By considering what you can add in terms of entertainment, comfort, and functionality, you’ll be able to devise the perfect winter wonderland for you and your family, with your pool at the centre of the fun. The good news is, that you don’t need to spend a lot of money to have more time around your pool – there are some affordable but effective avenues you can take to have many a joyous afternoon poolside.

Read on to find out our top tips on transforming your pool area into a winter wonderland.

Poolside Furnishings

With many of us spending a lot more time at home lately, it’s no surprise a lot of us are turning to heat appliances to keep us warm! To avoid constantly having to put the air-conditioning on, head outside to your pool area with some dedicated outdoor blankets. Set up a picnic in the sun and have a lovely lunch with your family – just make sure everyone has a blanket to keep themselves warm! Also, just because it’s winter, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t wear sunscreen! Apply some 30 minutes before you go outside in the daytime, and consider wearing a hat or beanie as well, to keep your head protected from the sun’s rays.

If blankets aren’t your thing (or if you just like to be extra warm), consider investing in a fire pit. Not only do they do a great job of keeping you warm, they also look really fantastic in a poolside space, and can encourage family and friends to sit and chat together well into the evening. Have mugs of hot chocolate ready, and you’ll have the perfect, warm get-together destination in your backyard!

Want a new way to do a movie night with family? Pitch up a family-sized tent in the backyard and get the devices and snacks ready! You’ll stay nice and cosy inside your tent, and if you wake early enough, sunrise with your pool in view will make for a glorious morning!

Entertaining Area Upgrades

A barbecue can be the perfect winter companion to your backyard. After a tent sleepover, wake to the view of your pool in the sunrise, and have a delicious barbecued breakfast as a family, outside! What a way to start the day!

Your pool will be a great point of conversation for your visitors, so consider having your meal together in the backyard. There are many advantages to having dinner parties outside in winter – for one, you avoid the intense heat and sun of summer, and you don’t have to worry about flies! Additionally, keeping the party outside means less foot traffic inside, and that will help keep the floors inside nice and clean.

If your outdoor entertaining area isn’t quite up to having people over as yet, there are various ways you can transform it to make it more dinner party-friendly.

First things first, ensure you have enough seating and table space to accommodate your guests. Then decide on a theme for your outdoor entertaining area, which will extend through to the soft furnishings you add, like cushions, throw rugs, vases, and dinner sets. Perhaps you like the Hamptons look, or maybe dark and moody is your preference? Is earthy and natural more your taste, or do you like a modern, minimalist approach to decoration? If you’re needing inspiration as to what theme you should go for, look online for pictures of outdoor entertaining areas you like, and take note of the colours and furnishings used. At the end of the day, you don’t even have to decide on one particular theme – you could opt for furnishings in your favourite colours!

Once you’ve decided on your theme or the style you want, you can then add whatever furnishings you like that align with the theme. For instance, with a Hamptons theme, you could select white linen chair covers, blue and white-toned cushions, and a beige-coloured throw rug. Keep in mind that it’s always a good idea to select weather-resistant outdoor cushions and fabrics rather than going for furnishings designed for the indoors, as the weather-resistant outdoor products are designed to endure wet weather which could rot regular fabric.

If you’re having friends over for dinner, add some winter-perfect touches to the entertaining space. Decorate your alfresco with snowflake lights, have some outdoor blankets on hand, and think about adding an outdoor heater to make dining on a cool evening incredibly comfortable and enjoyable.

If you have pool lights, turn them on ahead of your dinner get-together to create a beautiful wintry ambience. Your guests will be raving about the beauty of your poolside space!

Games and Activities

You may not be swimming in your pool right now, but that doesn’t mean you have to give up using it over winter.

Keep the kids entertained with some great games and activities, involving your pool. Here are a couple of our favourites:

• Boat races – whether you use plastic or remote-controlled boats, you and the family will have a blast competing with each other. Whose boat will make it to the other side first?
• Pool fishing – you don’t need fancy fishing rods; basic plastic ones will do. You can find child-friendly fishing packs containing small fishing rods and objects like rubber ducks that float in the water. The object of the game is to pick up as many floating objects as possible. To make it more competitive, set a time limit, and the person who fishes the most out of the pool within the time limit wins!

There are also plenty of games you can play near your pool. Find a flat area in your yard where you can set up giant chess or checkers or even a giant Twister game.

For something a little different, organise an outdoor projector to be set up in your backyard. You’ll be able to watch movies as a family, and you can make a night of it with a family sleepover in a tent!

Pool Heating

If an extended swimming season is what you’re looking for, you may want to consider investing in pool heating. With pool heating installed, you’ll be able to swim in the water of a pleasant temperature, well into the cooler months in many places.

A dip in the warm water makes for a great start to a chilly day, and also provides a great way to soothe your muscles and unwind after a hectic day. Pool heating is particularly useful for those who want to swim most days of the week, even as it gets cooler outside.