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Play Pools
Designed for Endless Fun & Relaxation
Turn Your Backyard into the Ultimate Play Space
Looking for the perfect blend of relaxation and fun? Play pools are the go-to choice for Arizona families, offering the ultimate backyard entertainment space. Designed with a shallow, uniform depth, they provide the ideal setting for pool games, floaties, and family-friendly activities—all while maximizing your outdoor space. We specialize in crafting custom play pools that fit your lifestyle. Whether you're envisioning a refreshing retreat from the Arizona heat, a game-friendly pool for endless fun, or a stylish addition to your backyard, we’ll bring your dream to life. Let us create the perfect play space for you!
What is a Play Pool?
A play pool is a shallow, recreational pool designed for fun rather than diving or lap swimming. Typically ranging between 3–5 feet deep, these pools offer a safe and inviting space for games, lounging, and cooling off.
Unlike traditional pools with deep ends, play pools have a uniform depth, making them ideal for families with children or homeowners looking for a lower-maintenance, cost-effective pool option that maximizes backyard space.
Popular Cocktail Pool Features
Play pools provide a balance between recreation and relaxation, making them a smart investment for any backyard. These pools may be compact, but they can be customized to fit your needs. Some of the most common features include:
Uniform Depth
Shallow design (3ft x 5ft x 4ft) for safer, more versatile use.
Compact Size
Designed to fit smaller spaces without sacrificing function.
Built-in Seating
Perfect for lounging & socializing in the water.
Custom Lighting
Enhance evening ambiance with underwater LEDs.
Water Features
Add bubblers, fountains, or spillover edges for extra style.
Custom Designs for Any Backyard
Every backyard is different, and a play pool can be tailored to your unique space. Whether you prefer a modern geometric design, a freeform shape that blends into your landscaping, or a sleek, minimalist aesthetic, there are endless options. Our design team will work with you to select materials, finishes, and features that complement your home’s style and outdoor layout while creating a functional, family-friendly retreat.
Why Homeowners Love Play Pools
Lower Maintenance & More Efficient
Play pools are easier to maintain than traditional pools, requiring less water, fewer chemicals, and reduced filtration needs. Their shallow depth means quicker heating, improved energy efficiency, and lower operational costs over time.
Designed for Fun & Family Time
Play pools are made for games, lounging, and socializing rather than competitive swimming. Whether it’s a poolside game of volleyball, a relaxed summer float, or quality time with loved ones, these pools provide a safe, interactive space for all ages.
All Great Builds Start With a Conversation
Whether you need an estimate, funding, or inspiration from our award winning designers, we're ready to roll our sleeves up and start building your dream space. If you're not quite ready... keep scrolling!
Safe & Family-Friendly Design
One of the biggest advantages of a play pool is safety. With a uniform depth of 3–5 feet, there’s no deep end to worry about, making it an ideal choice for families with kids. Play pools are less intimidating for beginner swimmers, and built-in seating or tanning ledges provide a place to rest. Paired with non-slip surfaces, pool covers, and safety fencing, they can create a worry-free water environment for homeowners.
Energy-Efficient Heating for Year-Round Enjoyment
With their shallow depth, play pools heat up quickly, making them ideal for year-round use. Many homeowners opt for solar heating, electric heat pumps, or gas heaters to extend the swimming season. Since these pools require less energy to maintain warmth, they’re a cost-effective alternative to larger pools that take longer to heat.
Smart Pool Automation & Filtration
Play pools can be equipped with automation systems to make maintenance effortless. From self-cleaning filtration to smartphone-controlled heating, lighting, and water features, today’s technology lets you spend more time enjoying your pool and less time managing upkeep. Advanced filtration systems like saltwater pools, ozone, or UV sanitization reduce chemical use while keeping water crystal clear and safe.
Water Conservation & Eco-Friendly Benefits
Smaller pools use less water overall, making them an eco-friendly backyard feature. Additional sustainability upgrades like high-efficiency pumps, automated covers, and rainwater collection systems help homeowners reduce evaporation and minimize water waste while keeping their pools clean. By choosing a compact, shallow pool, you cut down on water and energy use while still enjoying all the benefits of having a private backyard retreat.
How Do Play Pools Compare to Other Small Pools?
