Reuse Pool Noodles To Create The Perfect Outdoor Activity For Your Kids

Creating an outdoor obstacle course for your kids may sound like a whole lot of work (and pretty expensive), but it doesn't need to be. In fact, with some pool noodles, it's incredibly easy to set up the perfect summer staycation activity for kids. 

Without a doubt, the easiest obstacle to start with is weaving poles. For this, you'll need at least three pool noodles (though, if your kids are small, you can also cut two noodles in half, and save one for another obstacle) and the same number of solar light spikes. Amazon is a great option for these, as you can grab a pack of 6 for just under $10. Plus, you'll have enough left over for the next obstacle in the course, but more on that in a sec. 

Once you have your spikes, insert them into the ground. Base the amount of space between them on how big your kids are. Once they've been inserted, simply pop a noodle over each. Et voila, you've got a weaving obstacle, perfect for your children and their friends to kick off their obstacle course.

Next up on this course is the crawling section, which consists of three crescent-shaped tunnels. You'll need three full-sized noodles for this, and like we said, if you've gone for the 10-pack of solar light spikes, you can use the remainder of them for this obstacle.

Start by bending each noodle into a crescent shape. You can tailor this to make it higher and narrower if your kids are taller, or go for something shorter if they're smaller (or just prefer a challenge). Having said that, going too low could make it tough for the noodle to stay in place, so make sure you have a clearly-defined crescent shape. Once you've shaped it accordingly and know where each end of the noodle needs to go, pop the spikes into the ground and place either side of the noodle on top. 

As a bonus, this particular obstacle can be multi-use. Perfect for bringing the 2024 Olympics into your backyard, they can also be used for hurdles or to kick soccer balls through. You'll take up less space, but be doubling the fun for your little ones. 

For the final activity on your pool noodle obstacle course, fashion a ring toss. This can be a standalone obstacle, or, like with the crawling section-turned-soccer goals, a two-in-one using your weaving poles. If you're not reusing your weaving poles, simply repeat the same process for this. 

One thing that is worth keeping in mind is that these noodles need to stay upright, so if you're noticing any leaning over, use some scissors to shorten the noodle (or, if you have smaller kids and opted to cut your noodles for the weaving obstacle, now would be the time to put it to use). From there, all that's required is bending a few noodles into rings and securing either side together with tape. Pop them in a bucket nearby, and your ring toss is ready to go!

Arguably the biggest perk of a pool noodle obstacle course is that you can tailor it to all of your needs. Make some obstacles multi-use to save space and money, adjust the heights of others to best accommodate your kids, and go for a color scheme that they'll truly love. Either way, this course is bound to create hours of fun for your youngsters, be it one of their long days off school, or at the next summer party you host.