DIY Magical Key Wind Chimes for Outdoor Play

Recently we came across several old redundant keys which had been hidden away in various drawers. I hadn't the heart to throw them away, so we decided to create a musical hanging with them for the garden.

Minnie threaded each key onto a long length of garden string & secured the ends together. We made sure each loop of string was roughly the same length so the keys would be able to chime together.

We hung the keys in our Butterfly Garden where Minnie found an old ivy branch which was an ideal length for all the keys to slide along, & just the right height for her to reach.

She loved sweeping her hand through the keys & listening to the dainty sound as they mingled together.
Here are our wind chimes in action...

Not only did these old keys produce a gentle musical sound as they danced together in the breeze, they also encouraged creativity & imagination. We began to think about who the keys may have belonged to, & the things they may have opened, e.g. I wonder if this could be the key to the Three Bears House, or Little Red Riding Hood's house, or perhaps it opens a pirate's treasure chest. Maybe it's a key to a castle, or a secret garden, or perhaps someone is searching for it & it's magic!

As we pondered & wondered where the keys had come from Minnie was able to recall familiar fairy tales, & creatively explore new scenarios & situations. She is still wondering where all the keys came from, & I love the fact that she's still exploring all possibilities! :-)

These wind chimes could help encourage; hand-eye co-ordination, manipulation of small objects, threading (the holes in keys are generally large so are great for encouraging threading with little ones), exploration of sound & pitch, weather & its effects, recycling, care for the environment, imagination, & story telling.