Summer means it is time to be in the pool! Make a fun DIY Pool Noodle Fish Float With Headrest to float about the pool and relax on. Lean back and rest your head on the fish tail for a supremely relaxing rest time in the water. Or, let your kids take the fish float for a playful swim around the pool. This pool noodle float is easy to make using only pool noodles and rope.
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This float is not just for kids. As an adult, I love this float because I can lean my head back on the fish tail and soak up the sun. It keeps my head afloat very comfortably or I can lean forward hugging the tail and I’m kept afloat high above the water level. Kids love this float because it looks like a fish (just like a goldfish cracker) so it’s super fun float for swimming. It is simple to make in just over an hour. Customize it to the colors you want.
I bought the Monster Funnoodle™ pool noodles from Walmart because I like how thick, hearty, and durable they are so I find they last through time. The thinner noodles will tear easier and quicker, so thicker noodles are the best to use. My suggestion is to buy them at Walmart (my own opinion!!).
Supplies Needed To Make the DIY Pool Noodle Fish Float With Headrest
I easily made this float in 1 hour and 15 minutes using the following supplies and tools:
- Three Monster Funnoodle™ Pool Noodles 4 foot 2 1/2 inches in length (cost at Walmart is about $3 apiece)
- about 50 feet of smooth braided rope (abrasion resistant) polypropylene blend or nylon rope
- scissors
- serrated knife
- lighter (to burn ends of rope to prevent it from fraying once cut)
I made this pool noodle float while my kids were swimming in our backyard pool, it’s really that easy. I easily made this DIY pool float while my boys were swimming because they are all fantastic swimmers. They are older so I just popped my head up every few minutes to check on them. They no longer need me to hover over them because they swim so well. They also don’t need me to be in the pool anymore, so moms with younger kids would probably need to make this craft while their kids are napping or while someone else watches them.
Plan Your Design or Use My Design
Make a plan for your design or use my design. For my design, first add 7 blue pool noodle sections alternating with 6 green, next add 13 green noodle sections in a row, then 5 blue and 5 green alternating the colors. It helps to set the pool noodle segments up in the pattern you plan to string the sections on the rope prior to starting.
Alternative Shape
This design goes through a phase where it is the shape of a figure eight. It could be left as a figure eight if desired, or the small top of the eight can be tied together to make the fish shape. The figure eight shape also works as a headrest, but the fish shape just works better.
It is so comfortable to float on in the pool. This is my favorite pick of the DIY pool noodle floats I have designed including the DIY Pool Noodle Float Strip
Also check out my post for a goggle holder:
DIY Pool Noodle Goggle Holder Float
I love this fish shaped float so I swipe it each time I’m in the pool!
How to Make It:
First Cut the Pool Noodles into Sections
I made this float by first cutting the noodles. I used a tape measure to make sure I cut about the same size for each segment. Cut the pool noodles with a serrated knife using a sawing motion to make 4 inch sections. If you purchase the same pool noodles I did, you will have 36 sections of pool noodle to string together.
Next String Pool Noodle Segments Onto the Rope
Find the middle of the rope and string a blue pool noodle segment to the middle of the 50 foot rope. This length of rope is a bit too long, but it’s necessary to make sure you have enough in the end to make a knot and to tie the tail headrest together.
Thread both ends of the rope through opposite ends of the hole in the second noodle segment (thread the rope through the hole of each pool noodle from the side where it came out of the previous noodle hole so the rope will cross inside the pool noodle hole). I suggest pulling both rope ends through the next noodle section at once and pull them taut on opposite sides. This is how you will string all the noodle segments together to make the float.
If you follow my pattern, it will look like the picture below. Fold the strip in half in preparation for connecting the two ends.
Connect the Two Ends of the Strip
Connect the two ends of the pool noodle strip together to make a circle by stringing both rope ends through the first blue noodle piece strung on initially. Be sure to the string rope end coming from top side of last green noodle down the hole in first blue noodle strung and thread the rope from bottom side of the last strung green noodle section up the hole of the first blue noodle strung. Pull both rope ends taut. Please see photos below.
Next, tie a double knot tight against the pool noodle. Cut off extra rope and keep the rope segments nearby to be used when tying the figure eight (first step of fish tail headrest) and then the full tail headrest together.
Make the Figure Eight Shape and Tie Pool Noodles Segments Together
Shape the circle into a figure eight with all 13 green noodle segments making up the small loop of the figure eight. String one leftover rope segment through the 4 green noodle segments at base of small top loop of the figure eight. Thread the rope from the bottom up of the first two green noodle segments (the ones closest to the blue) and make an X on top with the rope. Thread rope ends through pool noodle segments that are diagonal (see photo below) and then down through that 2nd set of green noodle segments. Tie a knot on the underside snug against the pool noodles (I flipped it over for ease of tying).
Make The Fish Shape
To make the fish shape, push the figure 8 into a fish shape by pushing the smaller green upper ring of figure eight flat so the noodle segments are touching. Repeat the tying procedure listed above to tie the noodle segments together to make the tail. Make sure to tie the diagonal noodle segments together. There will be two rope X’s.
For the Last Step
For the last step, burn the ends of the rope after the knots to keep the rope from fraying. Use a lighter to carefully burn the rope ends.
I hope you and your family enjoy this fun fish float! I really enjoy lounging on it in the pool, it’s not just for the kids!
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