How To Make Scarves To make your own scarves, visit a fabric store and purchase nylon fabric in the colors you desire. Nylon is the best material because it does not need to be hemmed. It is also light in weight and floats well when you toss it or swing it in the air. Nylon usually comes in rolls 44" - 60" wide. For youngest children between 18" squares and 22" squares work best. 22"- 36" squares work best for children K-3rd grade up to adult. Rectangle shapes also work well. Cut or tear the fabric into squares or rectangles anywhere from 18" to 36". Plan the dimensions to fit the size of the children you are working with and to get the most out of your fabric. For example, with the 60" width, first, tear or cut it down the middle. If the fabric is 2 yards long you will now have two pieces 30" wide x 72" long. If you tear this 30 x 72 rectangular piece into 3rds, you will have 3 pieces 30 x 24. If you tear it in half you will have 2 pieces 30 x 36 Helpful Hints The exact size is not critical. You can fold the fabric in half and/or thirds, or just "eyeball it" and then cut or tear it into pieces. With regular nylon make a small cut with the scissors, and then just tear it. It tears in nice straight lines. Stretch nylon, however, needs to be cut with scissors; it will not tear in a straight line. To purchase nylon fabric for scarves, check out fabric stores near your home or search the internet. Music: Scarves can be used with many Hap Palmer songs. Song: Colors CD: Learning Basic Skills Through Music Colors Used: Red, Blue, Yellow, Green Song: Colors In Motion (Basic) CD: Can Cockatoos Count By Twos? Colors Used: Red, Blue, Yellow, Green, Purple, Orange Song: Colors In Motion (Mixing Colors) CD: Can Cockatoos Count By Twos? Colors Used: Red, Blue, Yellow, Green, Purple, Orange Song: Magic Scarf CD: Can Cockatoos Count By Twos? Colors Used: Any Color Song: Toss It High Let It Fly CD: Can Cockatoos Count By Twos? Colors Used: Any Color Song: Veamos a los colores moverse (Colors In Motion) CD: Divirtámonos aprendiendo con Hap Palmer Colors Used: Red, Blue, Yellow, Green, Purple, Orange The scarves can also be used with creative movement activities using instrumental music from Movin', Seagulls, and Quiet Places, or any other classical, jazz, or world music. How To Make Hoops You can make durable hoops (better than any available commercially) from flexible polyethylene pipe and a coupling (one per circle). These materials are available at hardware stores or plumbing supply houses. 1. Cut the pipe with tin snips, a sharp knife, or a hacksaw. • Four feet of pipe makes a circle approximately 15 inches in diameter. • Six feet of pipe makes a circle approximately 23 inches in diameter. • Eight feet of pipe makes a circle approximately 30 inches in diameter. 2. Form the circle by joining the ends of the pipe with a coupling. Helpful Hints Dipping the ends of the pipe in warm water may help the coupling slip in more easily. For small circles, use a hacksaw to saw 1/2 inch of each end of the coupling. Music: Hoops can be used with many Hap Palmer songs. Song: The Circle CD: Getting To Know Myself Song: The Circle Game CD: Getting To Know Myself Song: Muddy Water Puddle CD: Sally The Swinging Snake Song: On The Count Of Five CD: Sally The Swinging Snake Song: Stepping Out On The Town CD: Can A Cherry Pie Wave Goodbye? Hoops can also be used for creative movement activities using your favorite classical, jazz, or world music. How To Make Rhythm Instruments These homemade instruments are inexpensive and easy to make. They also have a softer sound than commercially made rhythm instruments, which makes it possible for all children to play and still hear the music. Bolt - Use a large eyebolt. Loop a shoelace or piece of string through the eye of the bolt so it can hang freely. Strike the bolt with a metal spoon handle for a beautiful ringing sound much like the sound from a triangle or chime. Tambourine - For this instrument you need only two bottle caps and a piece of wood approximately 1/2" square by 6" long. Punch a hole in the center of each bottle cap. This can be done with a medium size nail. Attach the cap to a slender piece of wood using a smaller nail so the cap can ring freely. Shaker - Drop dried peas, beans, or rice inside a recycled household container such as a plastic jar, soda or juice can, or a bandage can. Wood Block - This block has a surprisingly pleasing, resonant sound. It is made from scraps of 1/4" plywood and 3/4" square pine. Glue three pieces of 3/4" square pine on top of one piece of 1/4" plywood so that each piece runs along an edge. Leave one edge open. Then glue a second piece of plywood on top to form a hollow block. Use good- quality wood glue. Put the block under weight (books, a rock, etc.) or pressure (rubber bands, a C-clamp) and allow to dry overnight. Sticks - Cut hardwood dowels of any thickness into one foot lengths. Bells - String jingle bells on a piece of string or yarn and tie it into a loop. You can design your own instruments using materials you have on hand. Making Bean Bags Here's a way to use those old socks with lost mates. Select socks with no holes in the toes and you can make inexpensive bean bags. This is all you need: • Old socks • Dry rice or beans. • Measuring cup or serving spoon • White glue (optional) • Color marking pens (optional) Instructions: 1. Using a measuring cup, pour 3/4 to 1-1/2 cups of rice or beans in to the sock. or Spoon 10 - 18 level serving spoons of rice or beans into a sock. (A 10 pound bag of rice will make 12 - 20 bean bags.) You can experiment with different size socks and pour the amount of rice or beans you need to make the size bag you prefer. 2. Shake the rice or beans down to the toe of the sock, and tie a knot working it down snug against the rice or beans as you tighten the knot.* 3. Cut the sock approximately 1 inch above the knot 4. For extra protection, run a little white glue along the cracks in the knot and at the top end of the knot to prevent fraying. 5. If you choose, use various colors of marking pens to decorate your bean bag with pictures, designs or patterns. * If you are handy with a needle and thread or a sewing machine, you can cut the sock 1" - 2" above the rice or beans, and fold the edge and sew a seam to seal the bag. You can also fold the edge and seal it with white glue. Music: Bean bags can be used with many Hap Palmer songs. Song: The Bean Bag CD: Can A Jumbo Jet Sing The Alphabet? Song: Bean Bag Alphabet Rag CD: Can A Cherry Pie Wave Goodbye? Song: What Could A Bean Bag Be? CD: Can A Jumbo Jet Sing The Alphabet? Song: Bean Bag Shake CD: Rhythms On Parade Song: Sharing The Bean Bag CD: Can A Jumbo Jet Sing The Alphab