Creating your own homemade musical instruments is a great way of having fun with sounds. As a parent you already know that kids enjoy making noises. And some of the noises probably don't upset you. Especially if your kids are young, you just enjoy seeing them explore what is around them. But this exploring can be mighty noisy and even gets a bit messy at times. Through making their own musical instruments they can explore and learn, and have fun doing it, they will remember this all their lives. Even if this just amounts to clanging your pans and pots together!
Join in with them making noise. Be a kid yourself again for a day and see how much fun you will have too. Below are two of the easy musical instruments that can be homemade, and you only need a few cheap things that you can get at the local grocery store.
Tambourines from Pie Tins
These homemade tambourines only take around 20 minutes to make. Make several of them and try filling them with various items and compare the sound effects they make.
Supplies:
Aluminum pie tins the kind that are disposable, you can use the large ones but most people like the tart size the best. You also need some packaging or masking tape, dry grains (such as beans, rice, popcorn seeds, or elbow macaroni).
Assembly Directions:
Take one tart/pie tin and fill with some of the dry grains of your liking. It only takes about a handful. Top with another tart/pie tin placing it upside-down on it. Use the tape to secure the two tins together, make sure to tape it the complete way around. Shake it baby and love the sound. Play some music that the shaking can go with. This will teach the kids rhythm.
Easter Egg Plastic Shakers
These little easter egg plastic shakers are so fun and can be carried with you anywhere. And these are real close to the more expensive versions sold in the music stores.
Supplies:
The plastic type Easter eggs and some dry grains ( such as beans, macaroni, rice, or popcorn seeds).
Assembly Directions:
Open up whichever color of Easter egg you like. Fill up on half of your egg with approximately 1 to 2 Tablespoons of dry grains, you can experiment with different ones to see, which ones make the sounds you like. You could even do pennies for a different sound. Then put the other half back on to close the egg and start shaking your instrument that is totally homemade.