How to Make a Paper Plate Tamborine

Here is a craft that you can do with one child or with a group of children. If they are at least 8 years old, they can be guided to do the whole process by themselves. For children who are between 4 and 8 years old, some advance preparation is a good idea. Once the paper plate tambourines have been created, put on a lively CD and let the fun begin. Making paper plate tambourines can be a creative introduction to a music class unit on rhythm or on percussion instruments.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• For each tambourine you will need:
• 2 paper or disposable plastic plates
• 2 feet length of string or yarn
• 6 to 8 pieces of yarn that are 4 inches long
• 1 tbsp. dried beans
• 1 hole punch
• Markers (optional)
• 6 jingle bells (I like 1/2-inch bells)
• Colored construction paper (optional)
• Craft glue
• Scissors

1. Count out two paper or disposable plastic plates for each tambourine. Then, holding the plates together with the bottom of each plate facing towards the outside, punch 6 holes through the rim of both plates. Space the holes so that they are evenly distributed around the circumference of the plates.

2. Place one of these plates on a table as if you were going to put food on it with the bottom of the plate touching the table. Pour a tablespoon of dried beans into the center of the plate. Then spread a bead of glue around the circumference of this plate. Line up the second plate so that the holes match and press the second plate carefully down onto the first one. Hold the plates for a few minutes so that the glue can set.

3. Tie one end of the longer piece of yarn or string to itself after you have threaded it into one set of holes so that you can sew the plates together. Pull the string through a hole in one side of a plate and out on the other side of the matching plate. Continue until all the holes have been stitched. Tie the string off again.

4. Tie each jingle bell to a short piece of yarn. Then attach and tie off each string to one of the holes. The tambourine is almost ready to play. The beans on the inside of the plates will provide a shaker effect while the 6 dangling bells hanging from the outside edge of the plates will ring. Additional percussion will be produced when the child beats the instrument with her hand in time with the music.

5. Decorate the center of the tambourine by coloring it with markers and/or gluing scraps of construction paper. Make your tambourine an individualized work of art.