Objective
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to create your own musical instrument using building materials.
Materials and Prep
- Cardboard tubes
- Rubber bands
- Popsicle sticks
- Tape
- Scissors
- Markers or crayons
- Optional: Decorative materials like stickers or glitter
- Make sure you have a safe and clean workspace to work on
Activities
- Start by discussing different musical instruments with your child. Talk about how they are made and the sounds they produce.
- Show your child the materials and explain that they will be building their own musical instrument.
- Guide your child in decorating the cardboard tube using markers or crayons. They can get creative and make it look like any instrument they like.
- Help your child attach rubber bands to the tube by stretching them around the tube and securing them with tape. These will act as the strings of their instrument.
- Show your child how to attach popsicle sticks to the tube to create a bridge for the strings. They can use tape to secure the popsicle sticks in place.
- Encourage your child to experiment with different ways of plucking the strings to create different sounds. They can use their fingers or even small objects like paperclips.
- Once the instrument is complete, have your child play a simple tune or rhythm using their creation.
Kindergarten Grade Talking Points
- "Musical instruments are tools that people use to make music."
- "We can build our own musical instruments using different materials."
- "Instruments can make different sounds depending on how we play them."
- "We can use our creativity to decorate our instruments and make them unique."
- "We can experiment with different ways of playing our instruments to create different sounds."
- "Playing an instrument can be a fun way to express ourselves and make music."