Each summer I buy DD a little kiddie pool to play in - it's the closest thing she'll ever have to a pool in her backyard.   This year I invested $20 in an inflating pump - what a GREAT time saver, and now I don't have to get a migraine after trying to blow up a pool for hours on end.    Our dog managed to put at least three holes in the last one (I found one and patched it just fine but can't find the other two) so we're on the second pool now.