12 Must-Have Backyard Pool Items

It’s been 5 summers that we have had an inground pool in our backyard. Sure it was a big expense, but since I wrote the check it has brought us nothing but joy along with tons of memories.

Prior to making the big backyard investment, we had several above-ground pools that always provided loads of fun for the kids. From splashing around to learning to swim, I can’t remember a time after the kids were born that we didn’t have a pool of some sort in the backyard.

This is a picture of my oldest son when he was 7ish. He is now a driving teenager! When we had above-ground pools we always got Intex. I would highly recommend that brand if you are in the market for an above-ground pool.

12 Must-Have Backyard Pool Items

After 15 years as a pool owner, I have complied 12 must-have backyard pool items for inground or above-ground pools that have contributed to countless hours of fun for my family and guests.

Furniture

We love to entertain and relax around the pool. We have outdoor chairs and side tables that create more of a conversational area and a few chaise lounges for the sunbathers. It pays to spend a bit more on your outdoor furniture so it will last longer. I have had the same furniture for years and it still looks relatively decent. Make sure your furniture is suitable for outdoor weather conditions.

Towels

I love oversized towels that not only will dry pool guests off but will also cover the entire lounge chair. I picked up a few of these cabana striped towels last season and they did really well poolside with relatively quick drying time. I do enough laundry as it is, so I try to minimize the need to dry towels.

Vacuum

In addition to scrubbing the sides and skimming the surface, one pool chore remains…. vacuuming up the pool. Vacuuming collects any debris that is on the pool floor. Today there are robotic vacuums that basically do all the work for you or you can opt for the more traditional pool vacuum. Either will do the job, just depends on your budget.

Cooler

Rather than run back and forth to the house to get a cold beverage, keeping a cooler by your backyard pool is so much easier. Stock it, throw ice in when needed and enjoy a cold drink all summer long.

Umbrellas

I find that most of the umbrellas that I use in the backyard get switched out after one or two seasons because of the sun fading and because I like to change the colors out around the pool area. This year I love the 9′ outdoor black and white striped umbrellas that I got. Down the road, we would like to build a more permanent structure to minimize the need for umbrellas.

Safety floatation and pool marker

Every pool should have a safety floatation ring…just in case. Our pool has a small shallow end that drops pretty quickly. We use a safety divider rope (rope with floats) that lets swimmers know to be aware of the difference in the depth of the pool.

Skimmer

The purpose of a pool skimmer is to catch floating debris and leaves on the surface of the pool. It is a critical component of your pool’s overall maintenance. Skimmers are builtin into the side of inground pools and usually hung from the sides of above-ground pools and float on the surface.

Pool Games

From floating cornhole to water basketball don’t forget to include a few water games to enhance your pool experience. If you are limited on pool space sometimes a pool noodle and ball are all you need to have hours of fun.

Towel Rack

To help minimize towels everywhere around the pool area, we made a couple of towel racks for kids and guests to hang towels on. If I wasn’t into making super easy and inexpensive projects, I would have this rack around the pool for towels.

Sunscreen

If these 12 must-have backyard pool Items were in any kind of order, sunscreen would be at the top. We all know that sunscreen protects your skin from the sun. The sun produces natural energy in the form of ultraviolet (UV) rays that can cause damage to the skin including skin cancer, premature aging, wrinkles, and popped blood vessels. Before I even get near the pool I apply a generous amount of sunscreen to my body. I use sprays on my body and a heavy-duty daily face sunscreen that protects my skin from UVA and UVB rays.

First aid kit

Although you never want to be pulling out the first aid kit around the pool….it happens. We keep our compact first aid kit in the side table which doubles as a storage compartment. This way, we have it close by if and when we do need a bandaid or something out of it.

Floats

I believe you can never have enough floats to thoroughly enjoy the pool experience. A float can make your time in the water even more enjoyable while you are reading, lounging, or soaking up some sun. This year I am introducing a new giant swan float to the fleet. I love to see the swan just float around even when we are not in the pool.

Shop my must-have pool items

Have a pool or getting ready to put one in? Make sure these items are on your list.

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to be able to create memories with my kids in the pool

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