Make Stringed Phone to Teach Auditory Learners

I recently shared with you characteristics of an auditory learner and ways to effectively teach them God’s word (View it here).  I thought we’d have some fun and make some stringed phones for you to try with your class.  Tin cans look cool, but paper ones work best (and are easier) so that’s what I will do here.

Step 1:  You will need your supplies.  It’s just 2 paper cups and string (as long as you’d like).  Oh, and something to poke a hole in each cup.  I used a pencil tip but something a little smaller may be better.

Step 2:  Poke a small hole, just large enough to put your string through, in the bottom center of each cup.

Step 3:  Push string through the bottom of one cup, tying a knot on the string inside the cup.  This will prevent kids from being able to pull the string out when tightening to talk.

Step 4:  Repeat with the other end of the string on the second cup and you’re done!  You’ve got a stringed phone.

Once you make a set, how do you use it to teach?  Good question!  As kids arrive to bible class, let them pair up with a set of stringed phones.  They can talk to their partner about anything!  This is just a fun warm up.  If they need prompting, list some questions they can ask each other and answer, a getting to know you time.  Or, you may write questions out on a bunch of cards and hand each person a set as they arrive.  They simply select a card and ask that question.  Examples:

• What’s your favorite animal, ice cream, drink, holiday…
• What’s food do you hate the most?
• Who’s your favorite person in the bible?

Now for the lesson, the heart of the class where you share God’s word and pray that it sticks with them throughout their lives.  Enthusiastically tell the bible story asking plenty of questions as you go.  Now that they have heard the lesson, it’s time to reinforce it!  The kids should be in pairs (if you have an odd number, the teacher participates too).

1. Ask a question about the lesson.  Keep questions short enough for kids to repeat.
2. One person from each pair repeats the question in the can.
3. The person listening now gives the answer.  If the do not know it they say, “I don’t know, do you?” Now the first person gets a chance to answer back.
4. After kids are done, the teacher gives the correct answer.
5. Repeat asking another question alternating who asks the question into the can.

Trust me.  The kids will have a blast and learn so much!

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