How to Make an African Drum
Gather your supplies., Glue the cups together., Cover the cups in masking tape., Add shoe polish.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Gather your supplies.
You can make a simple African drum using disposable cups.
This is an easy and non-messy activity that is great for very young children.
First, you'll need to gather the necessary supplies.
You'll need Styrofoam, paper, or plastic drinking cups.
You can wash used disposable drinking cups and use them for crafts.You will also need glue, masking tape, shoe polish, a paint brush, rags, and permanent markers. -
Step 2: Glue the cups together.
The first step is to glue the cups together.
Apply a generous amount of glue to the bottom of each cup.
Stick the bottoms together, hold until secure, and then let dry.If you're doing this activity with kids, they should be able to manage this step on their own.
However, if you're working with a large group of children it may be easier to prepare the cups yourself ahead of time.
Young kids especially may be impatient waiting for their cups to dry and want to hurry into to the decorating process., Once you have the cups prepared, cover them in masking tape.
This creates a surface on which children can color and decorate the cups.
Use strips of masking tape 4 to 5 inches in length.
If you're doing this activity with kids, you can allow them to tear off their own masking tape.Coat the drum in small strips of masking tape, overlapping as needed so the whole drum is covered in a layer of tape., Now, you'll add the shoe polish.
This will give your project a color similar to a traditional African drum.
Use your paintbrush to brush a layer of shoe polish over the masking tape.
Then, take a clean rag and wipe off excess polish.
Allow the drums to sit until they're dry to the touch before use.If you're working with kids, use your judgement regarding shoe polish.
If you feel your kids are old enough to handle applying it on their own, allow them to do so with supervision.
Very young children, however, may make a mess when using shoe polish.
If you decide to let your kids apply the polish alone, have them wear old clothing or provide them with smocks.
Shoe polish can smear easily. -
Step 3: Cover the cups in masking tape.
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Step 4: Add shoe polish.
Detailed Guide
You can make a simple African drum using disposable cups.
This is an easy and non-messy activity that is great for very young children.
First, you'll need to gather the necessary supplies.
You'll need Styrofoam, paper, or plastic drinking cups.
You can wash used disposable drinking cups and use them for crafts.You will also need glue, masking tape, shoe polish, a paint brush, rags, and permanent markers.
The first step is to glue the cups together.
Apply a generous amount of glue to the bottom of each cup.
Stick the bottoms together, hold until secure, and then let dry.If you're doing this activity with kids, they should be able to manage this step on their own.
However, if you're working with a large group of children it may be easier to prepare the cups yourself ahead of time.
Young kids especially may be impatient waiting for their cups to dry and want to hurry into to the decorating process., Once you have the cups prepared, cover them in masking tape.
This creates a surface on which children can color and decorate the cups.
Use strips of masking tape 4 to 5 inches in length.
If you're doing this activity with kids, you can allow them to tear off their own masking tape.Coat the drum in small strips of masking tape, overlapping as needed so the whole drum is covered in a layer of tape., Now, you'll add the shoe polish.
This will give your project a color similar to a traditional African drum.
Use your paintbrush to brush a layer of shoe polish over the masking tape.
Then, take a clean rag and wipe off excess polish.
Allow the drums to sit until they're dry to the touch before use.If you're working with kids, use your judgement regarding shoe polish.
If you feel your kids are old enough to handle applying it on their own, allow them to do so with supervision.
Very young children, however, may make a mess when using shoe polish.
If you decide to let your kids apply the polish alone, have them wear old clothing or provide them with smocks.
Shoe polish can smear easily.
About the Author
Brenda Sanchez
Writer and educator with a focus on practical hobbies knowledge.
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