Objective

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to create your own musical instruments using household items and learn about the different sounds they can make.

Materials and Prep

• Empty containers (e.g., plastic bottles, cans)
• Rice, beans, or pasta for filling containers
• Rubber bands
• Markers or stickers for decorating
• Drumsticks (you can use wooden spoons)
• Clear space for dancing and playing

No prior knowledge needed, just bring your creativity!

Activities

• Create Your Own Shaker: Fill containers with rice, beans, or pasta, seal them, and decorate them with markers or stickers to make your shaker instruments.
• Make a Rubber Band Guitar: Stretch rubber bands around an empty tissue box or a shoebox to create your guitar. Pluck the rubber bands to hear different sounds.
• Dance and Play: Put on your favorite music and dance around while playing your homemade instruments. Try to match the beat with your shaker and guitar.

Talking Points

• Music is all around us! We can make music with things we find at home.

"We can make music with our homemade instruments. Let's shake, shake, shake!"

• Each instrument makes a different sound. Some are loud, and some are soft.

"Listen to the sound of our rubber band guitar. Pluck, pluck, pluck!"

• We can move and dance to the music we create. Let's have fun and be creative!

"Let's dance and play our instruments together. Move to the beat!"