With music festivals like Fête de la Musique on June 21 approaching, engage your kids by crafting their own instruments from recycled household items. As a kindergarten teacher with years of hands-on experience, I've guided countless children through these projects with great success.
Children thrive on active participation over passive listening. If you have some time and basic materials, these simple instructions will create instruments that sound surprisingly good.
You'll need: a cardboard tube, nails, cardboard, seeds (such as rice or lentils), tape, glue, scissors, and a hammer.
Hammer nails all around the inside of the tube. Seal one end with cardboard, add the seeds, then close the other end. Decorate the tube with colorful designs and gently tilt it side to side for a soothing rain-like sound.
You'll need: yogurt pots (plastic cups work well) and seeds (rice, lentils, or pasta), plus adhesive or glue.
Fill one pot with seeds, then glue it to an empty second pot to seal. Decorate them and shake for varied percussion sounds depending on the filling.
You'll need: a cylindrical cardboard container (bottom removed), a balloon (cut off the inflatable end), and strong adhesive tape.
Stretch the balloon tightly over one end of the container and secure with tape. Decorate the drum. Strike the balloon surface like a djembe drum, or use wooden sticks for different tones.
Kids adore the tinkering process, and these instruments produce delightful sounds. Share your favorite easy DIY instruments in the comments!
