'Tis the season for splishing and splashing! For those of you looking to add a little pizzazz to your pool, here a few ideas:

  • Pool fountains are great for outdoor parties and poolside entertaining. There are fountains that easily attach to the pool’s existing pump and feature tiered and adjustable spray heights from seven feet to 16 feet. Reviewers rave about floating around in the pool and drifting under the fountain on hot summer afternoons. Other fountains include underwater light shows that radiate a kaleidoscope of color beneath the surface and come with a remote control that lets you choose from several rhythmic displays. These fountains are inexpensive and make for wonderful gifts (www.intheswim.com).

       

  • For those seeking pool recreation, there’s a regulation size pool volleyball set and a floating table tennis game that includes a buoyant tabletop surface, two oversized paddles and a net (www.alsto.com).

       

  • For those wishing to exercise but find their backyard pool too small — even a 40-foot pool is not big enough to get into a swimming rhythm — Endless Pools manufactures a swim current generator called Fastlane. Similar to a treadmill, it produces a wide, smooth current of water flow so you can swim in place at whatever pace you set. The Fastlane is great for weight loss as well as aquatic therapy. For more information, go to www.endlesspools.com.

        

  • Robotic pool cleaners are all the rage. They’re very convenient and require no assembly. Simply plug it in, turn it on and drop it in the pool. Some cleaners can scrub, brush, sweep, vacuum and filter a pool up to 20 x 50 feet in just 60 minutes to 90 minutes. They’re also good for the environment. The need for backwashing and cleaning cartridges is reduced by up to 80%, saving thousands of gallons of water. The need for pool chemicals is also reduced. Robotic cleaners collect dirt, debris, sand, silt and algae into a fine mesh bag or cartridge. The filter bags of many units will filter particles as small as two microns, so they even filter out bacteria. Many models are available at www.lesliespool.com.