Choosing the right small pool comes down to how you plan to use it. Play pools are perfect for active fun and family-friendly recreation, but how do they stack up against cocktail pools and spools? Here’s a quick comparison to help you decide:
Cocktail Pool
Cocktail pools focus more on aesthetics and relaxation than active swimming. They’re compact, often under 300 square feet, making them great for small backyards. These pools create a stylish gathering spot and are ideal for homeowners looking for a modern water feature over a traditional swimming space.
Spools
A spool (spa + pool) combines the benefits of a hot tub and a small pool. It’s heated and jetted, allowing for year-round use and hydrotherapy benefits. While spools take up a similar footprint to a play or cocktail pool, they’re best for homeowners who want warm water relaxation over active play.
See What Our Customers Are Saying
Warren Price
Excellent work and service. Had our pool installed 5 years ago. Still great.
Marc Steadman
Nicholas was the project manager for our pool/yard remodel and stayed involved from beginning to end. His design analysis and expertise was always appreciated. But most of all we were thankful that Nicholas took personal responsibility that our project would end well. We could always count on Nicholas to respond quickly, and to find the right person to get our concerns resolved. Thank you.
Michelle W.
Our pool was just finished last week and the whole project went so smooth. The most stressful part was the design but our designer, Jacob was very patient with us and helped up design our dream pool. We had absolutely zero complaints once construction started. Darrin made sure that the process was very smooth. If we had any questions or concerns he was on it and we were always able to get in touch with him. Communication was great and you can tell he really cares about the end project. California pools has a great team set up to make sure your pool is everything you dreamed of.
Cynthia Graham
Our pool project was just completed. Cal Pools helped us with design, materials and all labor. Chuck, the project manager, was knowledgeable and professional; terrific to work with. Donna, our job coordinator, answered all our questions promptly, and made the whole process enjoyable. Work with them again in a heartbeat! BEAUTIFUL pool.
Kate L.
Our supervisor was Nathan Reyes and he is my reason for this 5 star review. Nathan was truly the best!! Our designer left half way through the project but Nathan never missed a beat and got everything done and more!! Thank you Nathan and California Pools did an amazing job.
Marilyn
We love our pool. Steve ,our construction manager, is a stickler for detail. Making sure everything is done right. Answering our concerns. And making sure everything was done to our liking. It was a pleasure working with both Steve and Jessica. I think the scheduling could be a little tighter but we would recommend California Pools to anyone looking to build their dream pool.
Craig Noel
I am one that rarely gives reviews because of their subjective nature but in this case as a business owner who understands the value of those reviews, I just had to give one and 5 stars it is. From the competent staff to communication up front and throughout the process, was remarkable given the large project at hand. The results are even better than the design and I could not be any more elated. I also will say that as we compared pricing before committing, my advice would be that you can't put value or quality in a "low dollar amount" as the final product and experience holds that for us. Absolutely must recommend California Pools!
Greg Ridgley
Cole Marvin is an asset to California Pools ! Cole is very knowledgeable, Great designer and Knows the Pool business prompt, returns calls & always on time. Good Person
Ron and Linda Uhle
Design of our pool and spa by Cal Pools was a work of art! The construction of the pool and spa took 7 months and had its ups and downs with construction quality . These issues were fixed by Cal Pool during the construction period. With about 1.5 months left to complete the pool, the Cal Pool construction manager quit or was let go. Cal Pool provided us with a fantastic new construction manager (Stephen Dreher) and he got our pool and spa construction back on track. Stephen provided us with clear explanations of the final steps to complete the project. He also explained in detail how the equipment worked and gave us tips on pool maintenance. Stephen Dreher rocks!
Katherine Regier
I have really enjoyed working with Nathan. He is knowledgeable and professional. California pools and landscape is very fortunate to have him as an employee .
Jill Raeburn
You will not be disappointed if you choose Cal Pools and Landscaping for your pool and yard project. They were all great to work with. From designer Robby to Stephen the project manager, it was an awesome experience. Thanks for making everything beautiful at my home and thank you for all the hard work!
Colin G.
