Simple and Fun Pool Noodle Sculptures

Pool noodles are cheap and kids need something fun, right?  We did all of this with just 3 pool noodles (and we didn’t even use all of them…).  Pool noodle sculptures saved the day!

Now, I’m not a mom that feels I need to entertain my kids all the time.  Boredom is incredibly helpful to young minds.  But I also don’t mind leaving materials around (on select days and time of my choosing) that might inspire something.  Open ended activities like this do not count as entertaining children, in my opinion.

We have already started getting a lot of “I’m boreds” which is strange because we are schooling through the summer.  Unfortunately, our homeschool group is not (likely due to the fact that we meet outside and it’s been 115).  So I guess we’ve had more down time than usual.

 

A few weeks ago, while working on the pool noodle STEAM sailing boats, Logi-Bear found the remnants of pool noodles, toothpicks, and skewers.  He just went to work building and attaching.  I was so impressed with his handiwork I knew I needed to cut up more noodles and give him more to build with.  I ended up with more colors and different sizes.  He was pretty excited.

 

Look at those beautiful noodles!!

 

I demonstrated by making a Quidditch set.  No shame, I love Harry Potter.

 

They set to work building castles and swords and whatever their little minds came up with.  The noodles were perfect for shaping and creating.  They held some pretty interesting shapes and were incredibly easy to build with!

 

We kept the set and have it packed away.  I don’t like leaving it out because I find toothpicks everywhere (I kind of stepped on one and stabbed myself in the heel.  Very painful).  So they are away and will come out multiple more times

But when we do get them out, open ended engineering artful fun for at least 30 minutes!  Win-win-win!