Pool Noodle Shark with Rubber Band Launcher

A number of years ago I shared with you a shark-themed pool noodle craft. Recently my friend Caren can up with a way to use my craft idea to make a flying shark with a rubber band launcher. Your kids are just going to love it. It will be fun to make during Shark Week, an ocean-themed birthday party, or an ocean unit at school. While your children will love shooting into the air, I have listed a number of ways that your children can use their shark to explore math concepts at the end of this post.

Before your children start creating their pool noodle sharks, you may want to read them a book about sharks. It will help them gain some background information on sharks and what they look like.

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Creating the Pool Noodle Shark with Rubberband Launcher

Getting the Supplies Ready

You will need to gather and prepare the following supplies:

6-inch section of a pool noodle
Clothespin with a spring in the center
Thick rubber band
One whole popsicle stick
One half of a popsicle stick
3 fins cut out of a blue foam sheet
2 rows of teeth cut out of a white foam sheet
Black Sharpie marker
Serrated knife
Exacto knife

Getting the Pool Noodle Ready

1. You will need to cut a mouth section out of one end of the pool noodle.
2. Then you will need to cut slits on either side of the pool noodle. The slits need to be right across from each other. You will want them to be about 3 inches from the front of the pool noodle.
3. Next, you will need to place a slit on the top of the pool noodle about 3 inches from the front of the pool noodle.

Finally, you will need to create slits to place the teeth in inside the mouth. You will need a slit at the top and one at the bottom.

Putting the Shark Together

1. You will need to place the rubber band long ways around the clothespin.
2. Place the clothespin in the mouth of the shark. You will want it just barely stick out of the shark’s mouth.

1. Then you will place the whole popsicle stick through the side slots in the shark. A section of the popsicle should stick out on both sides of the shark. (This popsicle stick will hold the rubber band in place too.)
2. A fin will then be glued onto each end of the popsicle stick.
3. Next, you will place the half section of the popsicle stick into the top slot.
4. The final fin will need to be glued onto the half section of the popsicle stick.

Next, you will need to draw eyes on the shark.
The teeth will need to be slipped into the mouth slits.
Finally, you will remove the clothespin from the rubber band.

Playing with the Pool Noodle Shark

Children will need to hold the shark in one hand. Then they will place the pointer finger on the other hand into the rubber band end that is sticking out of the shark. They will need to pull the rubber band forward and the shark back. When they feel the tension on the rubber band, they will let it go and it will fly off their finger.

Math Concepts You Can Explore

Your children can try launching the shark at various angles.
Children can measure how far the shark flies with a measuring tape.
Your children can skip count or count up to a specific number before launching their shark.