Pool noodles might seem like they have one use, but if you want to get crafty, you'll find out that these colorful styrofoam tubes can actually be used for so much more than just a fun day in the sun. Whether you're making a safe game for the kids or protecting them from dangerous table edges, there's a lot of ways to use a pool noodle. Read on to find out some of the most innovative hacks...
Lightsabers
Star Wars fans don't have to worry about their little ones fighting with real lightsabers because that could be way too dangerous, so the pool noodles allow them to stay safe while playing. Keep your kids' minds active by wrapping some black and gray duct tape on the bottom of some red and blue pool noodles. They won't need to use the Force to have a fun time with these crafty creations!
Lincoln Logs
If you dream it, you can build it! Or your kids can, either one works. Just by making some premeasured cuts into the styrofoam classics, your family can build and break and build again. You can either buy brown noodles or just spraypaint them for added fun. You can even get different colors and build a rainbow pool noodle mansion. Ready to move in!
Fraction Help
Learning math can be tough, but nothing is as tough as learning fractions for the first time. Clear some things up for your little one by labeling sections of cut pool noodles. Make one section equal to one, two halves, three thirds, four fourths, and so on. When they need to start adding and subtracting, the process will be so much easier to learn with a visual component.
Boot Shapers
Who else is tired of putting on a pair of boots, only to realize there's a weird crease at the ankle where the boot had been keeled over on its side. Cut off two pool noodles the same height as your boot and decorate with duct tape or wrapping paper. Slide the decorated noodle into the boot and there you go, no more uncomfortable creasing in your shoes!
Christmas Wreath
The holiday season can certainly get expensive, but it doesn't have to be! For this simple decoration hack, just grab a green pool noodle, some duct tape, and colorful garland. Wrap the noodle into an O shape, and duct tape where the two ends connect. Next, wrap the garland around the circle until the green is completely covered. Add some ornaments if you want extra decoration.
Door Stop
If you're like the inhabitants of Science Laboratory D103, you might not want your door to close all the way. Easy fix: add an opened pool noodle cut to the door frame. The door won't ever slam shut again. You can also place the noodle on the top or bottom of the door if that would work better. No loud crashing noises or crushed little fingers in this science lab!
Headrest
Nothing is worse than a long car ride with your head mashing against the window, or even worse, being the youngest sibling trapped in the middle seat. There's no way to fall asleep, or is there? By tying a string through the hole of a pool noodle section, the middle seat headrest can easily get an edge you can lean your head against. Add a soft teeshirt for maximum comfort.
Pail Grip
When carrying a heavy bucket, workers might feel the strain on their palms lugging around so much weight. By adding on a pool noodle grip, the bucket can be way more manageable. The best part? Completely removable and reusable. No more uncomfortable gripping on anything, just as long as you're sure to keep some pool noodles on hand.
Squeegee
If the bottom of your garage, laundry room, or hardwood floor is starting to look gross, it might be time to squeegee it out. Simply cut a line lengthwise through a pool noodle section and attach it to a garden hoe or rake. Add some soap and water and get those gross dirt stains out of the floor. You could also put this on an ice scraper and use it on a dirty window.
Trampoline Spring Protectors
As if trampolines weren't dangerous enough, there are also those annoying exposed springs to worry about. If you're jumping around and you fall, or if your skin gets caught in one for even a second, it can be super painful. Just by covering the edges and springs with multicolored pool noodle sections and securing them with zip ties, you can save yourself!
Candle Holders
What's better than a bath with candles? Or a pool decorated with floating flames? Get a relaxed and luxurious atmosphere by cutting short C shapes out of a pool noodle and putting a candle (real or fake!) in the middle. The candles can then float around any body of water and add a little ambiance. Perfect for any outdoor nighttime pool party.
Couch Blocker
Anyone with dogs, cats, or kids knows that underneath the couch might as well be a black hole for toys, tennis balls, and everything else. Prevent losing your kid's most important toys by putting a full pool noodle underneath the couch. This way, the pool noodle acts as a bumper and nothing gets trapped under the couch. No more listening to your dog bark at a stuck tennis ball!
Brush Holder
Painters and beauty artists alike know the importance of a good quality brush. You have to clean your brushes frequently, but not so much that they start to lose their bristles. A good way to dry out the brush, instead of rubbing it on a paper towel, is to dry it with this clever hack! Add a portion of a pool noodle to the edge of the dirty water and wait for it to air dry.
Car Door Protector
When you open a door in a tight garage, you run the risk of banging the door on the side of the wall and ruining the door's edge. Simply by adding a soft styrofoam bumper on the wall, you can prevent the hassle and terror of opening up your door too fast. Glue or nail the noodle to the wall and open without worry.
