Boost your tunes and learn some science! We’ll build a DIY phone speaker using common household items. This project is a fantastic way to learn about sound waves, amplification, and the basics of engineering design.

Supplies

• 1 cardboard tube or paper towel roll
• 2 paper cups or plastic cups (test the difference)
• Scissors
• Pencil
• Washi tape (optional to decorate)
• Smartphone

Make a DIY Phone Speaker

Prepare the Tube: Use a pair of scissors to cut a rectangular slit in the center of your paper towel tube. Use the bottom of your phone to trace the opening. This slit should be just large enough to hold your phone securely.

Prepare the Cups: Cut small circular holes in the sides of each cup, big enough for the ends of the tube to fit inside. Trace the end of the cardboard tube on the lower side of each cup to get the right fit. The cups will act as sound amplifiers.

Assemble the Speaker: Insert one end of the tube into the hole in the first cup and the other end into the second cup. Ensure a snug fit, and if needed, use masking or washi tape to secure the tube to the cups.

Test the Sound: Place the base of your phone in the slot on the tube, play some music, and listen! You should notice a significant increase in volume and clarity.

Sound Wave Science

Sound is created when something vibrates. These vibrations move through the air as waves. Think of a wave in the ocean moving up and down — like how sound waves travel, except they move through the air, not water.

When you play music on your smartphone, the speaker creates tiny vibrations that travel through the air in all directions. These sound waves are quite small and spread out quickly, which makes the sound seem quieter.

In this DIY speaker project, we focus on the sound waves by channeling them through paper towel tubes and cups. The tube helps guide the sound waves in one direction instead of letting them spread out. Then, the cups act like amplifiers by bouncing the sound waves inside, making them stronger. As the sound waves bounce and exit the cup, they come out more powerfully, which makes the music sound louder to our ears.

When you listen through your DIY speaker, you hear the sound waves more focused and amplified. This shows how engineers use materials and design to control sound and make it louder or clearer. This kind of science can be found in real speakers, headphones, and even large concert sound systems!

Extension Activities

• Experiment with Different Sizes: Try using larger or smaller cups to see how the size affects sound amplification.
• Add Decorations: Customize the speaker with washi tape, paint, or markers to make it uniquely yours while testing if the decorations affect the sound quality.
• Explore Sound Science: Research different types of speakers and how professional speaker designs utilize similar principles for amplifying sound.

 

Idea taken from the blog LittleBinsforLittleHands

Use dino toys to make fun process art. Use different size dinos, different types, and even different body parts. Let the dinosaurs be your paintbrush.

You can of course use other types of animals. And gladly take the opportunity to scavenge for prints left in the nature around.

The idea has come from the LittleBinsForLittleHands blog

Instructions for adults:

• Print out the sudoku boards and laminate them if you wish.
• Cut the papers in half so that each board is on its own A5 size paper.
• There are three levels of difficulty in the main house sudoku: one star, two stars and three stars.
• Watch the Häärämö YouTube channel to see how handy it is to guide your child to solve sudoku puzzles.

Guide for your child:

• Count how many squares of each colour are on your game board. You need a total of four of each of the four colours.
• For example, if you have three blue squares on your board, how many more do you need to make four blue squares in total? So take one blue Duplo piece.
• Place the Duplo pieces you have taken above the board in the colour order you have chosen, so that one colour is always at the bottom (see picture above). For each Sudoku, you will need 1 to 3 of each colour.

Solve the sudoku:

• Find the row with only one colour missing.
• When you can no longer find rows with only one colour missing, look at the large square (2 x 2 square). Which colour is missing? In addition to the previous solution strategies, take aside the two colours that are missing from the row or the large square. Decide from the horizontal and vertical lines where the colours belong.
• Only put a colour in place if you are sure that it belongs there. If you think a colour can be placed in two different squares on the same row, don’t place it yet.

Sudoku boards: Lego-sudoku Eng (PDF, 117 kB)

Supplies Needed 

• Magnet wand 
• Various metal items like ball bearings, springs & screws 
• Various non-metal items like marbles 
• Paper 
• Plastic tray or box (I used an old 9″ x 13″ food container) 
• Tempera paint. 
• Cups or palette to dip the metal pieces in 
• Spoons to get the painted covered pieces into the tray. 

Magnet Painting How-To 

To begin painting, pour your paint into something deep enough to drop your metal pieces into.  An egg carton works well. Then cut your paper to fit your tray and place a piece inside. Now it’s time to paint! Dip a metal piece in paint and drop it into the tray. Then take the magnet wand and move it around under the plastic tray as this keeps the metal pieces rolling smoothly. 

Time for Experimentation 

One of the best parts of this project is that kids can learn a little science while painting. You can use all metal pieces, or you can throw in some things that the magnet can’t move like glass marbles. Even different metal pieces move differently. 

 

The idea is taken from the blog LeftBrainCraftBrain

A treasure hunt where you hunt with your senses. You smell things, touch and experience your surrounding.

So if you feel like sending the children on a different hunt try Treasure hunt for the five senses (PDF, 98 kB)