7 Creative Ways to Use Water Noodles in Your Children’s Ministry
With summer right around the corner, water noodles are already going on sale. Now is the perfect time to stock up on the foam floatation devices and put them into unexpected use. Here are seven creative ways to use your water noodles.
7 Creative Ways to Use Water Noodles in Your Children’s Ministry
Conveyer Belt
Here is a team game that will really get the crowd moving. Beforehand, cut up noodles into pieces around 3-feet long. You’ll need around 10 pieces per team. One member from each team will also need a flat thing to sit on (think cheep pizza pan). The object is for team members to build a conveyer belt so the team member who’s sitting down can be pushed to the finish line. Make the finish line far away enough that teams must constantly move noodle pieces from the back of the line to the front to keep their sitting down member moving. You could tie this game into a lesson about how we all work together for God.
Race Tracks
This craft is great for little ones. Many water noodles come with holes in the middle. Find a few of them and cut them in half long-ways. Tape them end to end and you have yourself an instant toy car or marble race track. Experiment and see what kind of crazy tracks you can make, or put two side-by-side and have a race.
Noodle Hockey
A great game that can fit most size groups and play areas. Cut your noodles in half, then give each player one to use as a hockey stick. Form two teams and play with a light-weight ball. You can even make a make-shift goal out of a few leftover noodles.
Work of Art
Thinly sliced sections of noodles make quick and easy circle stamps to paint with. Try this activity with different shaped noodles (some come in gear or flower shapes). You could even stick a pencil in the middle of a section and use it as a small paint roller. Let your kids experiment!
Keep Your Balance
A simple one-on-one game that just requires one noodle. Two players grab different ends of the same noodle and bend down in a squatting position. The aim of the game is to get your opponent to let go of the noodle or lose his balance and touch the ground by pushing and pulling the noodle. Considering tying it into a lesson about how when the world tries to shake us, God can keep us on solid ground.
Sock It to Me
A high-energy game great for older kids. Kids each get a noodle (or two for a longer game) tied or taped on their back. Cover the top of each noodle with a sock. Players each try to take the socks off other players’ noodles, while keeping an eye on their back. Players cannot touch each other, just the noodles. Play until there’s only remaining or until time runs out (in which case, the person with the most socks wins).
Safety First
If you have kids running around there’s always a chance of someone getting hurt. While they’re on sale, grab a few extra noodles, cut them in half, and place them around sharp corners or edges of furniture. Used with a designer’s eye, they can actually brighten up a room for kids.
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