Craft Idea: Make Musical Instruments

For Toddlers and Preschoolers:

MARACAS

Make your own maracas to shake and dance to!

Materials:

• 2 empty yogurt cups, plastic cups, or Styrofoam cups
• Dried beans or dried peas
• Duct tape
• Wrapping paper
• Clear tape
• Decorations: paint, stickers, glitter, ribbons, and more 

Instructions:

1. Put a small handful of beans in one cup. 
2. Place the second cup on top, upside down, so the two openings meet.
3. Use duct tape to firmly secure the seam where the two cups meet.
4. Have fun decorating! Toddlers can choose colorful paper to wrap around their maracas; secure the paper with clear tape. For more fun, they can add stickers, paint polka-dots, tie ribbons around it, spread with glue and sprinkle with glitter, or do anything they wish.
5. Shake, shake, shake!  Dance, dance, dance!

For Grade-Schoolers:

DRUM SET

Create a complete drum set with drumsticks out of everyday household items!

Materials:

• An assortment of empty containers of different sizes: dry oatmeal containers, tin cans with rough edges smoothed, Tupperware containers, large-size clean cottage cheese or deli salad containers, clean paint cans, etc.
  
• 2 pencils, chopsticks or other wooden sticks or dowels, 8 to 10 inches long
• Wine-bottle cork
• Small, sharp kitchen or utility knife
• Yarn or colorful string
• Glue
• Paint, colorful paper, and other decorations

Instructions:

For the drums

1. Put lids on  the containers, and stand them lid side up. Place containers without lids (like tin cans) with the open side down.
2. Decorate! Paint the containers, wrap them in colorful paper, or use whatever decorations you have. Be sure to leave the tops clear for drumming!

For the drumsticks

1. Use the sharp knife to cut the cork in half. Then cut a tiny hole in each half, large enough for the chopstick or wooden dowel to stick into the cork less than 1/4 inch.
2. Put a drop of glue in the hole, and insert the chopstick or dowel firmly. Let it dry.
3. When the glue has dried, and the cork is snug on the stick, tie one end of the yarn below the cork. Wind the yarn around and around the cork, always at a different angle, so you create a ball of yarn, and can no longer see the cork.
4. When you are finished winding, cut the yarn and tie it off below the ball, where you tied it at the beginning.
5. Group the drums together, and discover the different sound each container makes when the drumsticks strike it.

For Older Grandchildren:

WATER GLASS XYLOPHONE

A new twist on an old favorite!

Materials:

• 6 to 8 water glasses, preferably the same type and size (pint glasses or those in a similar size because they are large and sturdy)
• Food coloring
• Tap water and water pitcher
• Light wooden or plastic kitchen spoon (Not metal: It might break the glass.)

Instructions:

1. Set the glasses in a straight line.
2. Fill the pitcher with tap water.
3. Pour water into each glass. The first glass should be almost empty and the last glass should be almost full. The middle glasses should be filled with increasing amounts.
4. Add drops of food coloring to each glass. Choose different colors, or select one color and have it progress from dark to light (as in the photo). Add about 12 drops to make a very dark color and just 2 drops for a very light one. Don’t be afraid to mix colors. Remember, blue and red make purple, red and yellow make orange, and yellow and blue make green.
5. Now play the xylophone. When you gently tap the glasses, each one will produce a different musical note. Tap each at once to play a song, or glide over the tops for a lovely harp-like sound!

For more crafty fun, try out our bird crafts, outdoor science projects, and creative party themes!