Project: Milk Jug Skeleton

Meet Mr. Bones! He was our special guest at my Preschool Co-op today. The kids got to find his already assembled arms and legs to help put him back together while learning the song "Dem Bones". Great activity for little ones! I found some instructions off ehow.com and modified them a bit. Start saving your old Milk Jugs!

Materials:

• 6 clean plastic gallon jugs
• String (I used Fishing Line)
• Scissors
• Glue gun
• Hole Punch

Head (First jug):

Turn the first jug upside down. In the corner opposite the handle, cut out a large smiling mouth centered under the eyes. Make two small slits in the top of the head and tie a loop of string through them for hanging the finished skeleton.

Chest (Second jug):

Cut a vertical slit down the center of a right side up jug, directly opposite the handle. Cut and trim away plastic to make the rib cage. Glue the head and chest together at the neck by connecting he spouts of the two jugs with a thick band of hot glue. Hold the jugs together for a few minutes until the glue cools.

Shoulders (Third and Fourth jug):

Cut of two jug handles (leaving a small collar on the ends) and attach them to the chest section with hot glue. Punch a hole at one end of each shoulder.

Hips (Third jug):

Cut all the way around a jug, about 4 1/2 inches up from the bottom. Take the bottom piece and trim away a small smile shape from each side to make a four-cornered shape. Punch holes in the front two corners.

Waist (Third and Fourth jug):

Cut out two spouts, leaving a 1/2 inch collar on each. Glue the spouts together and let dry. Hot glue the waist to the bottom of the chest section and to the top of the hip section.

Arms and Legs (Fourth and Fifth jug):

Cut eight long bone shapes (ovals) from two jugs. I was able to get 4 ovals from one jug, starting from the top down to the bottom. From four of the 8 bones, cut out the center to make lower limbs (forearms and shins). Punch a hole through the ends of all eight bones. Use string to tie two arm sections to each shoulder and two leg sections to each hip.

Hands and Feet (Sixth jug):

 Let kids trace their hands and feet onto the side of a jug, then cut out the shapes. Punch holes in the hands and feet, and tie them onto the arms and legs.

*For this particular Preschool activity I assembled everything the night before, but didn't tie on the arms and legs. The kids got to go on a hunt to help Mr. Bones find his bones!*