Celebrate the Chinese New Year With a Gong
What is a gong? It's a large, hanging percussion instrument that you strike with a stick or a beater for a wonderful, loud resonant sound that will definitely make anyone around you sit up and take notice. In ancient China, it's said that gongs called farmers in from the fields, and some were so loud that they could be heard almost 50 miles away!
Materials
Directions
Find something to use as the large metal dish, such as a disposable metal turkey roaster. If you don't have one, you can try a large disposable metal cake pan or even smaller pie tins. But remember, the larger the pan, the better the sound!
Punch two holes near the top of your metal pan, about two to three inches apart.
Slip a pipe cleaner through each hole and twist the ends together to form a circle. These are the loops you will hang up your gong from.
To decorate your gong, you can add Chinese symbols or stickers, paint, glitter and glue to make your gong unique and special. Let it dry.
To hang up your gong on an easy movable stand, take two chairs and set them two to three feet apart, facing outward. Place the wrapping paper tube across the top of the chair backs. Slip the handles of your gong onto the stick.
Lastly, find a beater to strike the gong, such as a wooden pole. Wrap one side with electrical tape to form the head, which is the side that will strike the gong. Happy Chinese New Year!
Becky Morales is a mom to four bilingual, multicultural, active kids ages five through eight; she and her husband are doing their best to raise them as compassionate world citizens and lifelong learners. She founded Kid World Citizen, where parents and teachers can find global activities to do at home that enrich and expand little minds.