By Christy | the Practicing Pro
www.ScotiaSuzuki.org
Make an easy BOX KITE - to celebrate summer music practicing
The end of summer is coming and the frequency of music practicing is DOWN. When you know that listening and reviewing is SO IMPORTANT, this can definitely be frustrating. You want to return to lessons excited and feeling ready to "learn" instead of "ready to get the rusties out", right??!!
Let me help make it much easier for your practicing child or for all of your students.
I can’t wait to give you my high-flying review practicing kite, and I can’t wait for you to give it a try!
LINK HERE for free practice Kite activity
When you finish your practice kite, you can purchase a kite to celebrate OR make this easy BOX KITE that I am going to show you step by step how to make today!
It's so easy and this is all you need:
1) 4 - 3/8" or 1/4" dowels that are 4 feet long
2) bendy straws
3) plastic garbage bag or anything similar like a plastic table cloth
4) dental floss
5) string to fly your kite with
6) scissors, ruler, tape, or glue gun
That's it!!! I'll walk you through how to make it right here STEP by STEP! You will be such a FUN practicing parent or teacher AND your musician will be asking YOU to practice to finish up the summer!
You've got this!
Directions:
1. Gather all of your supplies
2. Measure out and mark your dowels into 1-foot lengths with a pencil.
3. Roll scissors around the dowel at the place you want to break the dowel and snap it there.
4. You want 4 pieces that are 2 feet long and 8 pieces that are 1 foot long.
5. Mark the centre at 6 inches on the shorter pieces.
6. Hot glue them in an “X”.
7. With a piece of floss about a foot long, wrap where the two dowels meet over and under to secure. Repeat these steps three more times so you end up with four “X’s”.
8. Cut the bendy end of the straws to have a piece sticking out 1-2 inches on either side of each joint. You should have 16 pieces total.
9. Glue or tape one straw piece onto the dowel ends on all four crosses.
10. Lay one “X” flat on the table and insert the four 2 -foot dowels into each straw end.
11. Glue or tape each dowel in place and then add a second “X” onto the top, again inserting the ends of the dowels into the pieces of straw. Glue or tape to secure.
12. Add the remaining two “X’s” in the centre, 8 inches from each end. You can tape this on to hold it in place (or put a spot of glue) and then TIE with a piece of dental floss. For this step you want the straw to flatten when you tie them - that means it’s tight enough!
See photo for reference.
13. Cut a plastic bag or table cloth into a long 8-inch wide strip. Tape or hot glue it to the dowl at the ends of the kite and wrap it around. Tape or glue to secure.
14. Add a string to the middle of either end and tie these strings together in a knot.. Then tie on a“flying” string in a loop around this knot so that it can slide.
15 You’re done! Now go have fun flying your NEW BOX KITE!
I have done this challenge with my whole Suzuki school to wrap up the summer. THIS IS A GREAT SCHOOL OR STUDIO CHALLENGE! It’s both easy and fun.
Here is Tristan with his Practicing kite that he is SO Proud of how “long he made it!
Coen and Brin made practice kites using their own materials.
Check out my Free PDF download Checklist for a Successful Music Practice for teachers and practicing parents.
Your easy checklist for successful home music practices from Christy, the practicing pro. Whether you are a new or seasoned practice parent or music teacher, this checklist will help you organize before, during, and after practices for effective and fun practices.
INVITATION from Christy Hodder:
Speaking of amazing practices, let me tell you all about the digital course, the Practicing Pro Academy. This is for the serious practicing parents and music teachers and is an at-your-own-pace, step-by-step, online course to bring you more effective, positive, and fun home music practices. Registrants receive a special package in the mail from me, and I am with you in person with Q&As to answer all your questions.
Learn more about PPA and join the waitlist HERE for the next Practicing Pro Academy course. It's only offered once a year so you don't want to miss it. The registration will only open for a few weeks and I'll let everyone on the waitlist know immediately so that you can grab one of the spots.
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