This is a fun idea for some easy-to-make Christmas decorations. These DIY Pool Noodle Candy decorations are a perfect addition to make your holidays bright and cheerful!
DIY Pool Noodle Candy
Making these Christmas candies with pool noodles is both fun and easy to do!
Adding pool noodle candy to your holiday decorations can quickly brighten your mood and give your table, shelf, or mantle a jolly feel.
They’re even beautiful outdoors, if you’re looking for some added color there. Just keep them out of the wind and weather.
Why Recycle Pool Noodles?
If you’ve read any of my other craft ideas, you know there are many reasons to use pool noodles for your next crafting project.
You can find pool noodles on Amazon, the Dollar Store, or reuse and recycle old noodles.
And, if you’re using old noodles, it makes you a friendly ally of the environment through your efforts to recycle.
You will find a ton of fun ideas here at DIYNoodles.com.
Making pool noodle Christmas crafts is easy! You’re only limited by your imagination.
How to Make Christmas Candy with Pool Noodles
It only takes a few things and a few minutes to make these awesome pool noodle candies.
We will show you how to make oblong hard candy, rounds, and ribbon candy.
As always, be sure to completely read through the instructions, supply list, and tips before starting any project.
You want to be sure you don’t miss any steps or buy unnecessary supplies.
In fact, this Christmas craft is so easy, you may already have the needed supplies on hand.
Related: DIY Pool Noodle Christmas Candles
Oblong Hard Candy Craft – 2 Sizes
Remember the hard candy you used to steal from Grandma’s candy dish? Well, here it is, in pool noodle form.
Please be sure to read the “Tips” design section before purchasing supplies.
You don’t need EVERYTHING on this list.
Supplies
Here are the things you’ll need.
Pool noodles
Cellophane wrap
Cellophane (clear) tape
Striped Christmas wrapping paper, striped socks, AND/OR colored tape
Ribbon, pipe cleaners, and/or twisty ties
Scissors
Instructions
Cut the pool noodle into pieces.
Make your pool noodle candy all the same size, or make them different sizes, depending on how and where you’ll be using them.
NOTE: See TIPS for the measurements we used in our candies.
Cut a piece of wrapping paper or tissue paper to cover your pool noodle piece. (Or cut a piece of sock to fit, if you chose that route.) Size it to extend far enough to cover the ends of the pool noodle.
(If you prefer, you can use a bright colored pool noodle and simply tape stripes on it to look like Christmas candy. That’s why I included colored tape on the supply list.)
Cover the pool noodle with the wrapping paper, tissue paper, or socks, or make stripes with colored tape.
Using paper? Tape paper into place. Tuck it into the holes on the ends.
Using socks? The socks can be tucked in, too, if you’re using socks.
Then cut a piece of cellophane that will go around the candy horizontally and extend out on the ends lengthwise to make the twist & wrap.
Cover your creation with this cellophane. Tape it in place.
Twist and tie the ends with pipe cleaner, ribbon, or twisty ties.
Fluff the ends a little.
And that’s it! You have cute little Christmas candy made from pool noodles.
Tips
Design
There are several different methods you can use to cover your pool noodle.
- Cut socks to pull on over them
- Wrap them with wrapping paper or tissue paper then cellophane
- Use tape to make designs on them
- Color your OWN paper (kids would love this) to wrap the “candy”, then cover with cellophane
- What else can you think of to decorate the pool noodle candy?
There are also different things that can be used to tie the ends.
- Ribbon – to match or complement the pool noodle candy
- Pipe cleaner – silver, gold, or Christmas colors
- Twisty ties – silver or gold
- Simply twist and tape the ends (though the other options will look nicer).
Sizes
OBLONG
For the larger, oblong candy we used a 2.5″ pool noodle cut in a 10″ length. (An 8″ piece probably would have been better.) We cut the wrapping paper 13″ wide, leaving 1.5″ to tuck in on each side. The cellophane was cut 20″ long and 10″ wide.
For the smaller candy, we used a 2.5″ diameter pool noodle cut in a 2″ length, a piece of wrapping paper cut in a 4″ wide and 10″ long, and cellophane 10″ square. These measurements ended up perfect for our little candy.
ROUND (below)
For the round candies, you could use 2.5″ or 3.5″ pool noodles. We used 3.5″ noodles and cut them 1.5″ thick.
We used this hole punch which cuts the card stock into a 3″ diameter circle.
This left a little red edge sticking out. Doesn’t that look cute?
Our stickers on the round pool noodle candies ranged from 1.5 – 2″ in diameter.
Weight
Pool noodles are lightweight. If you’re putting these pool noodle candies outside where it might be windy or wet, make sure they’re going to stay in place.
You can glue them onto an artificial tree, add them to a wreath, or make a centerpiece with them. Just use your imagination and see what kind of pool noodle candy you can create!
Round Hard Candy Craft
Supplies
The supply list is very similar the the one for oblong candy:
3.5″ Pool Noodles (or 2.5″, if you prefer)
Cellophane wrap
Cellophane tape
Plain white card stock , or color, if you prefer.
Fruit (or other, your preference) stickers
Ribbon, pipe cleaners, and/or twisty ties
Scissors
3″ Hole punch (or a steady hand)
Instructions
Cut the 3.5″ diameter pool noodle into 1.5″ slices.
Use the hold punch to create the same number of 3″ circles from the card stock.
Choose a sticker and attach it to the circle.
Use glue or your hot glue gun to attach the card stock disk to the pool noodle.
Cut a piece of clear cellophane, making it about 6 inches wider than your noodle piece. So, if you have the 2.5″ noodle, cut the cellophane 8.5″ by 6″, and if you made your pool noodle hard round candy 3.5″, cut the cellophane 9.5″ by 8″.
Wrap the candy with the cellophane.
Twist and tie the ends with the pipe cleaner, ribbon, or twisty ties.
And there you have it! Cute little old-fashioned round candies just like you used to see in Grandma’s candy dish.
Tips
Use a hole punch to make your circle. A hole punch usually cuts much neater, more precise circles than can be cut freehand.
Ribbon Hard Candy Craft
To be quite honest, I found this ribbon candy very difficult to make with a pool noodle.
However, I’m going to continue trying, and hopefully come up with a good solution for you soon.
Please come back, because I’m working on a video to add to this.
If I find a good way to make ribbon candy from a pool noodle, I’ll share it.
Otherwise, I’ll probably be ending the video with a blooper session filled with the many ways I TRIED to make ribbon candy from a pool noodle, and we’ll see how it turns out!
Here’s what I think you’ll need, if we are successful. I may need to add a few supplies to this list, if success comes…
Supplies
Pool Noodle
Cellophane wrap
Cellophane tape
Colored tape or ribbon
Ribbon, twist ties or pipe cleaner for closure
Scissors
Instructions
I’m working on it… Lol
Please feel free to comment with any ideas you have to make the “ribbon candy with a pool noodle” project successful.
Are you ready?
So, what are you thinking? Are you going to try these pool noodle candy decorations?
It’s a really easy project and the kids will love it!
We’d love to see what you’ve made…
If you find a way to recycle or repurpose your pool noodles, show us a photo on Instagram with #diynoodles or share your photo on our Facebook page.
I’ve never seen these hard candies before, great job!