Rhythm-band parade
These musical instruments are easy to make. When you’ve made them all,
you and your friends can have a rhythm-band parade.
Cymbals
Drum
Crash, crash, crash go the big brass cymbals. Use two pot lids for
cymbals.
Boom, boom, boom goes the big bass drum. For your drum, decorate an
oatmeal box or a coffee can with a plastic lid. Ask a grown-up to punch
two holes near the top of the can or box. Thread string through the
holes and tie the ends together. Hang the drum around your neck. Use a
spoon for a drumstick.
Sandpaper Scratchers
Hummer Kazoo
Sh, sh, sh say the sandpaper
scratchers. Use thumbtacks or staples
to fasten sandpaper to two blocks of wood. Rub the blocks together.
Buzz. buzz, buzz a merry tune with this hum, hum, hummer kazoo. Fold a
piece of wax paper over a comb.
Press the wax paper and comb against your lips and hum a song.
Chimes
Tinkle, tinkle, clink is the jingle of these chimes. Tie nails to a
stick and hit them with a spoon.
Finger Cymbals
Banjo Box
Ching, ching, ching ring these little finger cymbals. Ask a grown-up to
use a hammer and nail to punch holes in two bottle caps or lids. Tie
little loops of yarn or string in the holes to hold the cymbals on your
fingers. Hit the cymbals together.
Plink, plink, plink on this bright banjo box. Cut a hole in the top of a
box. Then tape the top to the box. Stretch rubber bands around the box
and over the hole, and you’re ready to go! Try rubber bands of different
sizes and thicknesses. Listen to what happens.
Flute
Toot, toot, toot on this merry little flute. Use the point of a pencil
to poke holes in one side of a cardboard tube. Cover one end of the tube
with wax paper. Hold the wax paper in place with a rubber band. Hum into
the uncovered end of the tube as you move your fingers over the holes.
Tambourine
Shake-a-shake-a-shake these tambourine plates. Decorate two pie tins or
paper plates. Put some seeds in one plate. Put the other plate face down
on top of the first plate. Staple or tape the plates together. Or, punch
holes around the rim of the plates and sew them together with yarn. Add
some paper or ribbon streamers.
Maracas
Rattle, rattle, rattle these maracas to the beat of the music. Ask a
grown-up to use a hammer and nail to punch a hole in the bottom of an
empty soda-pop can. Push an unsharpened pencil through the hole in the
bottom of the can and out through the drinking hole in the top. Then
push the end of the pencil into the narrow part of the drinking hole.
Put a handful of seeds into the can. Put tape over the hole and decorate
the can.
