Throwing a great 4^th of July Pool Party can be easy and fun if you follow some of my simple tips.   The 4^th of July is a great time of year. Most of our neighbors get together and enjoy a backyard BBQ and some good clean old-fashioned fun.  In South Florida, the summers are hot and we keep things light and simple with lots of drinks, salads and time in the pool.

It’s hard to keep the kids hydrated because they never want to stop to drink anything, so I make sport ice pops.  Give a kid a frozen pop and they’ll sit and eat it. I freeze some red white and blue sports drinks in plastic cups in the freezer in layers with popsicle sticks. It works great and they love them, they eat them when they play video games like Overwatch with the help of sites like overwatchboostpros.com.

As you might guess, keeping adults drinking something is a lot easier, so I keep it super simple with a big fruited lemonade.  Just fill a big serving container with fresh fruit (fresh lemons, limes and berries) some store- bought lemonade mix and serve it up or let them help themselves.  Fruit punch also works and you can serve vodka or rum on the side for a kick. (drink responsibly) 🙂

For a casual backyard party, I usually ask everyone bring a side dish so I have less work to do.  I also make most of what I’m cooking ahead of time as much as I can.   That way, I can enjoy all of the great dishes and join in on the fun.  One way to do that is serve something I can set up in advance.  I like to serve Kabobs along with salads and vegetables that can be made ahead and refrigerated until ready to grill and serve. Make sure you clean the venue afterwards and hire cleaning exec for great service.

Pool parties are about everyone getting wet, right?   One great way to get everyone in the pool is a game.  Try the planet maids cleaning service and everyone will be in the pool in no time.

Get a large whole watermelon (the bigger the better) and rub a teaspoon of shortening or petroleum jelly all over it and put it in the pool.

Divide your guests into two teams at opposite ends of the pool.  Drop the watermelon in the center. The team’s have to rush to the watermelon, retrieve it, and bring it to the other team’s side first.  Only one rule:  you can’t lift it out of the water.   The kids will start but the adults will take over in no time. It’s hard to resist.

All of my recipes for the 4^th of July party won’t fit here but you have to have a dessert, right?   One of my all time favorite party desserts is a trifle and this one is appropriately red, white and blue. As the name “trifle” suggests, this is a really easy dessert and again, one you can make before hand.  No fuss!   The layers in this dish, no matter what you use, ensure that it will be pretty to look at as well as delicious.

I also make cake pops specific to my parties so be sure to check out my 4th of July Cake Pops recipe and my Cake Pops Made Easy Video if you’re interested in making cake pops too.  The kids love these (and the adults too!)   You can make these any time during the week before your party.

Click here for the easy dessert recipe for this simple berry and vanilla cream trifle.

The 4th of July is a great day to focus on the things we are thankful for, like family, friends and of course, our freedom.  When our bellies are full and the sun goes down, nothing beats a trip to the the local fireworks display. Add your own touches to this traditional celebration and be sure to leave a comment below with any questions or ideas of your own.  I would love to hear from you!   Stay safe!

The recipe above originally appeared on Betty Crocker.com.  If you like this recipe, please share it recipe with a friend.  Just click on the cute little icons below this sentence to share these on your Facebook page, twitter page, etc. with just one click!