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DLTK's Crafts for Kids
African Drum

The finished project is about 9 inches tall.

Materials:

bulletdrinking cups (styrofoam, plastic or paper)
bulletrecycle 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
bulletglue
bulletmasking tape
bulletshoe polish
bulletrags
bulletpermanent markers
  
Alternate idea:
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.
bulletPaper Mache -- visit "How to Paper Mache" for the recipe

Directions:

bulletglue two cups together, bottom to bottom and let dry
  
bulletif 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)
  
bullethave 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
  
bulletusing 3 to 4 inch lengths of masking tape, completely cover the outside of the cups
  
bulletbrush shoe polish all over the masking tape covered cups and then wipe off with rags
  
bulletdraw geometric or other designs around the top, middle and bottom of the drums with permanent markers.

 

 

Printable version of these instructions