Draft Blocker
If you've got a drafty house, you're going to need two pool noodles and a way to connect them, like string or sewed together fabric. From there, connect the two noodles with a little bit of space in the middle for the door to fit in. Slide the noodles underneath and stop the drafty wind in its path. No more cold air in your warm space thanks to this pool noodle.
Fishing Pole Floaties
When going fishing, beware of a big catch. A strong fish might just be enough to pull a fishing pole right out of the fisherman's hands, but instead of falling to the water's floor, what if the pole floated on the surface? By adding a pool noodle somewhere to the rod, you can fish in style and safety.
Wrist Safety
For anyone working 9-5, typing on a desktop keyboard all day can certainly wear on your wrists. An easy hack to prevent this kind of wear and tear is to add a bumper to your desk so that your wrists aren't banging against the desk's top. Increase productivity and increase comfort, it's a win-win.
Car Top Bumper
You wouldn't want your car roof to get destroyed by luggage or construction tools, so protect the vehicle with a couple of duct-taped pool noodles. This will prevent scratches and damages. It will also make those bumpy rides way less loud, which might be the best news of all for long road trips.
Mop Bucket Filler
If you need to fill up a bucket but can't fit the whole thing in the sink, don't worry, there's another way. Just line your pool noodle up to the faucet and let the water run down the inside of the noodle and land in the bucket on the floor. Add soap to the water and your mop bucket is ready for action. No more excuses for putting off those pesky household chores.
Table Side Bumper
With little kids running around everywhere, they're known to bump their heads on every possible surface. By attaching some double-sided tape to the inside cut of the pool noodle. Wrap the taped edges around the table's edge and rest easy knowing the little rascals can't take their eye out. Parenting hacks made easy!
Drink Floater
On a hot summer's day, getting out of the pool for a drink seems like an impossible task. Take out the middleman by lining a plastic bucket with pool noodles tied together with a string. Put ice and drinks in the bucket and let it float around with you. This also works when floating down a river with friends, but make sure to tie it to your raft so you don't lose the cans!
Crib Bumper
Little kids get restless the older they get, especially being trapped in a crib. Kids also have a tendency to chew or bang their head on the edge of a crib, or even try to climb out. Fix this problem with a little felt fabric, two pool noodles, and some creativity. Cut the pool noodles to fit over the crib and place the felt over it. Cut and tie the fabric to fit over the crib. Now your little guy is safe from himself.
Ladder Hold
There have been too many movies where someone gets stuck on the roof when a ladder falls, but not nearly enough about how that ladder can ruin the gutters. By attaching some bumpers to the top of the ladder, you can prevent damaging scratches and scrapes on the nice, pristine gutters. Just make sure not to get stuck up there, hold that ladder steady.
Spider Decoration
Happy Halloween! Decorating for the spooky season can certainly start adding up. Before you shell out too much, try making a DIY decoration with a few orange or green pool noodles, black duct tape, googly eyes, and two different sized exercise balls. With some clever crafting and a lot of patience, you can make your haunted house the scariest in the neighborhood. No tricks. Only treats!
Drawer Organizer
In a mostly empty drawer, things like a silverware holder can jostle around back and forth, up and down, left and right. Whenever you close it, you'll hear the clash. Fix this annoying problem by putting a little bit of a pool noodle behind the moving objects. Use the noodle portion to wedge the silverware into place, and totally eradicate that bothersome clashing noise.
Centerpiece Decoration
Who knew decorations could be so expensive? The worst part is knowing they don't have to be. Just add some creative artistic designs or pretty wrapping paper to a few differently sized noodles. Tie together with string or twine, and pick up some accompanying decorations to go with your theme. This hack is way cheaper than anything you'll find in stores.
Foot Rest
There's no need to shell out your savings for a high-quality footrest when you can make one for cheap. Glue some pool noodles in a circle, making sure they're all the same height. After that, find a piece of fabric big enough to cover the circle completely. Staple or glue the fabric edges to the inside of the round footrest. Flip it over and there you have it, a cheap and light footrest!
Sprinkler
Kids and gardeners alike will love this clever and creative hack. A pool noodle with a few holes in the top and duct tape covered end might not look like much, but put a hose on the other side and watch your yard flourish. The running water will have children running through the water on hot summer days. Who knew watering the plants could be so much fun?
Wine Bottle Protector
It can be stressful to carry around multiple expensive bottles of wine and beer. What if they break open against each other and shatter in your bag? Worry not, with pool noodles, the anxiety of bottle transportation is totally alleviated. Just spiralize your pool noodle cuts and wrap the styrofoam around the bottles. No bumping, no breaking, an easy fix to a common problem.
Cat Tree
Caring for cats and other pets can be both expensive and not cost-effective. Animals love to tear things apart and completely destroy anything in their path. That's why a DIY cat tree can be the perfect solution. This low-cost cat creation won't break the bank but will provide your favorite feline with hours of fun. All it takes is some cardboard, some glue, and a lot of patience.
