Recycled Can Windchimes

i know i've posted about this before, but ever since visiting Loblolly park at the Museum of Life and Science in NC, i've wanted to create a musical garden. When my husband was building the kids play fort i was envisioning one of the walls to be decorated with pots and pans, wind chimes, bells and metal hubcaps. Anything that the kids can bang, shake and jingle to make a bit of music.

So although i knew this is something i wanted to do, the wall has remained empty. i don't really have an old pots and pans that i'm not using. i've checked the goodwill for old wind chimes, and pots...but just haven't found anything that i thought would work. Then while surfing the web, i came across an idea for Recycled can wind chimes on the Learn2grow site.



These were super easy, and the kids enjoyed helping to make them. We used non-washable acrylic paints, so the rain doesn't wash away the pretty designs. i removed the labels and washed out cans and let the kids decorate them.

To string them, i used a nail and hammer to tap a small hole in the top. You can use twine or fishing line to hang them. i attached metal washers, nuts, and bells...what ever i had on hand to use as the clapper inside the can. Then i tied a knot inside the can to hold it in place and prevent it from sliding all the way down the string.


i really like the color that they add, and noise is pleasant..not too wild. i found a metal moon that came from an old wind chime and added it to the wall as well. i know i have more of these somewhere and will be adding them as soon as i find them.

i'll also be adding more bells and wind chimes etc as i find things, but for now we are enjoying these. We plan to add more cans too, but don't eat canned food too often. So it's taken us a while to gather enough up. This is a great project for almost all ages.