Get crafty and create music with these DIY Instruments!

Written by Yu Kwei Chan

Here are some creative instruments made from everyday items for a fun activity at home, to use during your music therapy sessions (especially if you are receiving sessions via Telehealth), or to begin building your very own band to make music with your family and friends!

Soup Container Drums

 Materials: soup containers, rubber balloons, markers/stickers (optional)

1. Remove the bottoms of as many drums you want to make
2. Cut the ends of the balloons (1 per drum). Stretch wrap the balloon tightly over top of the open container

Optional: Decorate the container with markers/stickers

 

Tissue box Guitar

Materials: 1 tissue box, 1 paper towel roll, 4-6 elastic bands, tape

1. Place as many elastic bands as you’d like stretched around the tissue box so they go over the opening (make sure they have some space and are not touching each other!)
2. Cut one- inch slits on one end of the paper towel roll, flatten and fold out
3. Tape the flattened slits onto the short end of the tissue box
4. Strum your new tissue box guitar!

Shaker

Materials: 1 Toilet paper roll OR small tin can with lid, a handful of filler material (uncooked rice/ beans, beads), 1 sheet of 8 ½ x 11 felt & 2 elastic bands if using toilet paper roll, markers/ stickers (optional)

Toilet paper roll method:

1. Cut 4 squares of felt with a length 2 inches larger than the diameter of the toilet paper roll
2. Put 2 squares together and secure it onto one end of the toilet paper roll with one elastic band
3. Fill the toilet paper roll with filler material 1/3 of the way
4. Secure the remaining 2 felt squares onto the open toilet paper roll side with an elastic

Optional: Decorate your shaker with markers and/or stickers

Tin-can method:

1. Fill uncooked rice/ beans or beads into tin box about 1/3 of the way
2. Put on lid

Optional: Decorate with markers and/or stickers

 

Straw Pan Flute

Materials: 8 bubble tea straws (come with an angled bottom and are 12-14 mm in diameter), tape

1. Arrange all straws side by side
2. Cut flat- the top of each straw to make varying lengths; the longest being on the left and shortest being on the right
3. Tape together side by side

Kitchen Xylophone

Materials: 6 glasses-8 glasses (preferably of the same kind), water, spoon or other solid object , food colouring (optional)

1. Fill each glass with varying amounts of water
2. Arrange the glasses from most to least water
3. Make a sound by tapping the spoon or striking object on the glasses

Optional: put a drop of food colouring (1 colour per glass) to differentiate the sounds

Here is a professional kitchen xylophone duo for your inspiration!

Homemade instruments are a great way to be creative and explore art and music. Enjoy the activities and happy music making!

References:

https://takelessons.com/blog/homemade-musical-instruments-z15

http://littlelearnerslounge.blogspot.com/2010/05/tissue-box-guitar.html

https://www.handmadecharlotte.com/super-fly-backseat-family-band