Music Makers

by Karen Peak

 

Children love to make sounds and music.  Have you ever sat and watched a child empty out the pots and pans drawer then bang for hours? Why not take the kiddies on a quest to make their own instruments?

Materials:

  • Various cardboard or containers with lids (such as oatmeal containers, large animal cracker tubs from your local wholesale club - BJ's carries 2lb animal cracker containers)
  • Various bells (jingle bells to small cow bells from your local craft store)
  • Heavy paper or "disposable" plastic tumblers
  • 2" - 4" wide masking tape
  • Dried beans
  • Various thickness rubber bands
  • Containers (tubs and tops) from containers such as frozen whipped toppings come in
  • Toilet and paper towel tubes (many gift wraps are now tubeless)
  • Cording
  • Construction paper
  • Glitter
  • Glue
  • Child safe scissors
  • hole punch
  • Lots of newspaper to catch spills and dad's old T-shirt for a smock

LET'S GET CREATING!!!

 

DRUMS:

Take the tape and secure the lids to the containers by wrapping the tape around the rim of the container.  Let the child use construction paper cutouts and glitter to decorate the drum.

 

SHAKERS:

Take two cups and place a handful of beans in one. Invert the other cup over the top so the rims are touching and secure with tape wrapped around at least twice. Decorate.

Use construction paper and tape to cover the end of a tube.  Place a handful of beans in and cover the open end.  Decorate.

 

TAMBOURINES:

Take old container covers (like the ones from frozen dessert topping containers) and punch several holes in the edge. Ties bells on with cording and decorate.

 

HORNS:

Decorate paper towel tubes and have the child "TOOT" into them.  Use black circles to mimic the button on a real horn.

 

STRUMMERS:

Take containers part of your frozen dessert containers and stretch different thickness rubber bands over it (about four will do) and secure with a couple layers of tape wrapped around the container. Decorate.

Now get out that silly songs CD or tape that drive you crazy and let the kids play and sing along. Or have the children provide the rhythm for your next Sabbat celebration!

 

WARNING: due to small pieces, do not allow toddlers to play unattended with these toys, the beans, bells, rubber bands and even the decorations can be choking hazards.

 

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