, Kenny Chesney, Garth Brooks etc.

Need more ideas!!  What other food should I serve? Should I plan on games? I wanted to bring our inflatable bounce house, but dh said it would be a trouble due to it being a two-kid at a time size.  Should I have party favors?  They seem like such a waste to me.  Goody bags also...a waste.  I was thinking about giving all the kids a foam swim noodle, but they seem a bit useless.  Are they?  I was also thinking about dive-sticks, but they have a warning that they could promote drowning.  What do you all think?  It will be an evening party 4-7 pm in June and it is HOT here.  Thanks!

[loveandkindness]

We went to a similar pool party, and instead of a goody bag, the mom handed each child one of those squeezy toys that shoot water out as they walked in.  They all squirted each other throughout the party and had a great time with them, and were quite happy when they got to take it home.    The mom also had a "penny hunt".  She had all the kids get out of the shallow end, then she threw handfuls of pennies in the pool and on the count of 3 the kids jumped in to collect them.  The kids loved it.

[KCMichigan]

Our community pool used to do Friday Fun game:

Here are somethigns they did:

greased watermelon race (break into teams and float a Criso-ed watermelon from one end of shallow end to other)

penny dive (PP explained it)

Biggest spash (cannonball jumps)

off the water  : use a beach ball and see how long you can keep bopping it in the air before it hits the water

Fun toys:

pool noodles, foam water cannons, water squirters, water ballons, bubbles, inflatable toys

Have fun! I dont think you have to do much-- the kiddos will have fun in the pool!

[Polliwog]

I've had pool parties before and never planned any games. The kids have fun just playing around and if the pool is open to other swimmers (as ours is since I don't rent out the pool,) then it's distracting to others (and upsetting to non-invited children.)

[leighi123]

Check with the pool first to see if they allow pennies.   I worked as a lifeguard and we didn't allow coins in the pool because they wrecked the filter.  

Also check what toys/floats are allowed, again many times they aren't  We didn't allow floats in the pool because it makes it harder to see kids if they are up under them.  

At the pool party we went to last year, they had small toys like those fish that squirt water and little boats (both from oriental trading), and that was the 'goodie bag'.   

It might be a good idea to have something planned for right after food, so kids arent swimming right after eating - what about a limbo game or something like that?  Good for all ages (they have a few sets of this from oriental trading as well)

[Ivan's Mom]

Thanks everyone.  I found a bunch of games and ideas online too.  My son is excited about the games, so we are going to play them.  I have enough prizes for all the guests to win something instead of a goody bag.  Good idea about other non-invited kids wanting to play.  Other kids play games among each other all the time and seem to be okay that they are not involved in what everyone else is doing while at this same pool.  If someone insists, they will be allowed to play...just not win prizes (We are not able to afford it).  I have my dh and a hired mother's helper to help me execute all this which is good.