Planning a full day of poolside fun? Make sure you have everything you need so you don’t have to cut the day short. Packing for the pool requires thinking ahead and a very large tote bag. Here’s a list of essentials you don’t want to leave at home.
The Basics
In a nutshell, you will need things to keep from getting sunburn, hungry, bored or thirsty. Here’s a quick checklist you can keep in your bag to ensure everything is packed.
Hungry Tummies Need Poolside Yummies.
Take snacks with you but choose wisely — you don’t want anything that can melt or that will be ruined if it gets wet (no soggy crackers!). Fresh fruit is always a good choice — keeping it chilled will make it all the more refreshing. Other quick eats include nuts, granola bars and dried fruit. Pack the cooler with water, string cheese, single-serve yogurt and sliced celery or bell pepper with a small container of dip or hummus. Stay away from salty foods — that will only make you thirsty. Bring water but also fresh fruit juice. (For extra fun whip up some mocktails). Super Healthy Kids offers some great ideas, and you can never go wrong with recipes from The Kitchen. Get packing — your day at the pool awaits. For Amira residents, it’s a day at the resort — The Resort at Amira!
Entertaining Pool Games
Kids are pretty good at entertaining themselves when it comes to the pool but occasionally even their imaginations flag. Bring along diving rings, beach balls, floating basketball games and other toys. If you don’t want to spend a lot of dough, plastic ping pong balls are fun to chase after and pennies are fun to dive for. PureWow put together a list of 25 amazing pool games you might want to check out. Don’t want to carry a bunch of toys? Plan to play these Red Tricycle prop-free games. Here is how to play one of our favorite pool games – F.I.S.H. According to Red Tricycle, “Similar to P.I.G. in basketball, the first player in F.I.S.H. is the leader, and the other players must follow exactly what the leader does. Jump from the side, do a certain dive, perform a choreographed pool number—whatever the task, the players must follow it or be given a letter from F.I.S.H. The first player to spell F.I.S.H loses the game.”
Going to a public pool? Be sure to check what you are allowed to bring.
Summer is here, which means vacations are near. And what goes better with sunshine and lounging by the pool than a good book? If you already have a massive “to be read” pile, your summer reading list is probably already covered. If not, here are some tips for building a great summer reading list. We’ve also included a few books at the top of Amira residents’ poolside reads.
Check the Lists
Most newspapers publish an annual summer book list that includes critics’ favorites, fun reads and books sure to be talked about over margaritas. Oprah puts out a great reading list. Good Reads can help you find your new favorite book. Another good place to look is The New York Times Best Sellers list.
Ask at the Bookstore
Your local bookshop is staffed by people who love to read and do so voraciously. They also talk to customers who love to read. Just let them know what kind of books you like, and they will point you in the right direction.
Ask a Friend or Family Member
If you know a bookworm — and everyone does — ask them what they are reading. You are sure to get a lot of recommendations. If your friend is dying to read a book they’ve heard about, suggest reading it together. That way you can talk about it while catching some rays.
Look for New Releases
Got a favorite author? There’s a good chance they have a new book out this summer. If not, they may have published one last winter that you didn’t have time for.
Revisit Old Favorites
Nothing says you have to read something new. Curling up with a favorite book is like spending time with an old friend. In fact, putting one or two favorites on your list can be a good thing if you are a busy parent who has a hard time putting books down.
Our Favorite Summer Reads
It Had to Be You by Georgia Clark
Liv and Eliot Goldenhorn run a wedding planning service in New York but when Eliot dies and leaves his half of the business to his younger girlfriend, Liv has to figure out how to work with someone with a very different personality.
The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave
Hannah Hall’s husband has disappeared leaving her and her stepdaughter to solve the mystery of who Owen Michaels really is and where he has gotten into.
A Special Place for Women by Laura Hankin
A witty book about an exclusive club for women and the journalist determined to join their ranks.
The Charmed Wife by Olga Grushin
A re-telling of the Cinderella story that asks what happens after the shoe fits.
People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry
If you’re on vacation, why not read a love story about two people trying to repair their relationship?
Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey
An engaging yet honest autobiography about one of our favorite Texans. If you love audiobooks, you want to get this one as McConaughey himself narrates.
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
The author of The Martian is back with the tale of a man who awakens in a stasis pod with two dead astronauts and no memory.
Questland By Carrie Vaughn
If you loved Westworld you will love this tale of a literature professor tasked with getting a fantasy theme park back under control.
Later by Stephen King
An unusual child grows into an unusual adult who must help the police find a killer reaching out from beyond the grave.
Stumped for birthday party ideas? Why not throw open the doors and celebrate your child’s birthday outdoors? Outdoor parties are convenient, less expensive than renting a venue and allow kids to burn off the sugar rush while parents sit in the shade. Here are some tips for planning the ultimate outdoor celebration.
Where to Celebrate
Outdoor celebrations can take place anywhere. Our residents celebrate at our resort-style pool, in the park, on the playground and in their beautiful backyards. You may need to plan differently depending on the location, such as reserving picnic tables for a party in the park, providing extra towels for a pool party or putting a fence around your prized hydrangeas.
Outdoor Considerations
Summer parties can get hot, especially in Texas. There’s also the matter of bugs. To keep your guests comfortable, consider providing umbrellas, making sunscreen and bug spray available, installing misters for backyard parties, using food tents to keep bugs out of the party food and offering snow cones.
Age-Appropriate
Whether you are celebrating indoors or outdoors your party should be age-appropriate. For toddlers, that could be as simple as letting the kids play with your child’s play equipment, setting up a kiddie pool or sandbox or just letting them eat cake. Older children will love themed parties while teens will probably want to handle things themselves.
