5.

Create a garden wind chime

Wind chimes can be made from all sorts of gathered items – keys,
beads and even spoons – but this wooden stick version is a bit more
neighbour- and nature-friendly. It’s easy to make your own garden wind
chime and you can paint it any colour you like.

Prep 2-3 hours + drying time

You will need

 5 sticks of various lengths and thicknesses

 1 long stick for your hanger
 sandpaper
 newspaper, for your table
 acrylic paint
 paintbrush
 twine, string or wool

Method

1. Once you’ve had fun gathering your sticks, begin by removing any
loose bark and sanding all your sticks in a well-ventilated area, to
get rid of any rough edges and splinters. Younger kids will need the
 help of an adult for this part.
 
2. Paint all your chime sticks white, leaving the long stick for the
hanger un-painted. This undercoat will make your wind chimes bright
and colourful. Allow to dry.
 
3. Paint each chime stick in a different vibrant colour – you may
need to do more than one coat. Allow to dry between each layer of
paint.
 
4. Tightly tie a loop of twine around the top of each chime stick and
secure with a double knot.
 
5. Tightly tie the string of each chime to your hanger at regular
intervals and secure with a double knot. Finish by tying another
length of string to either end, ready for hanging.