To throw DS a swimming party?

My DD had one when she was 10 and it was a big hit. We also attended a few more with my other children. Not every parent has to get in the pool.

I wouldn’t be keen at all. Wouldn’t like to be made to stay or be in a pool with the other parents.

I did a pool party for DS's 9th birthday. Most parents got in, but didn't have to. It was quite a small pool, loads of lifeguards, but with wave machine and slide. Afterwards we had pizza, cake, music. He loved it, and his pals all seemed to have fun.
When I was a kid pool parties were common, less so nowadays. They're great.

We only had one at an 11th Birthday party where they'd all had swimming lessons in year 4 and no parents needed to get in the pool. I certainly didn't!

Too much to ask imo, wait until she's older to have the pool party when they can go in without parent supervision.

That is absolutely tragic. Poor little thing.

It's not that they can't swim, it's that the pool doesn't allow under 8s unaccompanied.

My DD got invited to one once at a similar age...I made DH go 🙈😅 I really didn't want to be seen in my swimming costume in front of the school mums brigade.That said if I couldn't have sent DH I'd have had to suck it up and go.....I wouldn't have made DD miss a party due to my insecurities.
And I totally get why it's important to have parents in the water.I'm glad they do that now as sadly a little girl died at a swimming party at a pool near us some years ago, as there weren't enough adults in the pool with the kids supervising, and her parents weren't there.

Round here children can go in on their own for a swimming party from the age of 8 so everyone did them after that. No way would I get in the pool with a load of 7 year olds at a party. Many won't be good swimmers so it won't be much fun.

I would wait until older & they've had at least a term of swimming lessons at school.

I am a bit surprised by some of the responses on this thread. I agree with the majority that we all wince a little at the idea of a pool party where we have to get in, but surely you just get on with it for your child’s sake if you know they will enjoy it? Completely understand if disabilities, medical conditions and similar make it impossible, but those who just don’t like the idea of seeing people from school in swimwear? Surely you wear your swimmers in front of others when taking your kids swimming? I am overweight, pale and not at my best in a swimming costume but I would suck it up for the sake of my DC (and hope I don’t end up like Motherland’s Anne losing an earring and with my boobs hanging out!).

And Kevin can’t count as an adult as he is also a non-swimmer 🤣

I think people are being a bit crazy about swimwear and safety - it's just a pool. Don't you ever go with your kids, outside of parties? I don't enjoy it either but it's nice to watch them have fun.
My son's had a swimming party for his 3rd, 4th and 5th birthdays. At 3 and 4 this was just family and family friends so cousins and their parents and yeah we all got in - last year for his 5th was the first time he invited a couple of nursery/school friends. One of them came swimming and one didn't, but she and her dad seemed fine with it. Why not? It's just a pool. Of course the 3, 4, 5 year olds couldn't swim, they just splashed around in the shallows with balls and ducks like always.

£140 for an hour in the pool plus the party room here. Capacity 50 people including parents and 2:1 so you can invite 30 easily.
its one of the cheaper parties around her so we seem to go to a few!

This. Lots of six and seven year olds have younger siblings too, so by requiring full 1:1 supervision for each party guest you're asking quite a lot (both parents have to plan around ypur party because siblings can't be looked after together by one parent while the other works/ does something child free, whether chores/ gym or whatever - or indeed a babysitter would be needed for any siblings).

I'm not quite sure how much of a birthday party for the birthday child it is if every guest is 1:1 with a parent anyway.

Obviously if you're friends with the other parents just ask them though.

I’d wait until they are old enough to go in the pool alone. Or invite a small amount of children and yourself/ your own family members/ friends supervise. I don’t think it’s fair to ask parents to get in.

My DD has seizures so swimming is tricky, she can swim but you have to stay arms length away for safety, even as an adult she only swims with someone very close despite being years since last complete blackout

I agree that you should shelve this one until the kids are old enough to swim alone. Small talk with school mums is already painful without adding swimwear.

I’m really surprised at the responses. We’ve had numerous swimming parties from the age of 5 for both my DDs. Always well attended then quite a few invites for swimming parties from their friends as they came along then wanted one of their own.

The ratio here is 2 kids to one adult so not all parents needed to get in but most parents were really happy just to sit around in swimwear and towels! The water is at 80-90cm depending on ability so no issues there, in fact we had a few younger siblings swimming too

We started having pool parties from the summer term of year 2, so most kids were 7. However all the kids could swim well enough to be safe in the water without adults - there were lifeguards on the side and they had to do a supervised swim test (length of the pool) before they started. But this was in a class that had swum twice a week in school since nursery/reception. Unless I knew that all the kids attending could swim to this level then I wouldn’t do it - expecting parents to get in the pool is hideous!

I would support it if all the friends to be invited are able to swim, and you are confident the right number of parents will come to.

My kids had been invited to a few of those, why not?

People can decline and make up an excuse, but it's fun. AS LONG AS it's VERY clear on the invitation that parents are expected in the water...

People are stupid and don't read, but at least put it there.

What’s the ratio ? My dd attended one and I didn’t have to get in as there was enough adults.

We had great 9th and 10th swimming parties. No parents had to go in. Wait!

In motherland it’s one adult per 2 non swimmers. And make sure they have long lockers!