Homemade instruments for kids

Safety first

A grown-up should stay close the whole time and do every taping, stretching and checking step. Dry beans, rice, bottle caps and small pieces are choking hazards, so keep them away from children under three and from younger brothers and sisters nearby. Seal every filled container with strong tape and check it before each play. Keep the volume low, because loud sounds can hurt ears, and never bang an instrument near anyone's head. Rubber bands can snap, so protect everyone's eyes. Use plastic, never glass. Wash hands when you finish. Age hints are only a guide, so you know your child best.

1. Bottle shaker

Age hint: 4 and up, and never with children under 3 nearby.

Gather: a small, clean, dry plastic bottle with a cap, a handful of large dry beans (big enough that they cannot be swallowed whole or fit in a small child's mouth, and never rice or tiny seeds), and strong tape. The beans are for shaking only and are never eaten. Wash and dry the bottle well, and never use one that held cleaning products or medicine.

1. Grown-up step: add a small handful of large dry beans. Too many will stop them moving freely.
2. Grown-up step: screw the cap on tightly and wind strong tape around it several times so it cannot come off.
3. Shake slowly, then faster, then very softly.
4. Try a second bottle with a different filling and compare the two sounds.

Notice: Which filling made the softer sound, and which one sounded sharper?

2. Rubber-band box guitar

Age hint: 6 and up with a grown-up.

Gather: a sturdy, empty tissue or shoe box, and three or four wide rubber bands in different thicknesses.

1. Grown-up step: stretch the wide bands around the box, over the opening, so they sit apart from each other. A child should never stretch a band.
2. Eye safety: keep faces to the side and away from the bands. Bands can snap, so never pull one up towards anyone's face, and do not use thin or old bands.
3. Pluck gently with one fingertip, close to the box, not high above it.
4. Listen to how each band sounds, then press the box lightly to change the sound.

Notice: Did the thicker band sound higher or lower than the thin one?

3. Cardboard tube drum

Age hint: 3 and up.

Gather: a long cardboard tube or a clean, empty oatmeal-style carton with a lid, wooden spoons wrapped in cloth, and a folded towel.

1. Sit on the floor and rest the tube on the towel, so the sound stays soft.
2. Tap the end with your palms, then with the padded beaters.
3. Tap the side of the tube and compare it with the end.
4. Play a slow pattern and a fast one, and pause between them.

Notice: Where on the drum did you find the deepest sound?

4. Spoon and pan percussion corner

Age hint: 3 and up with a grown-up.

Gather: a clean saucepan or two, a plastic bowl, a wooden spoon, and a rug to sit on. Keep the pans on the floor, never held.

1. Set up a play corner away from sleeping babies and from anyone's ears.
2. Agree on volume rules: tap with the soft side, count to three before you hit, and stop when a grown-up raises a hand.
3. Take turns being the player and the listener.
4. Try tapping the pan with a spoon, then a bowl, and then on a folded cloth.

Notice: Which object gave a ringing sound, and which gave a short thud?

5. Water-glass tuning game

Age hint: 4 and up.

Gather: five identical plastic cups only, never glass, a jug of water, and a spoon with a soft tip.

1. Line up the cups and put a different amount of water in each.
2. Tap each cup gently on the side with the spoon, one at a time.
3. Listen and arrange the cups from lowest to highest sound.
4. Add or pour out some water to make two cups match.

Notice: What happens to the sound when there is more water in the cup?

6. Stomp, clap and tap body rhythm game

Age hint: 4 and up.

Gather: just you, and a soft rug.

1. Choose three moves, such as a gentle stomp, a clap and a tap on your knees.
2. Make a pattern of three moves and say it out loud while you do it.
3. Let your partner copy the pattern, then change it by one move.
4. Swap leaders and add a fourth move once it feels easy.

Notice: Which pattern was easiest to copy, and which one fooled you?

More to do on Rangooo

Play some quiet listening games, get moving with sound and movement games, make more things from household items with recycled crafts for kids, try easy science activities, browse more stories and activities, or see resources for teachers.

Questions

What age are homemade instruments suitable for?

Most of these ideas suit ages three to eight with a grown-up close by. The tube drum works well for the youngest children, the body rhythm game and water-glass tuning suit ages four and up, while the box guitar is best for ages six and up.

How do we keep homemade instruments quiet?

Use soft hands or a padded beater, play on a rug or folded towel, and agree on a quiet-sound rule before you start. Loud sounds can hurt little ears, so keep instruments away from anyone's head.

Is the bottle shaker safe for toddlers?

Not for children under three. Beans, rice and small caps are choking hazards, so a grown-up must tape the cap shut firmly and check it before each play. Stop using it if the tape or bottle cracks.

Do we need to read music or know a song?

No. These are sound-making and listening games, so you only need to notice what each instrument does. Making up your own patterns is enough, and there is no right or wrong way to play.