Create your own Band with Homemade Instruments!

24 March 2020

 

It’s time to put together your own music band!

What could be better than creating your own band with instruments built at home?
Children love noise and creating sounds. Spent time together to create something new and fun. Be creative and learn at the same time!
Build instruments together with your family, start discovering different sounds and how to create them by playing on your new instruments! Now you can make your own songs just by using your imagination and creativity … Hey Presto! You have your own band!

1. Maracas made from old plastic Easter eggs:

Many of us keep plastic eggs from last Easter and don’t know what to do with them. Well here is the perfect way to reuse them! All you and your child should do is collect some seeds, stones  or other similar elements that can generate sound (if you don’t have anything on hand you can use coins!). Put them inside the eggs. Tape them to keep them from opening. Decorate them with colored paper or paint. Get some tape to make sure the eggs don’t pop open as you shake them. You can even use the plastic “shells” from Kinder eggs. If you want to be fancy, tape plastic cutlery to the egg to make a handle.

2. Drums made from empty containers:

Search your home for containers ( anything from chips to cereal, even tupperware works), they will be your drums. Making them is very simple: you cover the container with paper and decorate the sides it as you like. Then you must make the skin of the drum. For that choose the material you want. You can experience different sounds depending on what you use: aluminum foil, cloth and plain paper. Wax paper that your mom uses for baking might work really well! Tape this paper over the top of your container. Two pencils can work as your drumsticks. Begin tapping the top of your container and see what sounds your drums make. You can even attach a string and hang your drum around your neck. Make a marching band, and march around you house to the beat of your drum!

3. Guitar made with a shoe box:

To make your own guitar you will only need a shoe box, glue and elastic bands. Cut a round hole in the lid of the shoe box. Glue the lid to the box so it won’t come off. When it dries, stretch the rubber bands across the box. Try it and find out what it sounds like! You can have fun painting and decorating your guitar.

thanks to https://www.parents.com/fun/arts-crafts/kid/craft-guitar/

4. Handmade Shakers / Shakers with pebbles or beans:

Use any cylindrical container: these can be tubes of potato chips, toilet or paper rolls, or empty soda cans. You’re going to need crayons, glue, paper, and dried beans (or any dried seeds, like rice or lentils). Cover the cylinder with the paper, decorate it with crayons as you like. Place the dried beans inside and seal both ends with paper, making sure it is well closed by gluing it on o using tape.Try shaking them! The different seeds on the inside make different sounds!

5. Harmonicas made with combs:

Search your house for hair combs (different colors if possible) and sheets of waxed paper. Fold the paper over the teeth of the comb, making it equal on each side. The side of the paper that has wax should be away from you. Now you can blow on the comb and play your homemade harmonica! The vibrations on the paper make the sound! Try adding some words or humming as you blow to change the sound!

 

6. Symbols made with kitchen pot lids:

To make these fun and noisy instruments, you must use two pot lids and a little ribbon or thread. You tie the ribbon around the handles of the lids and you will have the dishes ready to use. Use these instruments sparingly and with care! They work well as the final “BANG!” at the end of your song!

7. Mini Lid Banjo:

These little instruments are super easy to make. For each mini banjo you will need a wooden stick (an ice cream stick works well, otherwise cut a similar shape from cardboard), 4 rubber bands (small ones), adhesive tape and glue. Place the four mini elastic bands over the lid and secure it in place with a piece of tape. You can decorate the wooden stick with printed ribbon or paint it. You can use duct tape or industrial masking tape to secure the elastic bands and the “stick” to the lid. Decorate your Banjo handle. Start plucking! What sounds does your banjo make?

Thanks for the inspiration from https://www.thecrafttrain.com/mini-lid-banjos/

It’s awesome for little ones to build their own instruments and to experiment with sounds. These activities are great for developing imagination, creativity, as well as working important motor skills by playing and learning music. Building instruments and playing them is great fun for adults too! Take advantage of time at home to play and learn while making a fun music band! What’s the name of your band?

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