Telephone Tubes

We got this idea from a blog but I cannot find the post!  Thank you, blogosphere, for yet another inspiration behind our activities!

[Edit: Just found the link looking for something else! Read it here at Irresistible Ideas for Play-Based Learning)

A few bucks for plastic tubing at the home store, plus a few empty bottles.  What we did:

• cut tubing to desired length (we had to use a saw for all of the cutting in this activity)
• cut off bottom of bottles (you need two bottles per telephone).  If the cut edge of the bottle is sharp, use duct tape to cover the sharp side
• stick tube through the neck of the bottle and secure with duct tape (do this with a bottle on each side)
• leave it in the yard and see who discovers it first

Another rendition of this project, using a longer piece of tube and way more duct tape:

Note: when you buy your tubing, make sure it's flexible.  This one is quite firm and since it came in a roll it was really tricky to get it straight.  Also, if you buy clear tubing it will be that much better for water play for when the kids are done using it as a phone.  (Actually they will probably be done using it as a phone because they discover it's usefulness in water play!)

*Stephanie*