Sunday, June 30, 2013

Pool noodles - for swimming or for playing?

I can't describe you enough how amazed I am with the simple thing called the pool noodle. One thing, various possibilities - is there a better craft material? Especially when it comes to children crafts and kids summer fun.

Here's what we have been doing lately with his majesty The Pool Noodle:



1. A Backyard target






Originally, I found the idea here (it reminds me of the Olympic rings, doesn't it?) and it was the moment when I fell in love to the homemade toys. So simple, while ingenious and impossible to buy in a store.

I connected them by using a duct tape, and added some support poles, one on each side.

The initial idea was to make them standing upright, but it did not really work, so we made a little different and a simpler target, which we hung on a flower rack. In this case, we connected the rings with a piece of string, which is more durable than a duct tape.






2. A jumping game 

When we decided that our target still can not stand alone, my girls came up with a new game:





3. Jolly rings

When we finally disassembled the target station , girls came up with another game, that just reminded me of a stacker baby toy.






4. Storage for balls

This is something the girls also thought of. The Younger was really entertained for a while inserting the balls inside and then again out.






Actually the best part of the story is how you can just give this toy to a child and a child will instantly find dozens of ways to play. Of course, The Younger had to taste them, but quickly concluded that they are not delicious, and gave up snacking.

Opportunities with the noodles are indeed many, believe it or not, you can even use them as a bed rail.

Interested in other pool noodle ideas? Look here.

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11 comments:

  1. Those are some pretty clever uses for pool noodles, which are really cheap to boot!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cheap, easy to find in stores, multiple uses - is there a better craft material?

      Delete
  2. We too tried to stand ours up when we made these last year, and they wouldn't stand up. We tried a couple of different things, but none of them would get them to stand up. Thank you so much for posting these different uses for a game that wouldn't work. :) We loved ours.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think my main problem was that I don't have muscles strong enough to stack the poles deep in the ground. Luckily, the girls didn't mind and quickly found new ways to play!

      Delete
  3. Very cute ideas! Where did you find the connectors to make them into rings? I haven't seen those before!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I bought them with the noodles - they were a part of a set, I didn't see the connectors anywhere to be sold separately. I bought them at my local supermarket (but I live in Europe).

      Glad you like it and thanks for stopping by!

      Delete
  4. Fun ideas! The pool noodles are so versatile - and it doesn't hurt when you get bonked with one!

    Noreen
    Crafty Journal

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Versatile, I certainly agree with that! Glad you like it and thanks for stopping by!

      Delete
  5. Great ideas! Would have never thought to use them for this! Thanks for linking up at Give Me the Goods Monday! Jenna @ Rain on a Tin Roof

    ReplyDelete
  6. Love Pool Noodles projects. We made Pool Noodle Swords. My son loves them :)

    Jenn
    www.therollinshouse.com

    ReplyDelete
  7. Thanks for sharing at All Things Pretty! Pinned this to my summer board because we have a ton of old pool noodles in the garage and my kids would love this! Hope you come back soon!

    ReplyDelete

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