Save your grass and put the kiddie pool on the patio

Sam's tip for giving your lawn a fighting chance against the kiddie pool this summer:

One of the annoying things about the inflatable swimming pools is that they kill the grass, but if you combine them with foam letters you get a great way to put the pool on the patio.

Keeps the pool water cleaner, too.

Related:
Games to play with the alphabet floor mat
Plastic play slide works in the kiddie pool, too
Fish tank net makes short work of cleaning debris out of wading pools

Comments

[Will]

Two things I can mention here:

(1) Sometimes I *want* the grass to die. Dead grass doesn't have to be mowed in the 100 degree Arizona summer. Not a criticism, just an opposing viewpoint. I do try to keep it to my backyard though.

(2) Those foam numbers are also great as a portable floor for camping. We've got a large tent (has to be big enough for two adults, a kid, and a portable crib), and covering the floor in something soft but solid-ish makes it easier for toddlers to cope with sometimes uneven ground.

[Jenny]

I love the idea of using the foam letters under the pool on the patio. BUT, you are supposed to empty your pool of water after each use to make sure no children (yours or neighbors, or animals) accidentally drown. And, once empty, it's easy to move/flip to dry, keep clean and keep the grass from being covered and dying.

[Kellen Flott]

I agree that the pool should be emptied after each use... another good reason to drain it is that stagnant pools of water attract breeding mosquitoes.

[Stacey]

For those with pools larger than a typical wading pool but not a full size pool (example snapset pools) to keep the water from getting slimy get a water testing kit and chemicals to keep the water algae free.

[stacy]

We have a 6' round 3' deep pool on our patio. I did the foam letters under it last year. I agree that the pool on the patio saves the grass and putting the foam under the pool allows for comfort for the little ones feet and the adults knees. We buy the water tester kit, have the filter system and place chlorine in it w/ a jacuzzi floater. Works great for us! This year we upgraded to the big square matts that are the same as the letters just bigger and no letters. :o)

[Karen the Californian]

A few years ago I visited a friend's rooftop deck in Chicago. His neighbor had a blow-up kiddie pool much like what was pictured, and instead of emptying it after each use, he'd cover it with a tarp and bungee-cord the cover down to the slats in the deck. As a water-conscious Californian, I thought that was a brilliant idea. Now what would make that idea even more brilliant are the foam letters underneath.

[Sneeje]

Make sure to think about whether or not the patio area gets wet and slippery. Concrete for example is like ice when it gets wet--especially for bare feet, so keep an eye on how much area gets covered by the foam letters.

[JEANNE]

I love the idea of keeping the water cleaner! That's a neat trick.

You know what though - I find our little wading pool (we have almost the exact same one as in the picture) actually SAVES the grass 'cause when I empty it every night the grass gets watered ;-)