Music

Make musical instruments…

• Paper Plate Tambourine
  1. Need 2 sturdy paper plates.
  2. Fill one plate with 1/4 cup dried beans, noodles or popcorn seeds.
  3. Place the 2nd plate on top, upside-down and staple all the way around the edges.
  4. Decorate with crayons and stickers. Shake!!!
  5. Or, try it this way with jingle bells!

• TP Tube Kazoo
  1. Place a square of wax paper (4”x4”) around one end of a clean, empty toilet paper tube.
  2. Secure with a rubber band.
  3. Place your mouth all the way around the open end and hum!
  4. NOTE: you can also do this by folding a piece of wax paper over a straight-tooth comb. Press your lips over the wax paper and hum.
• Oatmeal Can Drum
  1. Decorate the outside of a tall, empty oatmeal container. Put the lid on and drum away!
• Find lots more homemade musical instrument activities HERE.

 

• Another Drum Idea … our local library made these with the kids during a fun hands-on workshop. I had to disassemble my daughter’s drum to show you the supplies You’ll need:
1. An empty tube. It didn’t have a top or bottom. Not sure where to find these. Has anybody seen something like this around?!
2. A piece of brown foam paper cut into a sun shape
3. A piece of ribbon
4. Stickers to decorate.
5. Put double-sided tape on each “sun ray”. Place the brown foam paper tape-side-down over the tube and press down all the way around.
6. Tie a ribbon around.
7. Decorate with stickers and DRUM!
• Pots & Pans … If you’re ok with lots of extra noise, give the kids a metal pot, a lid, or a plastic bowl and a spoon and let them march around in a parade. My kids had fun trying out different combinations. Wooden spoon on a plastic bowl. Plastic spoon on a metal pot.
• While you’re at it, play The Stars & Stripes Forever to march around to (scroll down to Media and push play … I liked the United States Marine Band Version!)
• Play a favorite CD or soundtrack and dance!
• Have the kids feel their throats as they sing a fun song. They may be surprised by the vibrations!