Cord Organizer
Cords can get messy. They can tangle and overlap until you don't even know what goes where, what connects to what, and your desk can end up looking like a giant explosion of cables. Simply wrap a pool noddle section around the cords you want to keep together and push to the back of the desktop. There, now your desk is clean of debris and you can finally get some work done.
Car Seat Foot Rest
Kids in a car seat love to kick and might hurt their feet in the process. They also grow up fast, and before you know it, your little one is way too big for their car seat. Protect their ankles or make the purchase last longer by stringing a rope through a pool noodle section and wrapping it around the base of the car seat. Your baby will be riding in style going forward.
Spelling Helper
Getting the hang of spelling can be tricky for young kids, so this DIY spelling tool will help them figure it out. All you need is a pool noodle cut in half, length-wise. Then, make a cut deep enough to hold your spelling card in the center. Then, using a different color of paper, make the letters of the alphabet so that your little one can adapt and learn how to spell. It's never been easier.
Dog Cone Alternative
Does the Cone of Shame not work for your precious pup? Not a problem. Simply by wrapping a few pool noodles around a circle and securing them with duct tape, you can provide a less annoying and easy alternative for your favorite furry friend. Plus, they still look hilarious, so it's a bonus for you as well!
Playhouse
Kids love forts. The best part of forts though, as any former kid knows, is building one yourself. Using duct tape, pool noodles, a sheet, and some basic physics and engineering (okay, guesswork) your little guys can build their own funhouse in the basement or living room. Good luck getting them to come out for dinner though, you might be eating in the playhouse!
Golf Course
Keeping kids entertained can be tough, but with this easy and kid-friendly golf course, your children will be having fun all spring and summer long. You can cut shorter "golf clubs" (pool noodles) for shorter or younger children. Using a softball as the golfball and two U-shaped noodles as the goal. Whoever said golf wasn't a real sport? Your kids will be running around the course!
Delicate Clothes Hanger
If you've got nice clothes, you probably want them to stay nice. An easy way to avoid creasing and weird denting is to line some hangers with pool noodle portions. No more awkward hanger lines in your pants and shirts, and even better, no more sliding off the hanger and picking up the once-nice, now gross, clothes from the floor.
Horse Toy
Kids get bored with toys so quickly that it seems more and more ridiculous to shell out major money on items that will be thrown away in just a month. Save some cash by making your young one a seahorse out of felt, string, glue, and of course, pool noodles! Kids will love playing pretend cowboys with this cheap hack.
Pin Cushion
Sewing enthusiasts know that losing a pin cushion can be a seriously terrible thing. The worst is when they're too small or lost and expensive to replace. Instead of dealing with any of those common issues, just use a pool noodle section! Your pins will stay, you'll never lose it, and even if you do, just cut off another section. The sewing part, well, that's a little more difficult...
Fishing Game
Rainy days don't mean boring days, as long as you've got some creativity, pool noodles, pipe cleaners and broken hangers lying around. Tie a rope to a pool noodle and a hanger hook on the other end. Go fishing indoors by attaching some wires or pipe cleaners to a few pool noodle bits and pieces. Your kids will be praying for another rainy day tomorrow!
Pool Raft
This hack requires some serious hacking. The more pieces you cut up, the bigger your raft will be. Even better, you can keep adding to it as much as you want, provided you have enough pool noodles of course. Just grab a few zip ties or duct tape to hold it all together and get ready to relax in the pool.
Macrame Rainbow
Crafty people will love this challenge- a macrame pool noodle rainbow. By wrapping different colors of yarn or rope around decreasing sizes of pool noodles, you can decorate a wall with this fun splash of magic. Add the macrame strings to the ends to resemble clouds and hang on the wall for an adorable addition to any space.
Marble Slide
Why kids love marble slide runners, the world may never know. At least you can sustain this fun activity with halved pool noodles and some painters tape. Your child can attach the slides to the wall without worrying about the paint coming off of the wall. They'll learn the building blocks of engineering and physics without messing up the room, and that's something every parent can get excited about.
Pretend Campfire
If you've got young kids, you might have noticed how they like to play pretend. Pretend-house, pretend-chef, pretend-schoolteacher, everything is fair game in the land of make-believe. With some red, yellow, or orange tissue paper and black or brown pool noodles, you can easily make some pretend firewood for when the kids inevitably realize that they haven't gone pretend-camping.
Mop and Broom Holder
What do you do when your cleaning supplies aren't very clean? Well, it's time to organize. Attach a pool noodle half to the wall and cut small slits in the side facing outward. Using these slim cuts, prop up your mop and broom so that they're no longer leaning haphazardly against the wall. Your space will look much cleaner and even better, you'll be so much more ready to clean!