Party Themes
Some kids just want a to incorporate their favorite Disney Princess or superhero into the decorations, and that’s okay. Others might love an outdoor theme. An obvious choice would be a camping theme complete with sleeping bag races and s’mores. You could also set up arts and craft stations, bring in a local astronomy buff for a stargazing party or set up an obstacle course for a Ninja birthday party. Check out these other great ideas.
Party Games
Parties need games. How many you have depends on the age of your child but three to five of them is usually sufficient. Tug-of-war, sack races, Frisbee tosses and scavenger hunts are all fun. Try to match the party theme to the games. For a pirate party, you can host a treasure hunt and for a science party, teach the kids how to make their own bubbles or slime. Here are some other ideas.
Party Food
When it comes to outdoor parties and food, you can go a number of ways. Grilling hot dogs and burgers will make everyone happy and go well with a camping theme. Bags of popcorn would be great for a movie-under-the-stars theme. Finger food is a great go-to because it requires less preparation and you don’t have to worry about the wind blowing the plates off the table. Put out platters of fruit, bowls of crackers, mini burgers, pizza and cookies. Have a cooler handy full of cold drinks.
There are a lot of important happenings in May — birthdays, moments in history — heck, even The Rock celebrates another year around the sun this month.
But the biggest May to-do has to be our very own birthday — Amira is 2!
We’re excited as can be to celebrate another year and watch as more and more people find their home in our friendly community. We’re also happy to share our birthday month with these fine folks — you may have even heard of a few:
Directors
Wes Anderson
George Lucas
Sofia Coppola
Frank Capra
Actors
Dwayne Johnson
Christine Baranski
George Clooney
Kenan Thompson
Robert Pattinson
Pierce Brosnan
Tina Fey
Mr. T
Mike Myers
Ian McKellen
Octavia Spencer
Helena Bonham Carter
Carey Mulligan
Clint Eastwood
Brooke Shields
Colin Farrell
Singers
Adele
Enrique Iglesias
Billy Joel
Bono
Stevie Wonder
Janet Jackson
George Strait
Pete Townshend
Cher
Bob Dylan
Stevie Nicks
Lenny Kravitz
Idina Menzel
Wynonna Judd
Composers
Johannes Brahms
Irving Berlin
Richard Wagner
Other Famous Names
Sigmund Freud
Florence Nightingale
Pope John Paul II
Arthur Conan Doyle
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Walt Whitman
But May’s accomplishments don’t end with who was born this month. There are some interesting moments in history and fun facts that happened during May:
Don’t forget to take a picture in the Amira frame and tag us on Instagram and Facebook using #PictureYourselfinAmira !
Hosting a memorable children’s birthday party is easier than you think. Tomball, where Amira is located, boasts numerous venues ready, willing and able to help your child and guests have a fantastic time no matter what their interests. The best part? They will take care of the details so all you have to do is show up!
Tomball
27620 Tomball Parkway
Tomball, TX 77375
Give your young martial arts expert a chance to share the fun with a party at Icon. Their party experts do all of the decorating, teach a martial arts lesson and handle the clean-up. There’s also a special guest appearance by a Ninja Turtle or Po the Panda.
1230 Ulrich Road
Tomball, TX 77375
Kids will flip for birthday parties held here. Choose either a gymnastics or ninja party then let the games begin. The package includes 50-70 minutes of gym time and 40-50 minutes in the party room enjoying refreshments (not provided).
14435 FM 2920
Tomball, TX 77377
A Tomball favorite, the bowling alley offers three party packages that include bowling and shoes. Higher tier packages include a host to help you, food, a t-shirt and photo for the birthday person and invitations.
10032 Kleppel Road
Tomball, TX 77375
Who doesn’t love horses? Vantage Point Farms provides all participating children ages 3 older with a horseback ride, supervised session of grooming a horse or pony, feeding treats and horse-related arts and crafts activity.
11105 Mahaffey Road
Tomball, TX 77375
Take the party outdoors! Willowcreek Ranch provides tables, chairs, balloons, games hayrides and face painting.
A Lil Something To Remember Party Productions
617 W Main Street
Tomball, TX 77375
A full-service party planning service that caters to little divas with spa-inspired parties, including manicures, pedicures, make-up, hairstyling, karaoke, invitations, party favors and crafts.
Parties That Come to You
Kid Creations Mobile Art Parties
281-705-5415
Bring the art party to your location. Kid Creations will bring all craft materials, smocks, activity tables, table covers and a tent, if needed. They also provide goodie bags and clean-up once the party is done. All you need to add is the cake.
866-253-3191
Why take the kids to an arcade when the arcade can come to you? Game Truck will bring screens, game consoles and your child’s favorite games to your location. If your child loves laser tag, they can bring an entire arena to you with inflatables obstacles and Tippman guns for 16 players. You also get a certified Game Coach to run the event.
Beyond Tomball
2731 Spring Stuebner
Spring, TX 77389
Party in a private jungle. You get the entire facility to yourself for two hours, a party room, throne for the birthday boy or girl, bounce houses, invitations, music, a 22-foot TV screen to show slides or movies and a Safari Guide to help. Add-ons include a balloon drop, bubbles, snow cone bar and more.
Palava Family Entertainment Center
3240 Spring Cypress Road
Spring TX 77388
The ultimate party place offers packages that include laser tag, glow-in-the dark mini golf, pizza and more. There’s also an Alice in Wonderland-themed room where you can host a Mad Tea Party with dress-up clothes including fairy wings, photo booth, props, pink lemonade and treats.
15550 Grant Road
Cypress, TX 77429
If paintball is your child’s game, TXR Paintball is the name. Houston’s largest and top-ranked paintball facility is the perfect place to host your paintball fanatic’s party. The venue boasts acres of woods, creeks, castles, bridges and speedball arenas.