6 Fun Pool Noodle Crafts

If your family frequents the pool or has a backyard one, you have probably assembled a large collection of colorful pool noodles.

As you stare at a pile of those bright pieces of foam from the dollar store, you may realize you have more than you know what to do with, or maybe some have been broken for ages but you haven’t gotten around to tossing them.

Don’t throw them away just yet! You can repurpose those foam floaters with fun craft projects! These diy projects are simple enough for kids to do but fun enough that you won’t mind doing them too.

Go ahead and bookmark this article and save it for a (literal) rainy day this summer when swimming isn’t on the agenda.

Pool Noodle Horse Stick

Materials needed: a pool noodle, twine or rope, felt, hot glue gun, and some googly eyes.

• Bend the top of the pool noodle to create the head. Tie it with twine to keep it in place.
• Cut out shapes from the felt to create features like the horse’s mane.
• As the adult, you get to hot glue the felt pieces on.
• Now, hot glue on those silly googly eyes. All done - giddy up!

Honestly, the hardest part of this craft is bending part of the noodle and tying it for the horse’s head. If you don’t have twine handy, duct tape works just as well (or better)!

You aren’t limited to only horses for this project. The felt could be a mane or it could be made just as easily into the spines on a dinosaur’s back. What about a pool noodle giraffe? If your kid can imagine it, they can make it!

For full directions, read more here.

Pool Noodle Pom-Pom Shooter

Materials needed: a pool noodle, pom-poms, duct tape, hot glue gun, and a large balloon.

• Cut up a pool noodle into pieces that are a couple of inches long.
• Knot up a deflated balloon and cut off the top of it.
• Stretch the now open end of the balloon over the pool noodle.
• Duct tape the balloon to the noodle.

So easy, right? Now, load up your little noodle shooter with pom-poms and launch them! If your child would like a more personalized look, you can dress up that plain pom-pom shooter with some stickers.

Also, I have it on good authority that these little launchers will also shoot marshmallows and confetti.

Your kids may wish they were outside tossing water balloons, but this should scratch that itch while trapped inside on a rainy day.

For full directions, read more here.

Pool Noodle Monsters

Materials needed: a pool noodle, hot glue gun, and miscellaneous crafting supplies like googly eyes, pipe cleaners, and pom-poms.

• Cut up a pool noodle in varying sizes for monsters of different heights.
• Safely cut the pipe cleaners into pieces for arms or hair.
• Hot glue the googly eyes on for the little ones.
• See what your little monsters come up with!

Parents will love this craft because it lets the kids take control. There are no set rules. Your child can create whatever crazy monster they like.

Need ideas for craft supplies? Monsters would be particularly funny covered in feathers and sequins!

For full directions, read more here.

Pool Noodle ABC Beads

Materials needed: a pool noodle or two, a permanent marker, a long string.

• Cut the pool noodles into 26 equally sized pieces.
• Label each “block” with a letter of the alphabet.
• Measure out a piece of string or twine long enough to hold all of the blocks.
• Teach your child the ABC Order game.

Wait a minute, you’re thinking. I don’t know how to play the ABC Order game! You do, actually! All you need to do is instruct your child to string the letter blocks on in alphabetical order.

Of course, if your child is too old for reciting the ABCs, you can use these blocks for spelling lessons. You’ll probably need to make some more letter blocks though!

For full directions, read more here.

Pool Noodle Airplanes

Materials needed: a pool noodle, cardboard, craft foam, duct tape, hot glue gun, and coins for weight.

• Cut out a 12-inch segment from the pool noodle.
• Design and draw the plane’s wings and tail on the cardboard.
• Place the felt under the cardboard and cut the wings and tail out of both materials.
• Hot glue the wings and tail to the cut pool noodle.
• Wrap your coins in duct tape and hot glue them to the interior of the noodle. This will act as a counterweight.

Perfecting your airplane to be flight-ready may take a few adjustments. You may find you need a larger tail for the back or more weight in the front of the plane.

As he or she switches up aspects of the plane for a stronger flight, your child will just think they’re having fun, but they’re actually exploring STEM concepts!

Plus, it’s 2020 - paper airplanes are so out.

For full directions, read more here.

Pool Noodle Ninja Stars

Materials needed: a pool noodle, 3 glowstick bracelets.

• Cut the pool noodle into 3-inch pieces.
• Poke the glowsticks through the one side of the noodle and out the other.
• Repeat for a second ninja star.

That’s it! The last craft on this list is arguably one is the easiest crafts ever. However, your kid will think it’s big fun once the sun goes down. Then, they can twirl their ninja stars around and be amazed by the swirling neon lights.

If your child isn’t into the ninja life, this ninja star could easily be considered a lovely glow-in-the-dark flower as well.

Bonus tip: glowsticks can be frozen and reused later, so this ninja star or flower can survive a couple of evenings of revelry before the light goes out!

For full directions, read more here.

The next time you’re considering throwing away a pool noodle or two, don’t! Since these foam floaties typically only cost a dollar or two, they are cheaper than most crafting materials. Plus, who knew pool noodles had so much crafting potential!

Prefer to keep your noodles in the pool? Make sure your kids are safer in and around the water by giving them the lifetime gift of swimming lessons! At Sunsational Swim School, we bring the swim school to your pool and service 40 metro areas Nationwide. See if we have an instructor in your area and get started today with swimming lessons at your home pool!