Fun & Easy Pool Noodle Activity For Your Toddler

Need an idea for a fun & easy activity for your toddler? I’ve got you!

Grab a pool noodle (heeeey, Dollar Tree), some golf tees you likely already have, and a play hammer or wooden mallet and watch the activity unfold!

This can be fully unstructured (child-led), a little structured (parent facilitated/modeled), or completely structured (parent-led) depending on your goal at the time!

Who knew something so simple could have so many benefits?!

Potential Benefits/Learning:
1. Fine Motor Development-Picking up the golf tees, sticking them in the pool noodle, holding them (and the noodle) steady while hammering
2. Spatial Awareness and Hand-Eye Coordination- Hammering the tees in
3. Identifying Colors- Naming each color that’s put in
4. Counting- Count them all, count each color, count before hammering
5. Determination/Perseverance- Didn’t get the tee stuck? Missed the tee with the hammer? Try again!
6. Practical Life Skill- Hammering, duh!
7. Problem Solving- How to hold the tee to stick it in, how to hold the hammer, how hard to hit, how to get the noodle to stay still, etc.
8. Independence- Let your little one do this on their own!
9. Directional Language Practice- For a more structured activity, tell your child where to place the next tee (to the left of the red one, above the blue one, etc.)

Is this an activity you think would entertain your toddler?!