Here are three fun toy musical instruments for children to make and play.
A kazoo is an instrument played by humming so children ar delighted to find they can make music easily on it.
To make a comb kazoo all you need is a comb and a small piece of waxed paper. Fold the waxed paper in half over the comb with the teeth of the comb in the fold. Play by placing your mouth over the toothed edge and humming. Move the comb from side to side.
For a Tambourine you will need two foil pie pans or for a quieter version two sturdy paper plates, crayons, tape, dry beans, popcorn, lentils, or macaroni, construction paper and ribbons to decorate, glue, and masking tape.
To make the tambourine, first decorate the bottoms of the pans or plates with construction paper and color on designs.Tape the ribbons from the edges, so they will act as streamers. Place the beans or macaroni inside the hollows of the two plates facing each other and tape them together tightly. Shake to play.
For maracas, use two orange juice or pop cans. Cover one end with heavy paper and foil , secure with tape and a rubber band. Fill with beans or corn or macaroni, cover the open end with paper and secure with tape and a rubber band. decorate and make some racket! by shaking the maracas up and down in each hand or rolling across the floor from one child to the other.
For more instruments see these instructions: drums, flutes and finger cymbals, a banjo and a box guitar.
