Musical Instrument Crafts

Pratt's Educational Resources & Online Store

Finger Cymbals Craft
For each child, clean two frozen juice, baby food jar lids, or small jar lids. Have an adult hammer 2 holes in the middle of the lids using a nail. (If needed, place a piece of masking tape on each side of the lids to make sure no one will cut their fingers. Then make a hole through the tape.)

Place a a short piece of pipe cleaner through each hole. Twist at the end. (You can place elastic or ribbon through each hole Tie off at the end). Decorate using paints, stickers, rick rack, ribbon, lace, etc.
Place a finger through the pipe cleaner or ribbon and make music.

Drum Craft
Materials Needed:
Empty container of oatmeal, instant potatoes, or other tin food can.
1 1/2 pieces of construction paper
crayons, markers, or whatever else to decorate the drum

Tape the lid closed. Tape the pieces of construction paper onto the container. Wrap it around the container. Tape. Decorate the construction paper. Play some music and play the drums or just let the child play with it.

To hang it around your neck (especially if you are in a marching band), punch holes in the bottom of the container, and put a long piece of yarn, string, etc. through both holes.

Kazoo Craft
Materials Needed:
Toilet paper roll, paper towel roll, plastic wrap roll, aluminum foil roll, or Hefty Baggies
Rubber band
Crayons, colored pencils, markers, fabric, paints, etc.
Wax paper

Place a small piece of wax paper over one end of the roll. Secure with a rubber band. Place construction paper around the roll. Decorate using crayons, colored pencils, markers, fabric, paints, etc. Gently hum through the open end of your kazoo. (Hum songs, sounds, or make your own tune up.)

Shaker Crafts

Toilet Paper Shaker
Use an empty toilet paper roll. Tape one end using masking tape. Fill with some rice and/or beans. Tape the other end with masking tape. Cover both ends with a piece of round construction paper. Tape. Cover the rest with construction paper. Tape. Decorate. Make music.

Note: For your shakers, you can cover the toilet paper roll roll with contact paper and use round pieces of contact paper to cover the ends.

Juice Can Shaker
Clean and dry a frozen juice can and lid. Fill with some rice and/or beans. Place the lid back onto the juice container. Secure with masking tape. Cover both ends with a piece of round construction paper. Tape. Cover the rest with construction paper. Tape. Decorate. Make music.

Egg Shaker
Place rice, beans, etc. inside a plastic egg. (Seal with tape or a hot glue gun.) Decorate with paint, markers, etc. or they can be plain.

Plastic Cup Shaker
Place some rice, beans, etc. into a clear plastic cup. Decorate a round piece of paper. Tape it on the top (use wide clear packaging tape).

Tambourine
Decorate a paper plate the way you would like it to look. You can tape strips of construction paper or crepe to it. Fold the paper plate in half and fill it with beans or rice. Have an adult staple it closed. Shake and tap your tambourine.

Trombone Craft
Supplies Needed for Each Child
1 empty paper towel roll
1 empty toilet paper roll
9 inches string (or yarn)
tape
scissors
Art supplies: crayons, markers, paint, etc.

Cut a toilet paper roll lengthwise. Tape it together at both ends to be about 5/8". Hole punch a hole on one end of the toilet paper roll and the paper toll roll. Cut a piece of string to be about 9" long. Where the hole is, tie the string to the toilet paper roll. Repeat with the paper towel roll. Place the toilet paper roll inside the paper towel roll. Decorate the paper towel roll (the top one). Place some masking tape on the paper towel roll (the opposite end of the toilet paper roll). Make music.