We love creating new ways to transform reading nooks, and this pool noodle chair is an ideal addition to any reading space. Plus, it’s a perfect sensory chair or flexible seating option for your classroom. Seriously, it’s oh-so comfortable!
With very few measurements and materials needed, you don’t need to be a master builder to create this chair. You could even get the PVC pipe precut at your local hardware store to make it even easier. Then you can customize the noodles to match your school colors, classroom theme, or favorite sports team.
This chair easily adjusts so kids can always find a comfortable position to read in. You can also fold it flat or collapse it down for easy storage! Take a look at the video to see how it all came together. Below, get the instructions for making your own!
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBI7H01upjA[/embedyt]
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What You Need
- Pool noodles (We like this pool noodle pack on Amazon.)
- PVC pipe & connectors
- Glue for PVC
- Handsaw
- Tape measure
What to Do
1. Create your main structure.
The PVC pipe will become the main structure and support for your chair, so you want to make sure you have all your parts.
You can pick up PVC piping in the plumbing section of your local hardware store or home improvement store. We bought three pipes that were ¾-inch wide and 10-feet long.
Measure and cut PVC pipe sections. You will need:
- 11 16-inch pieces
- 12 7½-inch pieces
- 29 2-inch pieces
You will also need to buy:
- 16 ¾-inch elbow connectors
- 24 ¾-inch tee connectors
- PVC glue
2. Cut your pool noodles.
Next, you will need approximately six pool noodles, depending on length and color choice. Most local stores that carry swim gear will have them, but you can also order them online.
We ordered ours in bulk on Amazon, and they worked great. (Note: Not all pool noodle holes will fit the same size PVC pipe, so keep this in mind when shopping.)
Measure and cut pool noodles. You will need:
- 11 16-inch pieces
- 12 7½-inch pieces
3. Glue and assemble.
Now it’s time to put all your pieces together. It looks intimidating because there are so many pieces, but it’s not.
We recommend assembling all of your PVC and pool noodle pieces before gluing them to ensure a proper fit. View the diagram below to see how to connect them:
The last step is to glue all the joints together. You definitely want to glue all of the outside pieces, but be careful on the parts that connect all the sections together. Don’t glue the inner tee connectors to the 7½-inch PVC pieces. (Those joints are where the chair folds, and they need to move freely.) Do glue the inner tee connectors to the 2-inch PVC pieces. See diagram below:
If you made one of these chairs, we want to see it! Come and share in our WeAreTeachers Chat group on Facebook.
Plus, get more ideas for using pool noodles in the classroom.