Insulation Protector
If you've got an RV in a colder part of the country, the last thing you want is the water line freezing. You can easily protect this tube by lining the pipe with a pool noodle protector. While it might not be a perfect solution, it's definitely better than being caught without hot water, and cheaper than any insulator you can buy from a store. A double win for sure!
Phone Holder
You don't want to be distracted at work, but since you're going to be on your phone anyway, you might as well try to make it look official. Prop up your prized possession by cutting out an X shape in a short portion of a pool noodle. Your phone will always be on display so you can check your email notifications (or more realistically, your Twitter mentions) during work hours.
Comfortable Armchairs
On a hot summer day, is there anything worse than putting your arms on a hot plastic chair? You can completely erase this problem by adding a pool noodle on the chair's arms. It will stop all the discomfort from sitting in a chair like this and put you completely at ease. Add water to the noodles to cool down while relaxing on a hot day!
Snow Tarp
Winter is coming, so it's time to prepare your nice house for the snow and slush that will be trekked through. If you're driving a car into a carpeted garage, or just want to be sure no snow gets in the house, create a tarp using trash bag materials, duct tape, and pool noodles. Your home will be sure to stay in pristine condition all season long, no need to panic about those winter woes.
Pom Pom Shooter
Kids can have fun with this DIY pool noodle toy. You'll need a few decorative pom poms, a short portion of pool noodle, duct tape, and a small balloon. Wrap the balloon around the base of the noodle portion. Secure it with some duct tape. Put a pom in the hole and pull back on the balloon. Release and watch the pom go flying! Make a few more for an epic pom battle.
Card Holder
Whether you're playing cards or learning to count, this handy hack will give you a handle on your hold. Cut a skinny portion of a pool noodle off, and make a thin cut through half of that section. The cards wedged inside will make them so much easier to hold. No need to worry about the papers flying away or mixing them up if they get dropped. You're safe to have fun!
Lorax Trees
If the Lorax speaks for the trees, who's speaking for the pool noodles? You can easily recreate these iconic doodles in real life with some tissue paper flowers, pool noodle stems, and duct tape stripes. This is a perfect addition to any kindergarten classroom or Dr. Suess themed birthday party. Kids and adults alike will love this quirky addition to the room.
Pretend Gardening
Playing gardener doesn't have to be dirty or messy, at least with this pool noodle play hack. Find a box and fill it with lined up pool noodles. Cover the pool noodles with brown felt, making sure you have enough to push into the noodles creases. Add some labels on popsicle sticks like "carrots" or "lettuce" and make (or buy) some pretend veggies to put in the garden. Whoever said it was hard to grow organic?
Obstacle Course
Entertaining the kids has never been easier or more inexpensive than with pool noodles, duct tape, patience, and creativity. You can make throwing hoops, agility runs, and soccer goals, all with a $3 pool noodle. Get the whole family involved and see who can make the best game with the few items they have. At the end of the day, you'll have an entire obstacle course that everyone can enjoy.
Bed Bumpers
If you've got a little one who's prone to falling out of their bed, worry not, pool noodles are here to save the day. By sliding a noodle on either side of the bed under the fitted sheet, you can recreate the sensation of walls around the bed. No more nightmares of falling down when they're tucked securely in the big kid bed.
Water Tennis Rackets
This one will definitely require some more planning and tact than the others in this list, but it can be done. Cover a bent pool noodle with a net and duct tape the net and two ends together at the base. These waterproof and lightweight nets will be fun in the sun, either by the ocean or in the pool. The kids and adults will be having the most sporty summer ever!
Table Runner
The holidays get expensive, as everyone knows. You can spend a little more on gifts after this creative hack though, just buy a dark green or brown pool noodle and cover it with greenery. Add some ornaments and garland for added holiday excitement. Sprinkle some glitter on top if you really want it to sparkle. Soon enough you'll have a cheap but beautiful centerpiece for your coffee table. Problem solved.
Dog Bather
When washing a dog, you have to make sure you get every angle. Hit every spot with this innovative take on a puppy bath. Cut out some holes in a pool noodle and run a hose through the hole. You'll be able to clean every part of your pet's body in one go. Be sure to do it outside though, this could easily become a messy situation. Beware of the shaking fur too!
Shapeshifting Action Figures
Kids love to create as well as destroy. Combine these two passions by drawing some heads, bodies, and legs on different sizes of pool noodle sections. Your child can easily make and take apart these action figures. If they get attached to one particular combination, just glue the pieces together! This activity will keep their attention as they get to both make and play with the toys.
Giant Pencil
Teachers will love this hack! If you're looking for a little extra classroom decoration, look no further than the pool noodle section. A yellow and pink one will provide you with a pencil and eraser, and silver duct tape will connect them. Add a paper cone at the top of the yellow tube and tape together. Your classroom will be the envy of the school and the talk of the teacher's lounge.