Let’s talk about pool noodles for a second. Are they one of the most versatile dollar store finds ever? Absolutely. They’re cheap, colorful, and you can cut, glue, and repurpose them into so many different things beyond the pool. If you’ve been around here for a while, you know we’ve made ramps, obstacle courses, pretend ice cream cones, and even marble runs out of them. And now? We’re using them to play Pool Noodle Uno Counting—a fun and totally original game that mixes Uno cards with hands-on math practice.
This activity is all about matching, counting, and posting in a way that kids love. It’s fun, tactile, and takes just a few minutes to set up. Once you make it, you can pull it out anytime for a quick learning game that works for toddlers, preschoolers, and early elementary kids.
Why You’ll Love This Pool Noodle Uno Counting
- Budget-friendly: Pool noodles and a deck of Uno cards are all you need!
- Hands-on math: Kids practice number recognition, counting, and matching while playing.
- Fast setup: It takes less than 15 minutes to make, and you can use it all summer long.
- Perfect for indoors or outdoors: You can play this game in the backyard, on the deck, or inside on a rainy day.
- Multiplayer or solo: Works for one child or as a small group activity.
Materials You’ll Need
- 1 pool noodle (any colors you like)
- Scissors or serrated knife (for cutting the pool noodle)
- A deck of Uno cards (or any number cards you have)
- Cardboard (optional, to make a base)
- Markers
- Hot glue gun and glue sticks
How to Make and Play Pool Noodle Uno Counting
Step 1: Cut the Pool Noodles
Using scissors or a box cutters, cut your pool noodles into a small section about 1 foot long. This will be the piece your child uses to sort the UNO cards on.
Step 2: Make a Base
Cut out a rectangle of cardboard and use a hot glue gun to attach the pool noodle to the left side of the board. Use the box cutters to cut 10 slits in the pool noodle all the way down. Use a black marker to highlight each slit so that they are easily visible. Next to each slit, draw different number of dots from 1 to 10 or whatever numbers you are working on.
Step 3: Set Up the Uno Cards
Pull out all the number cards from the Uno deck that correspond to the numbers you wrote on the base. Lay them face down in a pile or spread them out face up if you want it to be an open-ended activity.
Step 4: Match and Stack
The game is simple: draw a card, read the number, and post the card beside the correct number of dots inside the slots of the pool noodle.
How to Make It Even More Fun
- Color Match: If you have multiple colored noodles, match the noodle color to the color on the Uno card (red card = red noodle slice).
- Timed Challenge: Use a timer and see how many cards they can count and post in one minute.
- Math Practice: For older kids, draw two cards and add or subtract the numbers to figure out how many and the post the card to that number.
Why This Activity Works
Pool Noodle Uno Counting turns a simple set of cards into a multi-sensory learning experience. Kids are holding, counting, balancing, and laughing as they play. It’s such a simple concept, but because it’s active, it keeps them engaged way longer than pencil-and-paper practice ever would.
The next time you’re at the dollar store, grab a few noodles. A couple of cuts later, you’ve got a new favorite summer learning game that you can play all season long.
Play2Learn Toddler & Preschool Programs for Curious Toddlers
There is no limit to your toddler’s energy and curiosity. That energy and curiosity although a joy can be challenging at times. Their interest in just about everything around them is what makes them great learners. One and two year olds can soak up so much just from their senses!
But as a teacher or parent that thirst for learning can be exhausting. That is why I created this toddler and preschooler program. To help you get the most out of this time with your curious toddler without having to come up with creative ways to play and interact with them.
Play2Learn for Toddlers includes 20 Units for toddlers. Each 2-week toddler unit has 20 super easy to set up and engaging activities for toddlers 18 months to 3 years.
Play2Learn Preschool which includes 20 Units for preschoolers. Each 2-week preschoolers unit has 20 unique and easy to set up and engaging activities for preschoolers 3 years to 5 years. That’s over 800 learning activities for your toddler and preschooler at your fingertips! So many ideas you and your child will never be bored again!
These toddler and preschool lesson plans and activities will definitely keep you and your toddler and preschooler busy playing and learning!
Click here for more information: Play2Learn
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.
Designed for toddlers 18 months and up.
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 and grab your copy here.
Designed for preschoolers 3 years old and up.
Book: Big Book of Riddles for Kids
Riddle me this: What’s an exciting way to practice critical thinking while having a blast? The Big Riddle Book for Kids, of course! From hilarious puns to tough brain teasers, kids can build problem-solving skills with hundreds of riddles tha. t show them how to think outside the box.
- 350 riddles for kids—Have hours of fun with riddles, puns and jokes, and math and logic puzzles that’ll get their wheels turning!
- Level up their skills—Riddles get trickier as kids progress through the book, challenging them as they get better at solving puzzles!
- Double-check their work—Kids can check their answers in the back of the book with a handy answer key.
Help children expand their minds while having fun with this puzzle book for kids!
Designed for kids ages 6 years old and up.
TV Show: Curious Crafting
I’m so excited to share my crafting TV show Curious Crafting which launched in July 2022 on TVOkids and TVOkids YouTube! Season 2 aired in August 2023! My show was also nominated in 2023 for Best Live Action Preschool Series by the Youth Media Alliance Awards of Excellence.
Curious Crafting Season 1 is also now airing in Australia on ABC! Watch it here!
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.
This show designed for toddlers and preschoolers 2.5 years old and up.
