What appears to be a national shortage of pool noodles has left holiday programme conveners seeking alternative plans for children's activities.
The pool noodle shortage was brought to the attention of Kidz Workz Ministriez after they were unable to source any pool noodles for their space-themed craft activities for their school holiday programme.
Kidz Workz Ministriez team leader Brad McLaren made a public announcement on June 29 in an attempt to locate the pool toys in the Wairarapa.
"We were hoping in one of the craft sessions to have the kids make light sabres out of those coloured pool noodles, however The Warehouse has just told me that there are none in the country," he said.
The team's creative administrator Kat Sprowson said they also looked on both The Warehouse and K-Mart websites but the product was sold out nationally on both.
"I made Brad this long shopping list and he checked out The Warehouse for pool noodles but there were none," she said.
"So he decided that he would be really smart and see if he could find some online, but he had no success."
Most sales for the popular pool toy are made during the warmer months of the year, but the item is widely used in holiday crafts or playtime throughout the year.
Kidz Workz Ministriez has in the meantime devised alternative craft activities for the kids who come along to their free programme operating from Monday next week.
While they still hope to find some pool noodles in the Wairarapa, Miss Sprowson remains positive that their holiday programme will be just what the children need.
"Every day we will have a whole lot of fun jumping on bouncy castles, using puppets, singing and dancing, playing games and making crafts and of course we feed them morning tea."
- By Emily Norman of the Wairarapa Times-Age
