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Relaxation

Wind Chime Workshop

String spoons, keys, and bottle caps onto a stick and hang it outside to hear the wind turn junk into music.

Ages 4–1015–30 min1–3 kids

Tie household metal objects — old spoons, keys, washers, bottle caps — onto a length of string, and hang several from a stick or coat hanger. Hang the finished chime somewhere outside and listen to how the wind changes the sound depending on how hard it blows.

What you need

  • string
  • a stick or coat hanger
  • old metal objects (spoons, keys, washers, bottle caps)

How to do it

  1. 1Tie a piece of string to each object, leaving enough length to hang and swing freely.
  2. 2Tie the other end of each string to the stick or hanger, spacing the objects so they can knock together.
  3. 3"Give it a shake and listen — which one makes the loudest sound?" Test before hanging it up.
  4. 4Hang the finished chime outside somewhere it can catch the wind, and check back on it over the next few days.

Variations

  • If there's no outdoor spot to hang it: an open window works, or hold it near a fan indoors to test the sound.
  • How it ends: listening to it catch its first real gust of wind is the natural payoff — that's the finish line, not the tying.

💡 Parent tip

Let them choose which objects go on it, even the mismatched ones — the resulting sound is more interesting with variety.

What your child develops

  • Acoustics — different metals and sizes produce genuinely different pitches, discoverable by ear
  • Fine motor skill — tying knots securely enough to hold weight
  • Delayed gratification — the chime keeps working and sounding different for days after it's built

Safety notes

  • Sharp objects like old keys can have rough edges — check for sharp points before handing them over. Supervise knot-tying for younger children.

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