Pool noodle crafts are cheap, light and easier than they look. A few dollars of foam turns into wreaths, giant candy canes, porch candles and clever home hacks. Here are 18 easy ideas for Christmas, fall and the rest of the year.
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Pool Noodle Crafts: Tips Before You Start
- Cutting: a serrated bread knife cuts foam cleanly. Cut away from your body.
- Gluing: regular hot glue can melt foam. Use low-temp glue, tacky glue or floral pins.
- Shaping: slide stiff wire through the center to hold curves, and join ends with duct tape.
- Buying: noodles are easiest to find in summer. They can be scarce by Christmas, so check dollar stores or online.
Pool Noodle Christmas Crafts
These pool noodle Christmas crafts make big, bright decorations for very little money.
1. Pool Noodle Christmas Wreath
Bend a noodle into a circle, join the ends with duct tape, then wrap it in tinsel, garland or yarn. Add a bow and a few ornaments. It’s light enough for any door hook.
2. Giant Candy Cane Markers
Slide stiff wire through a noodle, bend the top into a hook, and wrap it in red and white tape. Push the wire ends into the ground along your walkway. Tape holds up better in rain than paint.
3. Porch Candles
Cut noodles to different heights, wrap them in red or white paper or tape, and top each with a battery tea light. Stand them in a planter on the porch. Add greenery around the base.
4. Cone Christmas Tree
Slice noodles into thin rounds and pin them in overlapping rows onto a foam or cardboard cone. Paint it green and add ornaments. It makes a fun, textured tabletop tree.
5. Nutcracker Porch Soldiers
Bundle several noodles into a column for the body, wrap sections in colored paper or fabric, and add a painted face and hat. Weigh the base so it doesn’t blow over. Kids love helping paint them.
6. Gingerbread House Icing Trim
Slice white noodles lengthwise and fix them along a door frame or porch rail as chunky “icing.” Add paper candies. It’s the base of a gingerbread porch theme.
7. Christmas Door Draft Stopper
Slide a noodle into a tube of festive fabric, then tuck it under an interior door. It blocks drafts and adds a little color. Cut a slit to make a two-sided version that stays attached.
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Pool Noodle Halloween and Thanksgiving Crafts
Pool noodle Halloween crafts and Thanksgiving centerpieces are quick to make from the same foam.
8. Pool Noodle Thanksgiving Centerpiece
Cut noodle sections into rings, stack them to form mini pumpkins and cover them in orange fabric or paint. Group them with fall leaves on a tray. It keeps the table light and low.
9. Foam Pumpkins
Tape a short noodle piece into a ring, wrap it in orange fabric, and tuck the fabric into the center with a stick stem. Make several sizes. They store flat for next year.
10. Halloween Tombstones
Glue noodle slices around a cardboard tombstone for a chunky stone-like edge, then spray-paint it gray. Add a funny name on the front. Keep them under cover in heavy rain.
11. Ghost Garland
Cut white noodle rounds, draw ghost faces with a marker, and string them on twine. Hang the garland across a mantel or doorway. Kids can draw the faces.
12. Spooky Pathway Candles
Paint short noodles black or white, drip “wax” with low-temp glue, and top with battery candles. Set them along the walkway. They look great at dusk.
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13. Boot Shape Keepers
Cut noodles to boot height and slide one into each boot so it stays upright in the closet. It keeps tall boots from creasing. One noodle covers several pairs.
14. Garage Door Bumper
Slice a noodle lengthwise and fix it to the garage wall where car doors swing open. It protects your paint from dings. Use construction adhesive or strong double-sided tape.
15. Wrinkle-Free Hanger Covers
Slit a noodle section and slide it over a wire hanger’s bottom bar so pants don’t crease. It’s a neat trick for delicate items. Cut pieces to fit your hangers.
16. Kids’ Marble Run
Slice a noodle in half lengthwise for two long tracks and tape them along a wall or stairs. Kids race marbles down them. Marbles are a choking hazard for children under three.
17. Foam Letter Stamps
Cut noodle rounds into simple shapes and use them as stamps with washable paint. They’re great for preschool art. An adult should do the cutting.
18. Flower Wreath for Spring
Make a noodle wreath form, wrap it in green ribbon and pin on faux flowers. Swap the flowers each season. It’s a cheap base you can reuse for years.
Pool Noodle Crafts FAQ
How do you cut a pool noodle cleanly?
Use a serrated bread knife with a gentle sawing motion. An adult should do the cutting for kids’ projects.
What glue works on pool noodles?
Low-temp hot glue, tacky glue and floral pins work best. Regular hot glue can melt the foam.
Where can I buy pool noodles in winter?
They’re easiest to find in summer. In winter, try online stores or dollar stores, or stock up at end-of-summer sales.
Do pool noodle decorations last outdoors?
Yes, foam handles weather well. Wrap with tape rather than paper, and secure light pieces so they don’t blow away.
More ideas: our Dollar Tree Christmas crafts, Christmas porch decor, and all Dollar Tree DIY projects.
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Photos are illustrative stock images from Pixabay. Prices are approximate and were checked at the time of writing.
