Roll Up a Flute

Why

Imagine the light, sweet sounds of a Chinese Dizi flute! Instead of bamboo, this easy, colorful replica is made with a cardboard roll.

Steps

1. The Dizi flute (also called the Di, D'Tzu, or Zhu Di) is the most popular flute in Asia. It’s made from bamboo, often with silk wound around it to prevent cracking. The sound is made by vibrating rice paper that was soaked in garlic juice.

2. To create your own Dizi replica, use Crayola® Scissors to cut a cardboard roll to flute size. Color your flute with Crayola Gel Markers to look like bamboo. Show the mouthpiece, rice paper hole, and six finger holes, too.

3. Draw rings of bright colors around the flute or tie colored thread in several places. Make a tassel from yarn. Tie it to your flute.

4. Roll Crayola Model Magic into a thin coil. Flatten it with your fingers. Press half of the coil around each end of your flute. Secure it with Crayola School Glue. Air-dry the flute overnight.

5. Hum along to make your own beautiful flute sounds. Better yet, make flutes with your friends for a choir.

Safety Guidelines

Adult supervision is required for any arts & crafts project. Observe children closely and intervene as necessary to prevent potential safety problems and ensure appropriate use of arts and crafts materials. Some craft items, particularly beads and buttons, are potential choking hazards for young children. Avoid use of such small parts with children younger than 3 years. Craft items such as scissors, push pins and chenille sticks may have sharp points or edges. Avoid use of materials with sharp points by children younger than 4 years. Read all manufacturers' safety warnings before using arts and craft supplies.

Crayola Modeling Materials including Crayola Model Magic®, and Model Magic Fusion™, Crayola Air-Dry Clay, and Crayola Dough—

  • Keep away from open flames. Do not use to make candleholders, hot plates, trivets, or other similar objects that will be used or placed near fire and other heat sources.
  • Do not put in an oven, microwave, or kiln.
  • Do not make into vessels/containers that will hold unpackaged food.
  • The use of modeling material to make items that look like food is discouraged for children younger than age 5 to avoid their confusion with real food.
  • Unless sealed with a water-resistant glaze, do not make projects exposed to or immersed in water, such as boats or outdoor bird feeders. They would disintegrate when exposed to moisture.
  • Crayola Dough—contains gluten (wheat flour) as an ingredient.
  • Crayola Air-Dry Clay, Crayola Model Magic and Model Magic Fusion are gluten-free. However, they are produced on the same machinery as Crayola Dough which does contain gluten. Although the machines are cleaned prior to the start of each production run, there is a slight possibility that trace amounts of gluten from Crayola Dough may be present in the other modeling compound products. For information regarding specific ingredients or allergic concerns, please call our Consumer Affairs department at 1-800-272-9652 weekdays between 9 AM and 4 PM Eastern Standard Time.

Recycled Cardboard Tubes—Use paper towel tubes, gift-wrap tubes, or long cardboard tubes that can be cut to any length. Health professionals caution against using recycled toilet paper tubes for arts & crafts projects because of the potential fecal contamination.

Scissors—ATTENTION: The cutting edges of scissors are sharp and care should be taken whenever cutting or handling. Blunt-tip scissors should be used only by children 4 years and older. Pointed-tip scissors should be used only by children 6 years and older.

String-Like Materials—Includes string, raffia, lacing, yarn, ribbon, and other similar material. Children 3 years and younger should not be given any string-like material that is longer than 12 inches. Close adult supervision is essential whenever children use string-like material. When crafts are to be worn around the necks of children 8 years and younger, attach the ends of the “string-like material” with clear adhesive tape, which allows easy release of the bond if the craft becomes entangled or caught on equipment. For children older than 8 years, the ends of the “string-like material” may be tied and knotted.

Related Crafts

Crafts

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Supplies

crayola supplies
  • Gel Markers
  • Model Magic®
  • No-Run School Glue
  • Blunt-Tip Scissors
household supplies
  • yarn
  • thread (optional)
  • recycled gift wrap or paper towel roll

Where & When

"We made a variety of different flutes during crafts. Each one was unique."
Yvelle T., camp counselor.

"After hearing the music in ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,’ we found out more about Chinese music. This was the perfect art activity."
Horatio H., home-school parent.


Interesting Info

Flutes have a very long history in China. Several 9,000-year-old flutes were found in the village of Jiahu in the central Yellow River valley of China.