Fun for Kids! A Collection of DIY Musical Instrument Ideas Using Everyday Materials

drum set

[Cardboard Craft] I made a drum set and tried playing it

How about making a drum set out of cardboard? It’s perfect for a creative at-home project! It might take some time, but why not chip away at it little by little? You can make everything from the big bass drum and floor tom to the snare drum, high tom, and even cymbals—all from cardboard! You can actually make sounds with it, so play along with your favorite songs! If a full drum set sounds like too much, you could just make a single drum or cymbal and have fun with that.

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miyabi

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Rainstick

Easy at home! Handmade Instrument: Rainstick that makes the sound of rain

The rain stick, a familiar instrument that helps you relax with rain-like sounds, is actually easy to make with items you have at home! You’ll need a plastic wrap tube, adzuki beans, toothpicks, and glue.

First, make holes in the tube.

Insert toothpicks into the holes and trim off the parts that stick out with nail clippers or similar.

After trimming, seal them securely with glue.

This way, the beans will produce a clean sound as they travel through the tube.

Finally, pour in the beans and seal both ends of the tube, and you’re done!

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Yoimachi Jēn

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snare drum

[Craft & DIY Recipe] Super Easy! How to Make a Drum

Thanks to festivals and arcade games, taiko drums are familiar instruments for kids.

While large taiko drums require space, small drums can be enjoyed without worrying about noise! To make a small drum, prepare a trash can, paper masking tape, and cloth tape.

First, cover the opening of the trash can with paper tape.

The key is to lay the strips in an X pattern to fill any gaps.

Then apply the cloth tape over it in the same way.

To hide the tape marks, wrap tape around the sides as well—and you’re done! Try tapping it with wooden sticks and have fun!

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Yoimachi Jēn

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guiro

[Handmade Instrument] Craft with cardboard! How to make a log-like guiro! Cardboard

Do you all know the guiro? It’s an instrument often used in Latin music, made by hollowing out a gourd and carving grooves on its surface; you rub those grooves with a stick to create rhythm.

Let’s make a simple guiro using cardboard and a milk carton.

First, with the cardboard, if you peel off the surface, you’ll see a corrugated, wavy layer underneath.

We’ll use that corrugated part as the guiro’s grooves to produce sound.

Since the corrugated section is weak as is, brush on a mixture of glue dissolved in water to harden and strengthen it.

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Hirakawa Masako (Bōkarisuto: Sakata Mizumako)

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den-den daiko (Japanese pellet drum)

[Creation] Ah! A handmade den-den daiko jumped out! [Episode 04]

Speaking of den-den daiko, it’s a type of drum that has been in Japan since long ago and is used, for example, to soothe children.

Let’s try making a cute den-den daiko.

For the drum part, use that round paper container that holds six pieces of cheese.

For the handle, use a pair of disposable chopsticks.

In the video, the round part is decorated with Pokémon characters, but you don’t have to stick to that—putting on stickers could be nice too.

Fix beads to the ends of strings, attach the strings to the body, and you’re done.

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Hirakawa Masako (Bōkarisuto: Sakata Mizumako)

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