Summer STEAM Activity: Building Pool Noodles and Shaving Cream

A simple Summer STEAM Activity with Pool noodles and shaving cream that kids will enjoy this summer! Pool noodles are everywhere once the warm weather hits. I always grab a bunch at the beginning of the season for fun and quick projects along the way. We love dabbling with STEAM activities! Science, technology, engineering, art and math. Make sure to check out our pool noodle sculpture building or a pool noodle marble run, Creative ways to use your noodle this summer!

SUMMER STEAM WITH POOL NOODLES

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I love simple and inexpensive ways to keep my son playing and learning over the summer! Pool noodles offer a huge variety of ideas! Building with pool noodles is a perfect summer STEAM activity indoors and outdoors. It can be a little messy, but shaving cream is so easy to wash away. Or you can try our pool noodle and toothpick activity

Materials Needed: Pool Noodles {different colors are fun}, shaving cream, plastic knife and/or spoon, tray for building on if desired, and a serrated knife to cut pool noodles into pieces.

The knife is for adults only! My son does not cut the pieces. I like to make a variety of shapes and thicknesses. You can cut out rings or long pieces and then cut them down further. My son does enjoy cutting pool noodles with his scissors.

I added a bowl of foam shaving cream with a plastic spoon and knife. There are so many skills that come into play with our pool noodle STEAM idea. Spreading the shaving cream onto the pool noodles is terrific for fine motor skills.

Besides the fine motor skills, practice engineering skills and incorporate some creative art play! Design sculptures while working on problem solving skills and building skills with an easy Summer STEAM activity. We talked about symmetry, patterns, halves and wholes, semi circles, and more while we built cool sculptures and tall towers.

Sometimes a tower worked out well and sometimes it fell over. What caused it to fall over? What could you try next time? Ask questions to encourage your kids to be thinkers and problem solvers. Model ideas, ask questions, and play along. They will learn from trying out their own ideas and watching you try yours.