Technically, pool noodles are toys meant to make swimming more fun and are often used to help children float when they are learning how to swim. While great for swimming pools, these floaties are made from polyethylene foam, which is pretty durable, making them the perfect tool to whip up some helpful, useful, and just plain fun things for your classroom.
Hit your local dollar store, stock up on pool noodles, and use these ideas to help you make them so much more than a summer toy.
1. Practice spelling
Divide the noodle into sections and use a permanent marker to write letters on each piece. Make sure you have plenty of vowels. Your students can thread the pieces onto rulers or dowels to practice their spelling skills.
2. Identify greater than and less than
Slice two colors of pool noodles into pieces. Write different inequality signs on several pieces of one color. Write numbers…
