Make Your Own Musical Instruments!

Have you ever thought about starting your own band? How about making an orchestra with your family? 

You can put on a show with your siblings, parents, grandparents, or friends. Create your own musical instruments right from home! No need to stop at the store. In fact, some of the earliest musical instruments were invented from home. People realized that the ordinary objects around them could be used to make wonderful music. 

Below, we’ll show you how to build DIY (do-it-yourself) maracas, tambourines, drums, and pan flutes! Watch video tutorials on our TikTok account, too!

1. Maracas

Maracas

You will need:

  • Plastic egg
  • 2 plastic spoons
  • Rice
  • Colorful tape

Directions:

First, fill a plastic egg with a spoonful of rice. Then, close the egg. Use the two plastic spoons to cup the egg. Connect the spoons to the egg with tape, and secure the ends of the spoons with duct tape, too.

Finally, you can shake your maracas!

2. Tambourines

Homemade Tambourine

You will need:

  • 2 paper plates
  • Hole puncher
  • Yarn
  • 6 Jingle bells

Directions:

First, punch 6 holes (the same width apart) around the edge of your paper plates. Then, face the plates toward each other. Thread each bell with a small length of yarn. Use the pieces of yarn, with the bells attached, to tie the two paper plates together through the holes.

With markers, colored pencils, or crayons, you can add drawings to your instrument. Lastly, shake and tap your tambourine!

3. Drums

You will need:

  • 1 empty plastic container
  • 1 balloon
  • Colorful tape
  • Scissors

Directions:

First, use scissors to snip off the ends of the balloons. Stretch the rubber balloon taut over the top of the empty can. Then, use tape to secure the balloon in place.

Use cans with different heights to experiment with making different sounds. Finally, tap your drums with your hands, or turn wooden spoons into mallets!

4. Pan Flutes

You will need:

  • 5+ Plastic Straws
  • Colorful tape
  • Scissors
  • Marker

Directions:

First, use your marker to mark each straw at varying lengths. Cut the straws to those lengths. Line up the straws, arranging them by size. Use duct tape across the straws to secure them in place.

Lastly, blow across the top of the straws to create different tones. Can you create a melody?

Now, you have 4 musical instruments! You can recruit your friends and family to make a band, but your crafty creativity doesn’t have to stop there. Look at other ordinary objects around your house. Could you turn those into musical instruments, too?

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