Summer is just around the corner, so it’s time to gather up all those pool toys to keep the kids busy!

If you’re tired of spending money on pool toys that get lost over the fence or disappear into the depths of the unknown, we have budget-friendly ideas for you.

These three DIY water toys are easy, inexpensive and made from things that are probably already lying around your house!

Let’s get started!

1. Water Sponge Toys

Buy a couple packs of kitchen sponges from any grocery store (any size will do). The more colorful, the better. Also pick up some zip ties, which can be purchased from a hardware store.

Cut the sponges into strips going lengthwise. Group together 8-9 strips (more or less depending on how big you want the sponges to be). Center a zip tie around all the strips and pull the zip tie through the hole. Make sure it is as tight as it can go.

Fluff out the sponge strips and you’re done! You can make tons of these sponges in all different colors and sizes. They’re cheap, fast and easy to make!

2. Toy Sailboats

This activity is something that the kids can do on their own, and there is an activity built into it: boat racing!

All you need to get started are wine corks, toothpicks, rubber bands, string and cardstock.

For each boat, wrap 3 wine corks together with 2 rubber bands. If you plan on racing the boat, tie cotton string onto it to keep it from floating away. Insert a toothpick into the middle wine cork and add a cardstock sail. Place the boat in a pool or any other body of water and have fun watching it float.

If the boat does become lost in a river or lake, the materials are natural and will break down.

3. Swimming Pool Scrabble

This activity will keep your kids entertained and can be played with the adults. It’s also a good refresher for reading and spelling skills that are often compromised over the long summer months.

To get started, gather up your supplies: sponges, a permanent marker and scissors. Cut the sponges in half and write a letter on each one. You can make the tiles one-sided or double-sided. You can also use lowercase and uppercase letters if you want to work on letter recognition with younger children.

There are many ways to play Swimming Pool Scrabble. You can throw the tiles into the pool, call out a letter and have the kids try to find it. You can also work together to find all the vowels, spell out certain words, etc. Modify the game to make it age-appropriate for your little ones – or big ones!