DLTK's Crafts for Kids
African Drum Craft
The finished project is about 9 inches tall.
Materials:
- drinking cups (styrofoam, plastic or paper)
- recycle tip: hard to believe, but disposable cups can be washed and used in craft projects. It's a bit of a pain, but if you're doing a lesson on recycling, it's worth asking the children to wash a couple of McDonald's (or other) cups to get the point across that recycling takes some effort.
- glue,
- masking tape
- shoe polish
- rags
- permanent markers
Instead of using masking tape and shoe polish, you can paper mache on some white tissue paper and, once dry, brush overtop with coffee or strong tea.
- Paper Mache -- visit "How to Paper Mache" for the recipe
Instructions:
- glue two cups together, bottom to bottom and let dry
- if doing the project with a large group of children, predo the first step using hot glue to make things flow a bit more smoothly during craft time (most "low temp" craft hot glue guns work on styrofoam cups... carpentry ones will melt them though).
- have the children tear off 4 to 5 inch lengths of masking tape and completely cover the opening at the top and bottom of the cups.
- using 3 to 4 inch lengths of masking tape, completely cover the outside of the cups.
- brush shoe polish all over the masking tape covered cups and then wipe off with rags.
- draw geometric or other designs around the top, middle and bottom of the drums with permanent markers.