This blog post is sponsored by Acorn Influence and HTH pool supplies. All opinions are my own.

Summer is for fun and lazy days by the pool. Sipping lemonade, indulging in ice cream and popsicles, and spending hours swimming in the pool. What could be better? But there is a little work involved in getting your pool ready before you take that first jump into the water.

If everyone has been asking “when will the pool be open?”, you can certainly promise them a refreshing dip in the water sooner than later by properly preparing your pool so that it is ready to handle a long summer of fun.

Prep Your Pool For Summer Fun

Follow these tips in order to keep yourself safe and your pool sparkling:

  • Drain the pool cover of any water that has accumulated.
  • Add more water if needed.
  • Connect any equipment that was disconnected during winter storage and make sure everything is operational.
  • Test the pool chemistry. We love HTH Textstrips because they are so easy to use.

You simply dip the strips in the water, text a picture to HTH123 (484123) and you’ll get back step-by-step instructions on how to get sparkling water!

  • You can also use a suction pool cleaner like those recommended at Globo Surf to aid in getting your pool ready as well as for maintenance.

Our Favorite Things To Do By The Water

Now that you’ve given a pool shock treatment you are ready to have a little fun! Here are our top tips for fun in the sun as you are relaxing by your swimming pool.

Use Water Blasters! It doesn’t matter how young or old, everyone loves blasting water out of these water cannons.

Let the littles create a lemonade stand. My kids had so much fun serving up lemonade to all the thirsty swimmers. It was a fun activity after they were done spending time in the water.

Build a DIY Cabana for staying out of the sun and relaxing poolside. Just grab some pool noodles and a towel and you are set!

No day of fun in the sun is complete without a dive off the diving board…

… or a cannonball!

Do you have a favorite activity or game to play poolside?

How To Do A Pool Shock Treatment

pool shock treatment

If you’ve never given a pool shock treatment before, follow these simple tips from HTH and you’ll be a pro in no time!

  1. Because sunshine can deplete chlorine levels, add shock in the evening for maximum effect. Find HTH Shock at Walmart here.
  2. Before using any chemicals, make sure you have on protective gloves and eyewear.
  3. Never mix different chemicals or dissolve them before use.
  4. If putting the pod into the skimmer, be sure to only put 1 pod in at a time and wait until it dissolves before adding another pod (or another product) to the skimmer.
  5. Always follow product label instructions and be sure to retest to make sure the chlorine level is between 1-4ppm before re-entering the pool.

Once you’ve followed these simple steps, your water will be clear for summer fun!

Keep Your Pool Clean and Maintained All Season Long

It is so easy to take care of every step of prep and maintenance using the HTH 4-step pool care program. Every step to getting clear, blue water is color-coded and easy to understand so that your pool stays clear all summer long.

Find the full line of HTH products at Walmart and be sure to read the package directions, it’ll tell you exactly what to do.

Have a great summer enjoying your sparkling water!