Recycled Kids Crafts: Make a Chinese Abacus
LANGUAGE: English
LEVEL: Pre-K +
TIME: Less than 30 Minutes
DIFICULTY LEVEL: Easy
CLEANUP: Easy
RECYCLING: YesSometimes we might use materials and tools that require adult supervision for small children. In this project this material is a Hot glue. It is preferred that this particular project be done by an adult rather than a child because of it’s level of difficulty and the materials involved. If the project is done with a child, the child can help with small tasks such as putting in the beads inside the sticks.
MATERIALS
- - 12 recycled Popsicle sticks
- - 7 recycled skewer sticks
- - Hot Glue Gun
- - 65 beads for lower abacus (5 beads on each stick)
- - 26 beads for upper abacus (2 beads on each stick)
- - Pliers
STEP(S):
- First cut the skewer sticks in half
- When you are done you should have 14 of them, but we will only use 13.
- Next Clip one end of each Popsicle stick. You should have 12 Popsicle sticks total.
- Now we will flush two Popsicle sticks against each other forming a large unit.
- Glue each end and attach.
- The following I call the locked-in process:
- Cover one side of the Popsicle sticks with glue.
- Attach all 13 skewer sticks to the large Popsicle stick uniformly.
- Add glue on top of the base where the Popsicle sticks and the skewers unite forming a lock around the skewers.
- Now Attach two Popsicle sticks on top of the base.
- Add 5 beads per row of skewer sticks.
- Repeat the locked-in process we used while forming the base of the abacus.
- Now add 2 beads per each row.
- Repeat the locked-in process we used while forming the base to complete abacus.
CATEGORIES:
Popsicle Sticks, Recycling, Gifts To Give, Handmade Toys, Games, Functional, Easy, All Arts And Crafts, Children Projects, crafts
CREDITS
PHOTO BY www.simplekidscrafts.com
TEXT BY www.simplekidscrafts.com
VIDEO BY www.simplekidscrafts.com
Adult supervision is always required when making crafts with children. Click here to view security tips when making crafts with children.
