Have Fun with Your Children Using These Simple Homemade Musical Instruments

Children love to make noise, they live for it! That's one reason why today's cartoons are filled with music, because it helps to engage their tiny audience. Making your own musical instruments is a great way to teach your kids about music all while they're having fun. There are some very simple musical instruments that you can make with your children, and you probably have the materials around the house. Here are some musical instruments that both you and your children will love:

GLASS XYLOPHONE

To make a glass xylophone you will need several tall glasses made of glass, a pitcher filled with water and a few metal spoons. To make your glass xylophone, you place the glasses in a straight line on the table and you fill them with water, adding less water to each glass that you fill. Then to play the glass xylophone, you simply use the metal spoons to tap on the glasses. You will notice that the glasses with less water create a higher pitch sound and the glasses with more water create the lower notes. This is one of the easiest musical instruments out there!

SHOEBOX GUITAR

To make a shoebox guitar you will only need an empty shoebox, some rubber bands in different sizes and a quarter. Simply put the rubber bands around the shoebox and there you have it, your shoebox guitar! To play it, just pluck the rubber bands with the quarter. Your child will be a rock star in no time with this simple musical instrument!

PAPER PLATE TAMBOURINE

To make a paper plate tambourine, you will need two paper plates, some yarn, jingle bells, a hole puncher and scissors. First, you put the paper plates together facing each other. Then you take the hole puncher and punch holes along the rims of the plates, put one about every inch. Take the yarn and attach it to the jingle bells, then tie it through the holes. Make sure you tie the plates together and fasten them with knots. Don't tie the knots too tightly or your plates might rip! Your children will be ready to shake, rattle and roll with this musical instrument!

COMB KAZOOS

To make a comb kazoo, you only need a few small plastic combs and some facial tissues. Sound easy? Well it is! Just give each one of your children their own comb and one facial tissue. Tell them to put the facial tissue around the comb on the side with the teeth, and then all they have to do is hum. They'll be amazed that they were able to make such a cool musical instrument out of a simple plastic comb!