Here is a unique painting activity for summer: painted pool noodle craft. Use your pool noodle as a canvas for a fun and easy painting project for kids this summer!

How to Make Painted Pool Noodle Craft

This craft is pretty cool. We have painted sticks (and painting driftwood is something I want to do this summer too). This art activity is pretty much the same but on a bigger scale. I love taking fun projects (usually art ones) and making them big. This one is definitely good for older kids but a toddler and preschooler would definitely have fun painting a pool noodle too.

I would start this activity early in the day. The paint needs to dry in between the project so do the first part in the morning and while the painted noodles are drying your kids can go off to do another activity and come back to them in the afternoon to finish them off.

How to Paint a Pool Noodle

Step 1 – Make a Pool Noodle Stand

Set up your pool noodle stand. This will make painting and drying your noodle easier. Take 3 or 4 bamboo sticks and stick them into the ground and slide the end of the pool noodle over them. The noodle should stand up right on its own.

Step 2 – Tape the Pool Noodle

I used painters tape for this step and wrapped it around the pool noodle to create sections.

Step 3 – Add Paint

It’s time to add some acrylic paint in all your favourite colours. Try to find paint that dries fast. You may to add more than one coat depending on the colour of your pool noodle and the colour of the paint. You will need to wait until the paint is completely dry before continuing to the next step.

Step 4 – Add Designs

Now it’s time to add some details. Once your pool noodle is completely dry you can start adding some designs to eachsection.

This is your time to get creative. Add little dots, lines, zig zags, whatever your little one desires!

Age Suitability

This activity is good for kids 4 years and up. My kids are 4, 4, and 8 year old.

Mess Level

This is a mess level is medium.

Difficulty to Create

Medium.

Skills Developed in Painted Pool Noodle Craft

Sensory play, language development, hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills, imaginative play, creativity.

Supplies for Painted Pool Noodle Craft

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• Light coloured pool noodles
• Acrylic paints
• Paint brushes
• Painters tape

Check out My Books, TV Show & Play Kits!

Book: Exciting Sensory Bins for Curious Kids

Did you know I wrote a book of sensory bins? Click here for more information Exciting Sensory Bin for Curious Kids. Or grab your copy at Amazon. 

Boring afternoons are made exciting with awesome animal-based bins, like Salty Shark Bay or Yarn Farm. Pretend play bins like Birthday Cake Sensory Play or Bubble Tea Party encourage creativity and imagination. And your kids will have so much fun they won’t even know they’re getting smarter with STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) activities like Sink or Float Soup, Magnetic Letter Hunt or Ice Cream Scoop and Count.

Book: Super STEAM Activity Book for Kids

Learning all about science, technology, engineering, art, and math sets kids up for scholastic success―and it can be so much fun! Watch kids enjoy building STEAM skills as they color friendly fish, help water find its way to tree roots, solve math problems with mazes, and more. 

Find out more or grab your copy here.

Book: Big Book of Riddles for Kids – coming out September 27, 2022

Book: STEAM Crafts for Kids – coming out November 29, 2022

TV Show: Curious Crafting

I’m so excited to finally share my new crafting TV show Curious Crafting which launched July 1 at on TVOkids and TVOkids YouTube!

This show is all about fun and easy crafts for toddlers and preschoolers. 

Set in the ultimate crafting space, Curious Crafting is a short form pre-school age series about the joy of making crafts. I lead a rotating cast of adorable little preschoolers (including my own) making magic out of common household objects.

In each episode we transform recycled items into magical crafts like a milk carton school bus, paper bag puppet or cotton pad turtle. The crafters learn and laugh their way through each activity while demonstrating what their young imaginations can create. 

Curious Crafting shares the adventure and joy of making art with takeaway lessons for creating crafts at home.

The Best Sensory Play Kits for Kids

Play is at the core of learning during the early years and it can take many forms. One of the most important of these is sensory play because it engages all of a child’s senses (taste, touch, smell, sight and hearing) and has a enoumous positive impact on brain development.

Our Sensory Play Kits are some fun and easy ways to keep your child engaged while at the same time using sensory play to nurture their mind!

Shop our ready made play kits here.

WILL YOU TRY MAKING PAINTED POOL NOODLE CRAFT THIS SUMMER WITH YOUR KIDS? PIN IT FOR LATER.