When winter approaches, diving into your pool for a swim isn’t usually at the top of your priorities. But even if you’re not among the lucky few with a heated pool and beautiful weather year-round, you can still get plenty of use from your swimming pool while you’re dreaming of warmer, sunnier days ahead.
We can help you get the creative juices flowing with these nine fun ideas when your pool is closed for the winter:
1. Decorate Your Pool for the Holidays
Give your pool the same holiday love you give the rest of your home by dressing it up for the season. Add a few string lights to your backyard, or even invest in some cool color-changing lights that float in your pool. You could also take the easy route and get the laser lights that project colorful designs across your entire backyard.
Put a plastic Santa Claus on a float or add some inflatable holiday characters like snowmen and reindeer to the pool. Or, go all out and turn your entire backyard into a brightly lit winter wonderland. However, you choose to deck out your pool is up to you!
2. Host a Pool-Less Pool Party
From family get-togethers to fireside chats, the backyard was built for making memories. And while you may enjoy throwing pool parties in the summer, you don’t have to let winter weather ruin your plans.
Host a pool party sans pool with your family or friends. You can still enjoy most of your favorite summer activities, from volleyball and bocce ball to grilling out and roasting marshmallows over a fire. You can even make the party tie into your favorite summer themes to make the event feel warmer and brighter.
3. Do a Polar Bear Plunge
Each year, countless cities host annual polar bear plunges to boost awareness for good causes. In the U.S., participants jump into icy water as a show of strength and to raise money for charities, while those in Canada often do polar bear swims to welcome the new year. In either case, you have your very own pool to facilitate such a feat. Many of those who have done it in the past say it’s a refreshing experience.
4. Host a Dry Dive-In Movie Night
“Dive in” movies are all the rage for pool owners. From giant inflatable screens made for outdoor viewing to a white sheet and projector, watching movies poolside has become a favorite activity for families.
Keep the fun going all year long with a dry outdoor movie night. Kids can use pool floats and lounge chairs to make themselves comfortable and bundle up in blankets while watching their favorite movies.
5. Play Pool Games That Don’t Require a Bathing Suit
If you’re eager to use your pool but don’t want to take a polar plunge or don your bathing suit, consider different games you could play that require water but doesn’t require getting wet.
For example, you might challenge the kids to make homemade boats and race them from one end of the pool to the other. Or, you could use fishing poles, magnets, and other materials for a DIY fishing game.
If you’re playing games around the pool, make sure you exercise caution to avoid ending up in the water.
6. Eat a Poolside Holiday Dinner
There’s never a wrong time to dine alfresco, but the holidays can make the experience even more magical (especially if you’ve decorated your pool and backyard for the occasion). You can make the meal as elegant as you like, whether you prefer table cloths and place settings or a picnic table and umbrella with string lights.
And as an added bonus, hosting your holiday meal outdoors means less cleanup in your dining room!
7. Create Fun Pool Noodle Crafts
If you’re not planning on reusing your old pool noodles next summer, consider repurposing them instead of trashing them. There are many pool noodle crafts you can make that don’t require much art expertise. For example, you could create a DIY holiday wreath with a pool noodle, hot glue, and some inexpensive ornaments. Or, make a DIY sprinkler for next season by strategically cutting a few holes in a pool noodle that can slip over the end of a hose. You can find more pool noodle inspiration here.
8. Use Your Pool for Holiday Photos
Dreamy holiday photos by the pool can inspire your loved ones to start thinking about warmer weather. Even if it’s too cold to swim, you and your family can don your swimsuits and Santa Claus hats for a unique Christmas card picture that everyone on your mailing list will be glad to receive.
9. Make Your Pool Winter-Friendly for Swimming
There is no rule saying you have to close your pool for the winter. In many parts of the country, homeowners can enjoy swimming year-round! The biggest threats to pools in winter are freezing temperatures, so if you live in an area that stays mostly above freezing, consider turning your swimming pool into a backyard oasis you can enjoy all the time.
Add a pool heater that can keep water at a comfortable level, or use a solar blanket that can trap the sun’s heat and prolong the life of your pool chemicals.
A swimming pool can be a good investment in improving your quality of life, so channel your inner creativity to get more use from it throughout the year. And for more inspiration, head back to the Splash Pools blog.
