How to Make a Bottlecap Stick

Recycle bottle caps to make a rhythm instrument.

If your child enjoys musical rhythm instruments, he will love playing with one that jingles cheerfully like a tambourine. You can make a simple jingling rhythm instrument for your child and put a collection of bottle caps to good use at the same time. This is a quick and easy project that will cost you little or nothing to make. You may already have everything you need laying around the house, basement or garage to make a homemade bottle cap stick.

Things You'll Need

• Broomstick or 1-inch wooden dowel
• Metal bottle caps
• Hammer
• Large diameter nail
• Pencil
• Small nails with large heads
• Plastic bottle caps (optional)

Instructions

1. Cut a broomstick or wooden dowel down to 12 to 18 inches long, depending upon the size your child is most comfortable handling.

2. Remove any plastic or cork from the bottle caps. Wash the caps well with soap and hot water. Allow them to dry thoroughly.

3. Hammer a large diameter nail through the middle of the top of each bottle cap to create a hole.

4. Mark a dot 1 inch from the end of the dowel with a pencil.

5. Pair two of the bottle caps back to back and line the holes up. Poke a small nail through the holes in the caps. The head of the nail should be large enough to keep it from slipping completely through the hole.

6. Hammer the nail gently into the mark on the wood. Leave some space between the head of the nail and the bottle caps so they are attached loosely. This allows them to jingle around and make plenty of noise.

7. Add two or more sets of bottle caps below the first pair. Leave plenty of room on the dowel below the caps to serve as a handle.

8. Play your bottle cap stick. Shake it, tap the bottom of it on a tabletop or swing it gently into the palm of your other hand.

Tips & Warnings

• Nail more vertical rows of caps onto the bottle cap stick, if you wish. More bottle caps means more noise. Add a row of plastic bottle caps to add different sounds to your bottle cap stick.

References

• Nancy Music; Homemade Instruments; Nancy Stewart
• Pickle Bums; Music for Kids -- Make a Music Stick; May 2011
• Disney Family Fun: Bottle-Cap Tambourines

Resources

• Nancy Music; Songs to Use With Rhythm Instruments; Nancy Stewart
• Re-Nest; Creative Ways to Reuse or Upcycle Beer Bottle Caps; Cambria Bold; March 2010