How to Make Kazoos for Kids
Teach young kids about sound and vibration with simple musical instruments called kazoos. Kazoos produce a distinctive buzzing sound when you hum or sing into one end, and kids can improve their fine motor skills by making and playing these simple woodwind instruments. Kids can make kazoos with common materials found around the house or school. Kids also can decorate the instruments with markers or paints before they play them.
Instructions
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Poke a hole using a pencil into one side of a cardboard toilet paper roll. The hole should be two inches from an open end of the roll. The hole will allow air to escape when you blow into the kazoo.
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2
Stand the toilet paper roll upright on top of a piece of wax paper.
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3
Trace a circle around the end of the roll that is touching the wax paper. Make the circle one inch larger than the opening of the toilet paper roll.
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4
Cut out the wax paper circle using scissors.
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Place the wax paper circle over the opening of the toilet paper roll that has the pencil hole nearest to it.
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Secure the wax paper to the toilet paper roll with a rubber band. The wax paper should be tight and flat with no wrinkles.
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7
Sing into the open end of the toilet paper roll to produce a buzzing sound.
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Tips & Warnings
Loosen the rubber band a little if you find that your kazoo is not making a buzzing sound. If too tight, the rubber band may prevent the wax paper from vibrating.
Experiment by making a kazoo out of a cardboard paper towel or gift wrap roll. Instead of covering the kazoo with wax paper, cover it with aluminum foil, tissue paper or plastic wrap to see if the sound of the kazoo changes.
References
- "101 Activities for Kids in Tight Spaces"; Carol Stock Kranowitz, M.A.; 1995
- "Science Art: Projects and Activities that Teach Science Concepts and Develop Process Skills"; Deborah Schecter; 1997
Resources
- Photo Credit Stockbyte/Stockbyte/Getty Images
