Teach your child how to make her very own telephone! The only materials you need are two cans and a piece of string. When you're done making it, explain to your child how the homemade telephone works. When one person talks into the can, the sound actually vibrates the string. The vibration travels down the length of string and the other person can hear what was said through their tin can! This is a great introduction to sound waves, and it's a great toy for her to use with her friends.
What You Need:
- Round tin cans (cover sharp edges with duct tape)
- Nail
- Hammer
- Sturdy string, 6' to 8' long
- Scissors
What You Do:
- Using the nail, hammer a very small hole in the center of the lid of each can. Give your child the pair of cans and the piece of string.
- Have her thread the string through the cans, so the open ends of each can are facing outward.
- Then, help her tie a knot on the inside of each can. Now, your telephone is completely assembled!
- Time to try it out! Have her take one side while you take the other, and move as far away from each other as you can. Make sure the string between the cans is held taut.
- Now, you're ready to talk! Pick one person to be the listener while the other one is the talker. The listener should just place her can around her ear while the talker talks into the can.
When you've gotten used to using the new telephone, suggest a game of ”Guess and Decipher.” Say something into your end of the phone and have her guess what you just said. Then, have her say something and you can guess. How well can you hear each other?
By Kathy Charner (Editor)
Adapted with permission from "Everything for Fall: An Early Childhood Curriculum Activity Book." Copyright 1997 by Kathy Charner (Editor). Used by Permission of Gryphon House, Inc., Maryland. All Rights Reserved.
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