Fun for Kids! A Collection of DIY Musical Instrument Ideas Using Everyday Materials
Handmade instruments that bring the world of music closer.
Their charm lies in how easy they are to make with materials you already have on hand, and in the fun of learning how sound is produced during the making process.
Using items like plastic bottles, cardboard, and rubber bands, you can create instruments that produce authentic tones.
The methods for making maracas, castanets, koto, and more are very simple.
Not only can you enjoy making and playing them with children, but it’s also a chance to learn how music works.
Use this as a reference and try making your own original instruments!
- Handmade instruments with plastic bottles: try making flutes, percussion, and traditional ethnic instruments.
- [For Elementary School Kids] Handmade Toy Craft Ideas
- Handmade maracas ideas. Easy to make! Musical instruments for kids.
- [Music-themed Educational Toys] A roundup of toys that let you enjoy sounds
- Simple DIY Drum Ideas: From Den-Den Drums to Taiko Drums!
- Made with toilet paper rolls! Exciting and fun easy handmade toys
- DIY ideas for a den-den daiko (Japanese pellet drum). Let’s make and play with this nostalgic toy!
- Toys you can make from cardboard crafts! Authentic ideas you can build and play with
- Let's make toys with paper cups! Simple and fun handmade toys
- [Let’s Make and Play!] Handmade Toy Ideas You Can Create Yourself
- Fun crafts using straws
- Let’s play Christmas songs with handmade instruments! Craft ideas for sound-making instruments
- [Handmade Toys] Fun to Make! A Collection of Pull-Along Toy Ideas
Kids will love it! A collection of DIY musical instrument ideas made with everyday materials (21–30)
A whistle you can blow with a straw
Here’s how to make a whistle out of a straw.
Cut two slits at one end of a straw and trim it so the width forms a rectangle.
Cut the other end of the straw and fit it over the rectangular end, then secure it with cellophane tape.
Adjust the tape so the width becomes a square.
Cut another straw to about 5 centimeters and flatten one end.
Place the flattened end over the side where you can see the square gap, and secure it with cellophane tape.
The key is to test-blow it and check the sound before taping everything down firmly.
Change the lengths of the straws to create different pitches, fix them in place, and you’re done.
Kids are sure to get excited about a whistle made from everyday materials!
paper cup trumpet
This is a craft using a paper cup that can produce a trumpet-like sound when you pull the string sharply.
First, make a hole in the bottom of the paper cup, thread a string through it, and secure it with a short, folded toothpick so the string doesn’t slip out.
Then, when you pull the string vigorously, the impact on the string is transmitted to the paper cup, creating a trumpet-like sound.
You can pull the string with your hand, but using chopsticks is also recommended—try it out and see how the sound changes.
Since just building the mechanism can look simple, it’s also important to add your own decorations to the paper cup.
Zeni Daiko (coin drum)
Isn’t making sounds fun? So here’s an idea: make a zeni-daiko using a plastic wrap core.
A zeni-daiko is a musical instrument made by attaching coins to a stick-like object.
Despite the name including “drum,” it’s actually closer in nature to a tambourine.
When you make it, try placing coins inside the core.
It’s fun to see how the tone changes depending on the size, number, and weight of the coins.
Find your favorite sound.
You can also decorate the exterior to make it look nice.
Let’s make a professional kalimba
It would be fun to make a genuine musical instrument using items you can get at home improvement stores or online, wouldn’t it? This time, we’ll introduce a handmade, authentic kalimba.
A kalimba is a traditional African instrument played by plucking thin metal tines attached to a box or board.
Using a box or board allows the sound to resonate.
Let’s try making one by building a wooden box and attaching thin rods.
Specialized kalimba metal tines, called kalimba keys, are also available from online retailers.
Master the playing technique, and let your kalimba produce beautiful tones.
A kalimba that makes a hopping sound
A kalimba is a traditional African instrument consisting of a wooden box fitted with thin metal or bamboo tines.
This time, let’s make a kalimba using an empty candy box and plastic spoons! The method is simple: just use rubber bands to fasten the spoons to the empty box.
To improve stability, you’ll need to create grooves to hold some chopsticks, but don’t worry—the process is as easy as making small cuts with scissors.
Place your handmade kalimba on a desk, hold the body down with your hand, and pluck the spoons to produce interesting sounds.
Try experimenting with how the way you secure the spoons changes the pitch.
