How to Make Your Own Musical Instruments

This activity is a great way to stimulate creativity and imagination in your little ones. At the same time, it strengthens bonds between parents and children. So, what are you waiting for? It’s time to start your own family band… You’re going to have so much fun!

How to make your own musical instruments at home

Toilet paper tube maracas

To make your own maracas, all you need is the following:

• Toilet paper tubes or paper towel tubes
• Markers or crayons
• Scissors
• Paper
• Tape
• A handful of pasta, beans, rice, beads, or any other small object.

1. Color the toilet paper or paper towel rolls with markers or crayons.
2. You can also use other materials to decorate your maracas, like glitter, colored paper, ribbons, etc.
3. Place the end of one of the rolls over a piece of paper and trace two circles.
4. Cut out the circles and stick one of them to the end of the roll using tape.
5. Fill the tube with a handful of pasta, beans, rice, beads, or any other small material.
6. Stick the other paper circle onto the other end of your roll. Make sure both ends are secure so that the maraca won’t break when the music starts!
7. Repeat the process as many times as you want to make all the maracas you need. Now it’s time to boogie!

A drum, one of the easiest homemade musical instruments

To create a homemade drum, gather the following materials:

• A metal plate or bowl
• Plastic wrap
• Scissors
• Tape
• A wooden stick

Now it’s time to get crafty:

1. Take your aluminium plate or bowl and decorate it, if you wish.
2. Cut off a piece of plastic wrap that’s larger than the plate or bowl.
3. Stretch the wrap over the open end of the dish, make sure it’s taut.
4. Now it’s time to make some music! Use a wooden stick, pencil, or even your own hand to beat the drum.

A wooden guitar

If you want to make your own musical instruments at home with your kids, then a guitar is a must. Here’s what you’ll need:

• A small wooden box (or cardboard)
• 3 or 4 rubber bands
• Adhesive tape or glue
• Two small wooden sticks (popsicle sticks, for example).

Once you have the above materials, then here’s what you’ll need to do:

1. Take your wooden box and decorate it however you wish. If you don’t have a wooden box, then you can use a cardboard box in its place.
2. Place the rubber bands tight around the box, leaving a bit of space between them.
3. Stick a wooden stick at each end of the box using tape or glue.
4. Pluck the rubber bands with your fingertips and see how many different sounds you can make. The sounds will vary according to the size of the box and the space between the sticks.

Pan flute

To make your own pan flute, gather the following items:

• 9 or 10 drinking straws
• Glue
• Scissors
• 1 popsicle stick

Then, follow the steps below:

1. Take all of the straws and line them up next to one another.
2. Place a line of glue on one surface of the popsicle stick and place it face down across the straws, near their base.
3. Once the glue is dry and the straws are securely in place, cut a diagonal line across the straws.
4. Blow into the end of the straws that you didn’t cut. Now you have your own pan flute!

About homemade musical instruments

As you can see, you can make all sorts of musical instruments at home with your children. What’s more, all you need are a few materials you probably already have around the house. So, take this opportunity to let your children’s creativity sore and enjoy an afternoon of family fun.