Basically, every pool lover will have a long cylindrical foam pool noodle within easy reach. They are ideal for drifting around lazily in the pool, can help to learn swimmers stay afloat, and make awesome water fountains or guns if you blow into one end. They can also be used to create new, more exciting ways to play during the summer months.
What you may not realize though is that these awesome pool tools may have several other uses once winter’s chill sets in. If you are looking for ways to add a bit of fun to your winter, the pool noodle could be the treasure in your arsenal.
From playthings to crafting, here are 21 awesome pool noodles ideas for you to consider.
Table of Contents
Bring More Life to Your Summer Fun
Although swimming with a pool noodle is quite fun as it is, they can be used in a variety of other ways this summer. Some ideas include games, challenges, and even a few useful tools for mom and dad.
1. Pool Noodle Ring Toss
2. DIY Raft for Racing
Pool noodles offer a lot of buoyancy. Therefore, they are ideal for making rafts, though you will need several to connect. Simply challenge kids to build a raft using ropes to keep the noodles together. You can encourage them to create sails or add personal touches that they feel will make it go fast. Then turn them loose with oars or good breezes to see who can reach the finish line first.
3. Pool Noodle Boats
4. DIY Floating Coolers
If you have a plastic tub and some ice you can turn your pool noodles into a cooler for drifting around the pool, taking to the beach, or floating down the river. Lids are optional but recommended to keep the cold inside. To create this cooler, you simply cut noodles or wrap them around your container. Secure them with Duct Tape, rope, or anything else you can come up with.
5. Jousting
Kids and adults can enjoy a game of joust using a platform and pool noodles. They need a raft to stand on for water play, or a stack of pillows when on dry land. They can then use pool noodles to try and make the other person lose their balance.
6. Beach Ball Hockey
With a beach ball or some other lightweight ball, kids can run around the yard toward a goal using the pool noodle as their hockey stick. If you have a large group of kids, you can have opposing teams with a goal (also created with pool noodles) on each end of your “field.”
7. DIY Sprinkler System
If you want to have a sprinkler for your garden or your kids, pool noodles are an easy, affordable way to get it. Simply push the end of your water hose into one end of the pool noodle, then put holes along the pool noodle to give the water exit holes. Please note, you may also want to plug the end of the pool noodle since it will let the pressure build up better and water will come out of the holes shooting higher. This same idea can be used for watering your garden or your lawn.
Pool Noodle Ideas for Winter Days
When the weather outside is frightful, kids can have some noodle fun indoors. Some of these creations may require assistance from mom and dad, but it can take the boredom out of dreary, cold days.
8. Improvised Bowling Lane
When the weather outside turns dreary, your pool noodles can be a day saver. Simply lay long pool noodles in straight lines along the floor and secure them. This will form the “lane”. If you do not have bowling pins, you can cut another noodle into pieces. Then, you kids will have a blast rolling a ball down the lane to get a strike.
9. Pool Noodle Marble Towers
Marble towers are pricy. However, you can create your own using building blocks and pool noodles. The blocks will create the ramps and bumpers where you need them. The pool noodles will create marble trails. You can leave the noodles whole or cut them in half for an open tunnel. If you do not have building blocks, you can also create a marble racetrack with a table, two kids, and two marbles to see whose marble gets to the bottom first.
10. Indoor or Outdoor Fort
What child doesn’t enjoy having a fort? If you have several pool noodles, you can create the frame for a nice fort. Simply secure the ends of the pool noodles together with Duct Tape or ropes as the makeshift framework. Then cover it with a sheet or a blanket. Kids will love spending time in the fort, and it will be easy to take apart or move out of the way when not in use.
11. Trampoline Spring Wraps
Trampoline springs are not always safe. If your trampoline has lost the mat that covers the springs, you do not have to rush right out to buy a new one if you cannot afford to. Simply get several pool noodles and cut them the length of your springs. Make a single cut down one side of each piece and wrap the springs individually to protect fingers and toes.
