Materials
- Coffee can or similar-sized can
- hammer
- nails
- string
- scissors pencils or sticks
- art supplies
What to do
1. Give each child a coffee can, empty and open at one end.
2. Help each child punch a hole in the middle of the bottom of the can using a hammer and nail. (You may want to do this step for them.)
3. Cut string in lengths from the floor to the middle of the child's thigh.
4. Thread the string through the hole, tie a knot inside the can, and tie the other end to a pencil.
5. Demonstrate how to place one foot on the can and hold the pencil so the string is taut. The fiddle works by plucking the string.
6. Let the children decorate their instruments with pompoms, paint, and so on.
-Lisa Chichester, Parkersbury, WV
