We made some music with our latest science & art box from affiliate Appleseed Lane! Here are some ideas of how you could do similar projects at home.


By the way, it's Pi Day (3.14), so Appleseed Lane is offering all you science fans 30% off your first box with the code PIDAY — enjoy through March 16! These experiment & craft projects are perfect for natural learning at home.

The projects awaiting us!

Checking out the supplies. We got the optional sibling add-on with our subscription so both kids can (peaceably) share, but Alrik was taking his nap, so we'll do his later.

Straw kazoo — a little tricky to learn, but intriguing, and a possibility for passing the time at a restaurant if you have little scissors around (like on a keychain!). Take a drinking straw and flatten the first inch, then cut into a V. Blow through the top until it vibrates. You can cut off portions of the length to alter the sound.

Sam and I were impressed with this craft stick kazoo. I know there are a lot of kazoo variations out there, but this one was really fun, with varying sounds. You need two craft sticks — wrap a thick rubber band around one, and slide a one-inch straw piece underneath one end.

Put another straw piece on top of the rubber band on the other end, and then secure a second craft stick on top with rubber bands wrapped around both ends to hold the straws pretty flat. Then just blow!

You can push down on the craft sticks to vary the tones, and you can feel the rubber band vibrate away.

This is an easy one to pull off at home: Make your own guitar from a box and rubber bands! Small dowels under the rubber bands at the edge help keep the bands off the box.

All the supplies, including the tape for the dowels, was included for us! I should mention that a generous selection of markers was also in this month's box, the better to decorate all the instruments — which Mikko declined. He pretty much always declines all the crafts, making me glad the boxes are always geared more toward the science, with the art optional. Alrik enjoys both, though!

Threading an ingenious little tambourine. You'd need a hexagonal box lid of some sort to replicate it precisely (Appleseed Lane is remarkable at sourcing supplies!), but a round one would work as well, or even a rectangle in a pinch.

String jingle bells onto a thin lacing cord that's threaded in and out of holes punched around the outside of the hexagon.

Good practice for motor coordination! The bells end up on the outside, and the cord is tied together at the end. Once done, you can shake and shimmy!

What I was most excited about: string telephone! I'd been meaning to do this childhood favorite with Mikko for quite some time — glad they made it easy for me!

I love that the illustrated instructions in Appleseed Lane boxes are easy to follow, with a simple explanation of the science included along with further exploration and discussion ideas.

Poke a hole in a cup with a toothpick or fork tine. Thread embroidery floss or other string through, and secure on the inside of the cup, as with a big knot or a paperclip.

Stretch tight …

… and wait for a call!

Remember, enjoy 30% off your first box with the code PIDAY through March 16! These experiment & craft projects are perfect for natural learning at home. My kids look forward to each month's experiments! I love that all the materials are included — makes it so easy to just unpack and get to playing and learning.

To see more examples, you can read my review of the Halloween box here, follow the clues with our Mystery box, and watch our video of Electricity. If you use the coupon and order by March 16, you'll be signed up for April's Earth Day box!