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SHARED By: Stuart Klinger, Music Teacher at Early Learning Foundations Preschool and York Avenue Preschool

The thumb piano or “Kalimba”, is an African instrument that’s played with your thumbs. It is a very old instrument that has been played for thousands of years.

What You’ll Need:

• 1 Small rectangular box (an old iphone or ipod case works perfectly)
• Rubber Bands
• 2 Pens
• 5 Wooden Coffee Stirrers

What You’ll Do:

Remove the top of the box and documentation leaving the plastic piece with the hole in the center. Firmly secure a pen across one end with a rubber band.

Spread five wooden coffee stirrers like a fan and secure one end with a rubber band. Line the stirrers up in size order with the longest in the middle and shorter towards the edges.

Slide the stirrers under the pen and over the top of the box.

Slide the second pen underneath the fan of stirrers. Move into position near the first pen being careful not to break the stirrers. Secure in place with a rubber band. The notes are tuned by moving the stirrers, making the length after the pen shorter or longer. Enjoy making some beautiful music.
You can hear a real Kalimba here: