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Get Excited with Pool Noodles! A Collection of Play Ideas for Fun in Childcare

Get Excited with Pool Noodles! A Collection of Play Ideas for Fun in Childcare

Last updated:2025/8/7

10 years as a kindergarten teacher / elementary school teacher / junior and senior high school teacher / childminderkepiko
Graduated from Kunitachi College of Music, Faculty of Music (now: Department of Music Culture and Education, Early Childhood Music Education major). In elementary school, my homeroom teacher was Jun Kusaba, a game researcher. After graduating from university, I worked as a kindergarten teacher for 10 years and as an after-school childcare instructor for 7 years, then took a position as a music teacher at an international school in Singapore. In addition to music education, I engaged in activities that introduced Japanese culture, traditional games, and recreational activities, working with many children. Later, through freelance writing, planning, and editing at Shogakukan, I met many delightful adults and experienced the joy of communicating and sharing. Drawing on the perspective cultivated in the field of education and my experience as an editor, I provide practical information with an emphasis on both input and output, mainly in areas related to music and children. My hobbies include instruments, singing, handicrafts, toys, drawing, traditional games, the outdoors, and books. My special skill is spinning-top tricks.
Nursery Teacher Mom Writertsukada moe
After working for five years at an after-school childcare club and three years at a nursery school, I began working as a freelance writer. I’m a mother of two children. Inspired by playing the flute in the school wind ensemble in elementary school, I joined a jazz club at university. I’ve also incorporated ukulele and piano performance into childcare. Playing, laughing, feeling sad, feeling frustrated—through all kinds of experiences, I want children to grow.

Want to make playtime in childcare even more fun? That’s where pool noodles really shine.

With this soft material, you can create all kinds of engaging play items like rings, monorails, and see-saws that kids will love.

Pool noodle play is safe and visually appealing with its bright colors.

How about crafting your own tools and getting active together with the children? Here are some pool noodle ideas that let kids get plenty of exercise and play even indoors.

Get the Fun Rolling with Pool Noodles! A Collection of Play Ideas for Childcare (1–10)

Tongs knob

[STEAM Early Childhood Education] Pool Noodles — Bringing More STEAM Learning to the Early Years

Tongs knob

If you prepare a pool noodle, pom-poms, and a toy pair of tongs, you can play a tong-picking game.

Using the tongs to pick up the pom-poms helps develop fine motor skills.

It also allows kids to focus, making it perfect for quiet indoor play.

If you put the pom-poms into the holes of the pool noodle and pretend it’s a cake, you can play bakery pretend play too.

You might also choose the colors of the pool noodle and pom-poms with pretend play in mind.

In addition, pushing the pom-poms out of the pool noodle to clean up is a great activity in itself.

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pool stick shower

[STEAM Early Childhood Education] Pool Noodles — Bringing More STEAM Learning to the Early Years

pool stick shower

Let’s use the soft qualities of pool noodles to enjoy a shower play activity.

Prepare cut pool noodles in various colors and place them on a large cloth.

The teacher holds both ends of the cloth and lets the noodles fall from above the children’s heads, creating a pool noodle shower.

The kids will be thrilled as the noodles keep raining down! They might even ask, “Do it again!” You can also turn cleanup time into a game using the scattered pool noodles.

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tightrope walking

[Ages 0–5] Seven Types of Indoor Educational and Physical Play! [Nursery School/Kindergarten]

tightrope walking

Cut a pool noodle lengthwise and enjoy a tightrope-walking activity.

Place it on the floor and see if you can walk from end to end.

If it feels difficult, you can place two noodles and move forward by stepping on one with each foot.

There are many other ways to play, too—jump over a noodle cut lengthwise, or line up two and enjoy continuous jumps.

They don’t take up much storage space, so it’s handy to have a few sets per class.

It’s a perfect toy for getting kids moving indoors.

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human ring toss

[Ages 0–5] Seven Types of Indoor Educational and Physical Play! [Nursery School/Kindergarten]

human ring toss

If you cut a pool noodle lengthwise, form it into a ring, and secure it with tape, it transforms into a ring toss! The size and softness are perfect for children’s hands.

You can make traditional ring toss targets, but if you want kids to learn interaction with friends or have fun with teachers, try human ring toss.

The person being targeted stands straight, and if someone throws a ring and it goes over their head, it’s a success.

It’s great for practicing throwing technique and for learning to play considerately with friends or teachers who are standing.

Let’s all have fun together!

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bodkin (drawstring threader)

[Handmade Educational Toy] A Toy that Promotes Finger Dexterity [Seria 100-Yen Store]

bodkin (drawstring threader)

Let’s enjoy string threading using pool noodles.

If you buy several pool noodles, you can make plenty of “donut blocks,” so this is a recommended activity.

Choose a sturdy string for threading the noodles, such as ribbon or twine.

Attach a stopper to one end so the blocks don’t fall off.

On the other end, thread a straw to make it easier to pass the string through the holes in the pool noodles.

And that’s it—your toy is ready, and even infants will be absorbed in playing with it.

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seesaw game

Cheerful Recreation 🏀 Pool Stick! 10 Curated Activities Everyone Can Enjoy—from Kids to Seniors

seesaw game

The seesaw game where you hang several pool noodles horizontally and place cut pieces of pool noodle on top is a fun activity for everyone.

Play it with children aged three and up, who are getting used to games with rules.

Take turns stacking the pool noodle pieces, and the game ends when the balance is lost.

To keep things orderly, have children waiting for their turn sit on chairs.

The suspense of not knowing when the noodles will collapse is thrilling.

Teachers should join in too and enjoy it together.

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rod threading

[STEAM Early Childhood Education] Pool Noodles — Bringing More STEAM Learning to the Early Years

rod threading

Cut pool noodles into various widths and try threading them onto a rod.

Prepare several colors as well.

Deep, focused play is an important experience for children.

It’s a simple activity that offers many discoveries—like figuring out how many pieces are needed to stack up to the height of the rod, and how different color combinations look.

Because it’s hard to do this activity with friends sharing one setup, be sure to have enough rods for threading.

Watching children absorbed in play is one of the joys of being a teacher, too.

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