Buying an inflatable family pool isn’t complicated but there are a few things to know about the process. Here’s how we set up our pool, the supplies we bought, and how long it took to set up.

2020 was a master class in going with the flow and there’s no telling what will happen next. Some days are really really hard and other days, I’m super proud of myself for a moment of genius.

One such moment was early in April when I realized that life, as we know it during summer, might look very different that year.

I felt a strong need to secure a source of water for our often 100° North Carolina days, so without much fanfare, I took my determination to Amazon and bought my (self) kids a 12-foot inflatable pool.

I’ve never owned a pool that needed any kind of care, so this process was a bit of a learning curve.

Please follow the recommendations on your own packaging and don’t just take my word for it. That said, I wanted to share my experience because I *think* we have it right.

If you are considering a temporary backyard pool for summer, check out my tips and get ready to relax!

What to Know Before Buying an Inflatable Family Pool

When I started my search for a pool, I had exactly 2 things in mind. Number one, It had to be big enough for me to float alongside my kids as they play. And two, it needed to be affordable.

Maybe our pool will last more than one summer, and maybe it won’t. But I didn’t want to break the bank on something so temporary.

We decided on the Intex Easy Set pool because at 12′ x 30″ and under $100 it checked all the boxes.

Plus it came with a filter pump to help keep the water clean.

We weren’t sure exactly how durable this pool would be, but I have to say it’s surprisingly great for the price and after a couple weeks we are still loving it.

That said, it has been pretty chilly this month so we’ve only been in twice (both times freezing but still fun).

Like I said, our pool had a filter pump and one filter. It’s recommended that you change the filter approximately every 2 weeks so it’s not a bad idea to keep a couple refills on hand.

If you go with a smaller pool, you won’t need a filter, but then you’ll have to empty and refill the water repeatedly.

I wanted to do that as little as possible.

Setting Up Your Inflatable Family Pool

The main thing you need to know about pool setup is that your yard must be 100% flat. There really is no room for error here and even the slightest slope makes a huge difference.

Trust me, we learned this the hard way.

We thought the area we chose was flat but once we started to fill it with water, it quickly became clear that we were wrong. We had to drain most of the water just to move it about a foot and start over. Not fun.

From start to finish, our setup took about 4-6 hours including filling the pool and setting up the filter.

The filter had quite a few parts to assemble and we didn’t love the instructions. If you have never assembled a pool filter, allow a little extra time and patience for this part.

Does a Temporary Pool Need Chlorine?

The bigger your pool, the more beneficial it is to treat it. When you are talking thousands of gallons of water coming out of your hose, you want to change that out as little as possible.

But you also don’t want to go overboard with the chemicals.

I grabbed some pool testing strips, chlorine tablets, and a floating chlorine dispenser and that setup is working great.

In fact, I just tested our water this morning and it’s still in good shape. The chlorine tablet was mostly dissolved so I added another one.

A quick note about chlorine. If you need to shock your pool to get it up to speed, you won’t want to swim in it right away.

Definitely follow the instructions on whatever you use, but generally speaking, you should add your chemicals later in the day and let them work overnight.

Additional Pool Accessories

Since our pool is set up in the backyard, which is full of trees, a cover was essential.

I decided on a solar cover, which would also help keep the water temperature a little warmer. That is once our NC weather gets it together!

This solar cover is basically a giant circular piece of bubble wrap. You lay it on top of the water bubbles side down to maximize warming.

THIS IS NOT A SAFETY COVER. It will not support ANY weight whatsoever so always be sure children are supervised.

I don’t think a vacuum is necessary for a pool like this but you’ll definitely want a skimmer. We got this one because it’s small and simple and we can just keep it in the water with us.

Since we are right under a tree even with a cover, leaves and small sticks or bugs still find a way in.

And now for the fun part! Being in the water is awesome, sure. But floating is better. I have spoken.

These pool floats are perfect for parents who want to cool off and chill out with the kids. And yeah, I guess the kids can have a turn too. Or they can get their own.

Bonus points for cupholders! Bring on the summer sippers!

That’s it! We are officially ready for our stay-at-home summer.

Are you planning to get a pool? Let me know if you have any questions!

*Post updated from May 12, 2020.