Pool noodle fun

Test your agility this summer with this inexpensive family activity using pool noodles! This activity can be made Arizona-summer-friendly by turning on the sprinklers or adding a water feature.

Materials:

Pool Noodles

Duct Tape

Yard Stakes or Pens / Pencils

Toothpicks 

Scissors

1. Crawling station – this one was the most complex to put together and the only one I cut pool noodles for. To create this crawling station, you need 2 intact pool noodles and 2 pool noodles cut in half, creating 4 halves. You will make a capital letter I or H with 3 of the halves. You can keep these in place by using toothpicks as place holders. Then, take the intact noodles to create arches on each side. I used duct tape to secure these down. Finally, use the remaining half to connect the top part of the arches. My children loved crawling under this over and over again!
2. Hurdle jumping – the easiest to put together! All you need to do is bend a pool noodle into a desired arch and secure it on the grass using stakes or pencils/pens (you heard that right! That is what we used!)
3. Agility steps (pool noodle circles) – grab the duct tape and tape as many desired pool noodles into circles. Some were stubborn and would open back up, so don’t be afraid to really layer your duct tape! These can be scattered in the yard in several ways, depending on how much you want to challenge your child. They are to step in and out of each circle until they reach the desired location. 
4. Football toss – I ended my obstacle course with this station. You need 2 intact pool noodles and 3 noodles duct taped into circles. Each circle is then secured in between the intact pool noodles with duct tape. Your football toss is a lot heavier than the hurdles, therefore yard stakes are definitely recommended to keep this one standing. We used a foam baseball and a football to toss in!

About the author

Marissa Will is the mother of two toddlers, Olivia (4) and Logan (2). Writing was her first passion: she’s a freelance writer and a Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication alumna. Will is currently educating the future leaders of tomorrow: She has spent the past eight years teaching third grade with a master’s degree in elementary education from Northern Arizona University-Yuma.