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Do you wish you could have your very own phone? All you have to do is follow these steps to learn how to make your own tin can and string (or cup and string ) telephone. This craft also makes for a good science project to learn about how sound travels.

1

Gather your materials.

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  1. If you don't have cans or you don't want to work with them, you can also use cups (preferably plastic),such as the ones shown here. Plastic is a little easier to work with than metal. Styrofoam cups do not work well because they are soft and spongy and absorb sound instead of transmitting it. In a pinch, you can use disposable paper cups, but plastic and metal take more wear-and-tear. [1]
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2

Create holes for the string.

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  1. Watermark wikiHow to Make a Play Telephone
    You might need your parents or teacher to help with this. You can make the hole with a drill , hammer and a nail, or some other sharp, pointed tool. If you are using plastic cups, you can probably just poke a hole with a push pin or any other sharp point. Make the holes only large enough to put the string through and no larger. [2]
3

Put the string through the hole.

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  1. Watermark wikiHow to Make a Play Telephone
    It might help to push the string through with the end of a paper clip or thread it through with a bit of wire. [3]
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4

Tie a knot.

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  1. Watermark wikiHow to Make a Play Telephone
    Tie a knot in the end of the string that is inside the cup. When you're done, pull the string tight so the knot rests in the bottom of the can. You can tie the string around a little piece of a toothpick if you can't get it to stay with just a knot. [4]
5

Repeat for the other end.

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  1. Watermark wikiHow to Make a Play Telephone
    Tie a knot, as before, and pull the string tight.
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6

Get a partner.

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  1. Watermark wikiHow to Make a Play Telephone
    [5]
7

Start using your telephone.

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  1. Watermark wikiHow to Make a Play Telephone
    Make the string as tight as you can. If you've made it correctly, you should hear your friend speak, even if it is a long piece of string. Then, talk while your friend listens. [6]
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Community Q&A

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  • Question
    What can I do if I do not hear it?
    Community Answer
    Pull the string tighter. Often, we can't hear the sound because the string is too loose.
  • Question
    We used a piece of yarn and two tin cans, why isn't it working?
    Community Answer
    Yarn has a lot of loose threads that works as a vibration dampener. A taut string will carry the vibration much more cleanly.
  • Question
    Does the size of the cup matter?
    Community Answer
    Nope, cups of any size should work equally well.
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      Warnings

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      Things You'll Need

      • Piece of string
      • 2 clean food (soup) cans (empty) or cups.
      • Tool for creating holes

      About This Article

      Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 550,972 times.

      Reader Success Stories

      • Alexa Franco

        Nov 29, 2017

        "This article had great tips such as making the string tighter. When I tried this, it worked great! The article was ..." more
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