Turn pool noodles into a fun raft for the kids.
Mark Twain's famous novel character, Huckleberry Finn, floated from Missouri to Arkansas on a raft, gathering many adventures on his way. The raft was a common way for poorer people to travel the Mississippi in the America's steamboat age. Those that couldn't afford steamboat trips created rafts as a cheaper way to travel. Today, we have better ways of travel, but that doesn't make rafts any less fun.
Your kids may not be equipped to travel Old Man River on a log raft, but they can certainly pretend on a pool noodle version. Encourage their imaginations and help creativity blossom with a homemade pool noodle raft.
Instructions
1. Cut three pieces of clothesline about 20 feet long, or 60 times longer than the diameter of one of your pool noodles. A hefty amount of rope ensures that you can lash the pool noodles together securely.
2. Set two of the pieces of clothesline aside.
3. Tie one end of the third rope around the end of a pool noodle, spacing it about 10 inches from the end.
4. Lay a second pool noodle parallel to the first. Wrap the rope once around both pool noodles.
5. Place a third noodle parallel to the second. Wrap the rope tightly around the second and third noodles.
6. Continue wrapping the nylon rope around two noodles at a time until you've added all 14 noodles. Tie the rope off tightly in a double knot and cut away the excess with pruning snips.
7. Wrap the centers and opposite ends of the pool noodles with rope, also. This creates a sturdy, tightly-woven raft that won't float apart during use.
Tips Warnings
For a permanent pool noodle, try hot-gluing them together with beads of glue along the sides.
Never use, or allow children to use, the noodle raft unattended.
Stick your fingers between the noodles to make sure they're tight enough. If you can slip your fingers in easily, tighten the rope. Otherwise, you or a child could get a limb stuck in the raft.
Never dive from the raft.
Do not leave ropes dangling from the raft. Someone could get tangled in them.
Tags: make, your, pool, noodle, raft, pool noodle, pool noodles, from raft, noodle parallel, noodle raft, pieces clothesline, rope around
