This is part of a series that all began with The Official 23 x 23 List for a Six-Tastic Summer, in which we try to stay sane and make the most of our days together this summer. You can read about the rest of our escapades so far here.
Number 14 on the 23 x 23 list (Which is progressing nicely, thank you. We've done way more than I've actually blogged about) was "Make Tin-Can Telephones." It's a classic, but it took a post over at Made by Joel to remind me of the coolness of the tin-can telephone and resolve to put it on our list.
It took us about 20 minutes from start to finish to put these babies together. It was actually a great project for both kids. Eli was all about hammering the nail in the bottom of the can to make a hole for the string. Elena was all about finding stickers and such to make them "pretty."
Ours work great, but if I were to do it again I would tweak a couple of things. Even with a full recycling bin, I only had tin cans from 28 oz tomatoes. Next time I would be sure to save a couple of smaller cans. I think the smaller cans would carry sound better and be a little easier for small hands to hold. Though, really, there is something adorable about a tiny head in a big can.
The other adjustment I would make is to keep the length of the string a bit shorter. Ours is probably 8 feet long, which would be great for a couple of older kids. I guess Eli just can't stand being that far away from his big sister.
Giant cans and long string aside, the kids loved the telephone and played with it all over the house and yard. I loved it too, both for its simplicity and for being able to step back and hear the kids communicate such gems as:
Earth to Eli! Earth to Eli! Take your face out of the can and put it on your ear!
Eli, that's not your ear.
You so pretty, Neena!
Hello? Hello? Do you deliver ice cream?
Hold on, I have another call (throwing down tin can to answer the actual telephone).
And that's all there is about tin-can telephones!
nice. My girls and I have made tin can telephones earlier this summer as well. It was good for a few hours of entertainment!
Love your list.