At the beginning of summer, you probably purchased more than your fair share of pool noodles. During those long days in the sun, they likely served you well—providing instant entertainment for kids in the water and for such a great price!

But now that the kids are heading back to school, you might have noticed that you have an overload of noodles strewn across your pool and patio. What do you do with all of them? Luckily, there are quite a few ways you can extend the fun and longevity of your pool noodles, such as…

Pool noodle ring toss

With a few wood dowels and your leftover pool noodles, you can create a game of backyard ring toss! Slip the noodles over the dowels for support for larger than life fun.

DIY noodle zoo

Kids love pool toys… and kids love animals… so this pool craft is the best of two classic interests! On a rainy day, have your kids decorate their pool floats with foam pieces, stick on googly eyes, pipe cleaners and other supplies. By the end of the day, you should have a min zoo packed with unique animals your kids will love bringing into the pool with them.

Arts and crafts supplies

Markers and crayons can only go so far. For the next big thing in your arts and crafts cabinet, cut a noodle into small circular stamp shapes. You can use these “slices” to dip in paint and have your kids decorate their next masterpiece.

Backyard fun and games

With some pool noodles and a great imagination, you and your kids can have hours of backyard fun. Arrange your noodles in half-moon shapes throughout your backyard for an easy game of croquet, soccer, or an obstacle course of your own making.

Floating boats

For kids who love racing and competition among friends, this idea is a must-do! Divide a pool noodle into two half-moon prisms and then into five or six equally sized pieces. These will be your “boats.” Add a popsicle stick and cardstock sail and you’re off!

Stackable noodle blocks

Do you ever find yourself wishing for a quiet alternative to your child’s favorite building blocks? Their leftover pool noodle may be the answer! Cut several different colored pool noodles into small, stackable circles. They’ll work just as well as your child’s wood or plastic block set… but won’t cause quite as much noise when they topple over!

Finger friendly door stopper

If you have young kids, you know that fingers caught in a slammed door can happen… a lot! To keep your children’s fingers safe from this potential mishap, slice a chunk (about the size of your door’s edge) out of a pool noodle. This will allow you to use your old noodle as a protective bumper in the event of an accidental slam!

These pool noodle ideas are a few of our favorites—but this is by no means an exhaustive list! Do some research or create ideas of your own for endless, inexpensive fun.