3 Great Pool Toys You Already Have

Each summer my family spends almost every day at the pool. We splash in the shallows, slip down the slide, and relax in the sun. Unfortunately, we also lose almost every toy we bring along. As hard as we try to keep track of the boats and rings and mermaids, they seem to always swim away with another kid. After a couple summers of throwing money away on toys we don't get to keep, I decided that this summer I'm not buying any pool toys. So far, my son has been able to have a blast with unused and cheap things we already have around the house, and I've worried less about whether they end up back in our pool bag at the end of the day.

Empty Bottles

Most people toss empty shampoo and conditioner bottles but since I realized how much fun my boy could have with them, I've saving them for use at the pool! These bottles can be filled, squirted empty, and filled over and over again for a whole afternoon of fun.

{ MORE: How to Pick The Best Toys, According to Pediatricians }

Plastic Cups

Nothing makes a toddler happier than pouring. And, as it turns out, they simply don't care about the quality of the cups they're using to pour. I used to buy special pool cup sets at the beginning of the summer, now I simply grab a few of the many plastic take-home cups we have in the cabinet and let my boy pour to his heart's content.

Plastic Toys You're Okay Saying Goodbye To

If your house is anything like mine, you've probably got more toys than your little one actually needs. Action figures, cars, and plastic birthday party favors all make perfect pool toys. Your little one can watch their action figures dive from the side, their cars race along the bottom of the pool as they get creative, and play with their old toys in a new way, and you can relax about whether or not those toys come home.

{ MORE: 6 Ways to Make Your Backyard Awesome This Summer }

What are some fun things around your house that would be perfect pool toys?