DIY: Pipe Cleaner Snake Party | Tinkerer Box Blog

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Pipe Cleaner Snake Party

Stem Activities

Ages: 3-5

Less than 30 minutes

Grownup needed

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Get ready for a dance party with colourful pipe cleaner snakes! Twist pipe cleaners into different shapes, place them on a speaker, and watch your little snakes perform their unique "dance" when the music starts!

Materials Needed

Pipe cleaners
Water basin (or any container with sufficient depth)
Plastic bag
Bluetooth speaker

Laid out on a light wood-grained surface are a few items, likely for a craft or science activity. A pale green, shallow rectangular basin sits on the left. In the center is a small bundle of pastel-colored pipe cleaners. To the right, a crumpled piece of bright pink tissue paper lies next to a small, round, silver object with a perforated top, possibly a speaker or diffuser.

Step-by-step tutorial

Step 1

Bend the pipe cleaners into snake shapes as shown. You can make several snakes using different colours.

Two hands manipulate a light blue pipe cleaner against a blurred light wooden background. The fingers gently bend and shape the fuzzy wire, likely demonstrating a crafting technique or the initial steps in making a pipe cleaner creation.

Step 2

Take out the water basin and place the powered-on Bluetooth speaker inside it.

Hands hold a small, round, teal Bluetooth speaker over a pale green plastic basin on a light wood-grain table. The speaker has visible control buttons. The hands appear to be about to place the speaker into the basin, possibly demonstrating its waterproof capabilities or preparing it for an unusual use.

Step 3

Next, place the plastic bag over the water basin.

A small, round, teal Bluetooth speaker sits in the bottom of a pale green plastic basin on a light wood-grain table. The speaker is dry and appears to be ready for use, possibly demonstrating its waterproof nature or being used in an unconventional way.

Step 4

Place your pipe cleaner snakes on top of the plastic bag.

A hand holds a twisted yellow pipe cleaner above a piece of crumpled bright pink tissue paper on a light wooden surface. The hand appears to be about to place or drop the pipe cleaner onto the tissue paper, possibly as part of a craft project or demonstration.

Step 5

Pull the plastic bag taut around the basin.

Several small, twisted pipe cleaners in yellow, purple, light blue, and light green are placed on a stretched piece of bright pink tissue paper. The tissue paper is positioned over a container or opening, and a hand is visible at the bottom left corner, likely manipulating the tissue paper or the setup. This suggests a craft activity or experiment in progress, possibly involving static electricity or the pipe cleaners' interaction with the tissue paper.

Step 6

Start playing music and watch your pipe cleaner snakes dance to the rhythm!

Several colorful pipe cleaners, shaped into spirals and rings, rest on a bright pink surface. The pipe cleaners are yellow, purple, light green, and light blue. They shift slightly, suggesting they might be on a vibrating surface or being gently moved. The video showcases a playful and simple craft project, likely aimed at children.

The Science Behind It:

Why do they wiggle and sway?
When the speaker plays music or produces sound, it creates vibrations in the surrounding air, causing the plastic bag to shake. These vibrations are transferred to the snakes, making them sway! This is a fun way to demonstrate how sound and vibration work together. Sound waves travel through the air, and the vibrations make your snakes appear as if they're really dancing!

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