Nothing says summer fun quite like the pool noodle. A look across any civic or private pool will reveal several varieties and colors. You can find them in bulk, and you can find them individually. Pool noodles have become almost a necessity for any pool. But did you know how many uses there are for pool noodles that are more than just fun in the sun? A pool noodle has also proven to be a valuable crafting tool, used in as many ways as the imagination can take you. Read on for some fun facts about pool noodles and some uses that you may not have known about previously.
What Is a Pool Noodle?
Polyethylene foam is the primary material used in the construction of a pool noodle. The material doesn’t react with water, making it totally safe to use. The material is actually lighter in weight than water, which gives the noodle its buoyancy to float. One of the best properties of polyethylene foam is its bendability. Foam noodles can be used to shape almost anything, and the noodles are still thick enough to hold their shape.
Who Invented the Pool Noodle?
Steve Hartman used to play with backer rods in the pool as a kid. A backer rod is a long piece of foam used to seal joints in building materials. Hartman imagined them as pool toys and tried to sell prototypes at a local pool store, but they failed to sell.
Hartman missed the mark so often he didn’t bother to patent the pool noodle because he didn’t find it worth the time and effort. When a company bought a few, it finally caught on and put a cheaper price tag on them, which opened up the market considerably.
Steve Hartman, the CEO and president of Industrial Thermal Polymers, and fellow Canadian Richard Koster, creator of the water woggle, are the two men credited with the invention of the pool noodle.
Are Pool Noodles Used in Construction?
As a matter of fact, foam swimming pool noodles can be used in construction. However, they are slightly different from your average pool noodle.
Polyethylene foam is a durable material and a closed-cell, meaning no hole in the middle adding to their thickness. For example, FoamNoodles.com offers a construction noodle that applies to many heavy-duty applications, such as parking decks, highway joints, insulation needs, and more. Their solid-core foam rods are available in several different diameters for a host of construction needs.
Pipe wrapping is a significant function of a pool noodle. They are inexpensive, available, and highly effective. The colored pool noodles also provide visibility for pipes in high places, so that if you bump your head, you’re safe. There are a couple of advantages of wrapping pipes in foam noodles. They can keep pipes from freezing in the cold. And, alternatively, no burning yourself when you touch exposed hot pipes in the basement.
Can Children With Disabilities Use Pool Noodles?
Play is the top way that children synthesize learning. Giving your child with disabilities tasks around water can be therapeutic. According to the CDC, water-based exercises are beneficial to children’s mental health. Also, the parents of children with disabilities find that recreational activities such as swimming help build family relationships.
There are a number of ways your developing child can use pool noodles in a pool. First, you can cut the pool noodles into all types of textures for your child to feel as they feel the water as well. You can also have your child ride the pool noodle like a horse and then ride back to the starting point. Several times of moving back and forth is an excellent aerobic exercise, and enacting strings of tasks is great for cognitive functioning.
Bend the pool noodle into a U-shape to make a swing your child can balance on. This activity can improve balance and core strength. You can also use the foam noodle as a jump rope. Water resistance means they have to work the arm muscles, keep balance, and maintain their grasp on the noodle as it is pushed underwater. Even just pulling or pushing the noodle through the water will provide different sensations for the child.
Can Senior Swimmers Use Pool Noodles?
You may have heard that exercise will keep you young. As a matter of fact, US adults that regularly participate in high levels of physical activity showed significantly reduced cellular aging. This is helping seniors to live longer and better lives. People of almost all conditions and abilities benefit from swimming.
Seniors can find lots of uses in the shallow end for buoyancy devices like the pool noodle. Many classes use pool noodles to add buoyancy, fun, and water resistance to their water activities. Using a pool noodle is a perfect low-impact activity to relieve joint pain, improve mobility, and add fun to aquatic classes.
Are Pool Noodles Toxic?
Many pool floatation devices are made with polyvinyl chloride and phthalates, which have a low risk of causing many problems when ingested in some way, usually through inhalation. It’s that strong smell of a new shower curtain when you unpack a plastic device. It doesn’t smell good, but the chances of experiencing adverse side effects are low.
Look for items made with EVA (ethylene vinyl acetate). Products made with EVA are flexible and include most pool noodles. That’s right! Your pool noodles are probably safe from PVC particles. Other products made with EVA include foam floating belts and shock absorption floor mats.
Where Can I Get Foam Swimming Pool Noodles?
FoamNoodles.com has you covered. You’ll find various foam swimming pool noodles in different colors, including blue, red, yellow, brown, white, and many more. Of course, pool noodles are incredible for fun in the summer, crafting, and baby-proofing your house.
And don’t forget fun outside the pool. Building an obstacle course is just one great idea for out-of-pool summer fun. Using pool noodles as swords in role-playing games is another. The different colors can represent different classes of swords for different characters. If you’re not familiar with role-playing, that’s okay—but indulge yourself in all of the uses for the pool noodle.
Contact us at FoamNoodle.com today for all your foam pool noodle needs. We ship our pool noodles quickly, and we can serve all of your pool noodle needs. Don’t miss out on inexpensive summer fun and endless uses around your house and pool. We hope these fun facts about pool noodles have allowed you to discover the numerous benefits of pool noodles for your home and family.