California Pools built and entirely custom pool, deck and gazebo for us for our vacation property in Arizona. Building a pool remotely is challenging but they provided good updates and made the process enjoyable. We had some challenges with the pool after year one but when we contacted the owner they engaged an amazing support team that provided a detailed and through repair inspection and part replacement process to solve the problems. Gabe and Jessie were both outstanding and went above and beyond to solve the problems immediately with detailed communications. They stood behind their products and did not charge us for any repairs regardless of warranty policies. We would definitely recommend them to anyone and would ONLY use them to build another pool!! Thank you Gabe and Jessie for your outstanding customer service!!
Ginger S.
I am completely impressed with their customer service namely Shelly, Super friendly and helpful! Got all my questions answered and felt comfortable making a decision after speaking with her!
Carrie D.
From the very beginning Our experience with California Pools has been top notch. We were blown away with the exceptional design skills Cody was able to bring to life on a zoom meeting on our very first meeting. Cody was able to take every little detail and made it a reality before our eyes. I had so many compliments on how unique our pool was designed when it was still dirt and rebar. Jordan came out for the first time and answered all our questions with a realistic timeline. He always answered or returned our calls with a solution. Made sure every step of the way was paved and did what he said he would do without fail. If he didn't know the answer he found one, we were never left wondering. He kept tabs on all the projects and crews on site to keep us moving forward very quickly with a smile on his face! He was very personable. Then there was Sara! She handled all the scheduling of the project. Some days we would have 3 or more crews here and she kept them coming rapid fire it was outstanding the way it came together in such a short amount of time. Always going the extra mile to get what we needed done and at lightning speed!! Her calm friendly "Sunshine" attitude was a warm genuine experience. She always responded in the app right away with an answer or a solution. So far we couldn't be happier with our experience. I have waited my whole adult life and California Pools made my dream a reality in my back yard!!! Thank you
Eric Weston
Great experience, Pete, Les and Frank did a great job from design through construction.
Sean Leute
In a time of construction delays and problems facing all of Arizona's construction industry, CA Pools handled our project with the upmost integrity, honesty and professionalism. Our Pool and backyard is everything we could have ever hoped for. Joel Parron did a wonderful job designing our pool using references of a pool my late father built when we were growing up. Eric Collins our construction manager was up front and honest about every step of the way helping navigate a very difficult time with the construction industry during the pandemic. Nadine Chapman helped keep our schedule in order so I was never surprised when a construction team would show up. The company's app helped make communication a breeze. My family and I would recommend them completely!
Lonnie J.
With so many choices we think we found the best. Our sales rep Travis gave us many options and sold us on value over lowest price. Value that means a lifetime warranty on decking. The product he showed was truly amazing and a must have in the hot AZ summer days. You can feel a huge difference between cool deck and concrete. The scheduler was amazing! Marcee was responsive, timely and very detailed in her communication. Without her we would be left wondering what's next! The construction manager Shawn gave us the time and individual attention we needed. Made sure that every detail met our needs. There are so many other little things that make CalPools great but I can sum it up this way. We started our search on the BBB website and there are a lot of choices of pool and landscape companies. Save your self time and heartache; go with CalIfornia Pools and landscape and you won't be disappointed. On time completion No surprise charges or fees No subcontracting Great communication Amazing final product. A huge financial investment well worth every penny! PS that's the best dog ever Marshall! An amazing beagle mix rescue from Friends of Orange County
Antonio S.
I am a home builder and few times it happens to me to meet companies so good! They were the less expensive of 4 estimates, their schedule was perfect, no delays, I made some change of orders and they were very accommodating, (and also I had some refunds because they used less material and labor!), very communicative, and the pool is beautiful and working good.Thank you Brian Fox and Rebecca Schulte, see you at the next project!
Scott Stevens
Our rep presented a great plan for our build. Took the time to explain the details of the contract, warranties and the continuing aftercare for us and the work they preform. Heads above the rest.
Frequently Asked Questions About Play Pools
What is a play pool used for?
How deep are play pools?
Are play pools safe for kids?
Do play pools require less maintenance than traditional pools?
Can I add extra features like lighting or heating?
How much does a play pool cost?
What is the best pool material for a play pool?
Can play pools be built in small backyards?
Do play pools add value to a home?
Ready to Create Your Dream Oasis?
Start by establishing your budget today, and let us help you bring your vision to life with features like a Baja shelf that elevate both the luxury and enjoyment of your backyard. Get started now!
