Here are directions for making your own musical instruments. I have used these directions to make sets of instruments for my whole class.
Find more music ideas on the Art & Music Resource Page
Tambourines
Punch holes in plastic lids or plastic disposable plates. Attach jingle bells to the lids with pipe cleaners or twist ties.
Shakers
Put rice in plastic Easter eggs. Hot glue the eggs shut.
Castanets
Cut out rectangles of colored poster board. Fold the poster board over to make a square. On the inside of the poster board, hot glue a button to each side. When the buttons are tapped together, it makes a clicking noise.
Drums
Decorate a clean drink mix can with paint or construction paper. Chopsticks, dowel rods or unsharpened pencils can be used for drumsticks.
Quiet Drums
Decorate a paper plate with paint or markers. You can also use plastic plates instead of paper plates. Use plastic drinking straws for drumsticks.
Log Drums
Take both ends off of about three frozen juice cans and tape them together. Cover with wood grain contact paper and attach silk leaves with hot glue. Use sticks for the drum sticks.
Matracas
Use two wooden blocks of the same size. Attach sandpaper to one side of each block with glue or tacks. Children can rub the blocks together in time with the music.
Triangles
Use a wire coat hanger. Tie a piece of yarn in a loop to the hook of the hanger and bend the hook to make a loop (to prevent the loop of yarn from coming off.) The yarn serves as a handle for the triangle. You can also tie on a bead to make it easier to hold. Hit the triangle with a metal spoon to make the sound.
Bagpipes
Blow up a plastic bag and slip a party horn in the opening of the bag. Be careful not to let any air out of the bag. Tie the bag onto the horn tightly with a string or rubber band. Press the bag to play the bagpipe. Blow air back into the bag through the horn to play it again.
Cymbals
Make a hole in the middle of two aluminum pie pans. Attach a drawer knob to the pans. Play the cymbal by clapping them together.
Native American Pow Wow Bells
Cut a strip of craft foam and sew or hot glue a few jingle bells onto the strip. Add Velcro to each end of the strip so that the bands can be fastened around ankles and wrists. These instruments make their music when you dance. These are also fun to use during Christmas while singing Jingle Bells.
Chinese Gong
Cut the middle out of a cereal box to make a frame that will stand. Make a hole in the side of an aluminum pie pan and tie on a string. Tie the other end of the string through a hole in the top of the cereal box. Make a beater with a pencil and a cork.
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