12. DIY Stacking Blocks
This idea is mostly for smaller kids but may take the place of noisy stacking blocks or cups. Simply cut the pool noodles you have into small sections and watch your busy toddler spend hours stacking, knocking over, and rebuilding their towers.
Craft Ideas for Your Pool Noodle
Who knew that tubes made of polyethylene foam could become a lifesaver on days when your kids, or you, are bored? With only a few noodles in your arsenal, you can bring craft time fun to your entire family.
13. Decorative Wreath
Whether adding balls to celebrate Christmas or fake flowers to decorate a doorway for other seasons, a pool noodle makes a great base for it. Simply cut the noodle in the size you want, secure the ends together to create a circle, and let imaginations soar. You can add fake flowers, foam creations, pinecones, bells, and anything else you have within reach.
14. Floating Tealight Candles
If you want to turn tealight candles into floating candles, you can use a pool noodle. Simply cut the pool noodle to size and then poke the candle into the end of it. The pool noodle can burn with excessive heat, so it is not recommended you use it as a candle holder, but it can add color to any fountain that you want to be candlelit. Noodles can also protect your hands from melting wax if the power goes out and you are left holding a stick candle to search for bowl candles or a flashlight.
15. Stop Creases in Clothing
Dress pants can get a crease if they hang up on the hanger for too long. Blouses may end up with a bump on the shoulders. You can prevent this by wrapping the clothes hanger with a pool noodle. Hot glue or other adhesives will keep the noodle in place and your clothes will never crease again.
16. Doorway Protective Strips
Whether protecting your car doors from the garage walls or your home’s doors from the doorknob, pool noodles can be used to provide a bumper. Simply attach the pool noodle to the walls and no matter how hard your kids slam the door open, they will never cause damages again.
17. Napkin Rings
If you want to create napkin rings for your next family dinner, pool noodles could be the solution. You can cut them into small rings, add decorations to them, and liven up any table setting with ease. Even if you don’t want to use it for an adult’s table setting, it will be something kids love for the bright colors. All you need for the decorations are small ribbons, bows, or anything else you can attach to it.
18. Baby Bumpers
Baby proofing is easy with pool noodles. You can slide them over doors to keep fingers from being closed in it, wrap coffee table edges, and more. If your toddler is just moving into a toddler bed, you can also use a few pool noodles to give them a bed edge to help them not roll off during the middle of the night.
19. Party Garland
One great thing about pool noodles is that they are bright and colorful. You can use this to your advantage and create garlands for birthday parties, welcome home celebrations, and more. Simply cut the pool noodle into small rings, use a permanent marker to add letters, and say what you want to say. If this doesn’t appeal to you, you can use those same rings, and some foam cutouts to create flowers, wiggly eyes to create funny faces, and more. Your only limit is your creativity.
20. Cord Keeper
Our life revolves around cords. Charge cords, power cords, cords around the computer, behind the television, etc. These cords get tangled up easily, even if you never touch them. They also hang in areas that you would rather them not hang. You can use a pool noodle to keep all the cords in one area. They will be neat, out of the way, and untangled.
21. Funny Faces Statues
Allow your kids the fun of getting creative with pool noodles by adding faces to them. To start, you will want to cut the noodle into short 3–4-inch sections. Then turn your kids loose with google eyes, puffy balls, yarn for hair, and anything else you can dream up. Winter, summer, or anytime in between, your kids will spend a lot of time giggling as they express their creativity.
Final Thoughts
Who knew that pool noodles could become more than simple pool toys for kids? There are millions of ways that you can use them, and we have only scratched the surface with our list of twenty-one awesome pool noodle ideas.
If you are looking for a way to use your pool noodles, we feel confident that you can come up with a few other ideas that we haven’t even thought of yet. If you can’t, then tell your child to use their imagination and see what they dream up. Either way, the fun will be sure to follow no matter what season of the year you are in right now.
