tuna can bean bag juggler

Time required: 15 minutes
Skills needed: screwing
Materials needed:

• one piece of scrap wood- 1" x 2", about a foot long
• 2 empty, cleaned tuna cans
• 2 short screws (or you could use nails if you have very short ones with a big head)
• screwdriver
• one homemade beanbag or small ball

Instructions:

1. Using an awl or a hammer and nail, make a small hole in the center of each of the cans. Now make a similar starter hole in each of the boards, about an inch from the end.

2. Screw the screw through the hole in the can and into the board.

3. Enjoy!

How to play:
Put the bean bag in one of the cans and then throw it into the air. While the beanbag is midair, try to flip the stick over so you can catch it in the other can. Repeat!

aluminum can telephones

Time needed: 10 minutes
Skill needed: hammer
materials needed:

• string
• 2 aluminum cans
• hammer
• nail

This is a classic! I think every American kid for the past 4 generations has made one of these can telephones. The amazing thing is, they actually kind of work (as long as you hold the string tight)! (Although it doesn't make much of a difference if my kids are yelling into it anyway!)

Instructions:

1. wash out the cans.
2. Using the hammer and nail, poke a hole in the center top of each can.
3. poke the string through the top of the hole and tie a knot.
4. repeat on the other side.
   
5. play telephone!
   

Aluminum can stilts

Time needed: 15 minutes
Skills needed: hammering
Materials needed:

• 2 clean cans
• scissors
• string
• hammer 
• nail

This is a classic. Aluminum can stilts. So classic, they were once tin can stilts. start with 2 large cans. Since these are for my preschooler, I didn't use the really big number 10 cans, but I used some canned peach cans. Using a hammer and nail, poke a hole on each side of each can near the top. Loop strings through the holes and tie the string in a knot.
Make sure each string is the same length. Then, let them enjoy it! My daughter loved these stilts!