How to Make Musical Instruments From Recycled Items for Kids

Kids will love creating these musical instruments.

Kids will learn how sounds are created as well as gain experience with music fundamentals by making their own musical instruments from recycled items. In addition, they will be able to recycle and repurpose items they may have otherwise thrown away.

Things You'll Need

• Empty can
• Craft supplies (construction paper, glue, markers, scissors)
• Soda bottle caps
• Nails
• Hammer
• Long piece of wood (presanded)
• Cardboard tube
• Aluminum foil
• Rubber bands
• Rice

Instructions

Bongo Drum

1. Clean and dry an empty can. A coffee can, oatmeal container or baby formula can works best for creating your drum.

2. Cut a piece of colored construction paper to fit the coffee can.

3. Decorate the paper with crayons, markers and stickers before attaching it to the can using hot glue (an adult should do the gluing).

4. Drum away using your hands to create the beat on top of the bongo drum.

Bottle Cap Clinker

1. Collect dozens of bottle caps from old-fashioned beverage bottles.

2. Use a nail to punch a hole through the center of each cap. (Younger kids should enlist the help of an adult for this step.)

3. Place four caps on a 2-inch nail, making between four and 10 nails with caps on them.

4. Hammer each nail halfway into the piece of wood, leaving the bottle caps free to clink around.

5. Shake, shake and shake some more to create music.

Rainstick

1. Tear off a long sheet of aluminum foil. You can use the length of the tube to determine the length of foil you need.

2. Twist this long piece of foil into a spiral shape.

3. Insert the twisted foil into the cardboard tube and seal off one end of the tube with a piece of paper and a rubber band or tape.

4. Pour rice (a cup or two is ideal) into the other end of the tube and then seal that end off in the same way you did the first end.

5. Have kids decorate the tube with stickers or markers and then turn slowly to listen to the sounds of the rain.

References

• Enchanted Learning: Rainstick Craft