Homemade Stethoscope
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See more activities in: Preschool, Valentine's Day

Did you know that the first stethoscope back in the 19th century was simply a piece of paper rolled into a cylinder? This Valentine's Day, learn a little more about the organ that keeps everything in your body going--your heart! Get a closer listen to your heartbeats by creating a homemade stethoscope with a few simple materials. This crafty activity is a great way to American Heart Month while learning about anatomy.

What You Need:

  • Paper towel tube
  • Plastic cup
  • Aluminum foil
  • Tape
  • Stickers (optional)
  • Glue

What You Do:

  1. Help your child poke a hole in the bottom of the cup and cut out a circle about the same size as the size of the paper towel tube.
  2. Next, your child can tear off a piece aluminum foil and roll it around the tube, taping it down at the ends.
  3. Invite your child to place heart stickers on the tube or decorate it with markers.
  4. Fit the paper towel tube into the hole at the bottom of the paper cup, and reinforce it with some glue.
  5. Take turns placing the cup on a person's chest and listen through the tube. The tube amplifies the sound of the heartbeats, and acts much like a real doctor's stethoscope!