Low Cost Traditional Musical Instruments are a Hit with Children

Every trip I've ever taken has involved one or more trips through the local shopping bazaar. Many times the bazaar atmosphere is enough. Sounds of barter and come look fill the air. Scents of dried spices and brewed coffee tantalize your nose. Gold, jewels, scarves of every color vie with fruits and vegetables for eye appeal. But sooner or later you have to decide what you will buy. The last thing you want to buy is another thing to dust. Or it's far too soon to Christmas shop again. But the locals seem hungry and you feel it will help their economy. So what to do?

We started buying inexpensive musical gifts during our trips around the world. We don't give them away. One by one, they've begun to fill my husband's music room where he practices playing his violin. And they've come in handy when I've had children visit. In my case it's my nieces and nephews, but someday, maybe a grandchild will show up. Children like to make noise. We all know that and try to avoid allowing them to torture us. Yet, on several occasions, one of the most fun activities my nieces, nephews and I have done together is to take out those instruments and play. We don't sound beautiful. We do have fun and often, we play together. You don't actually have to travel, many of these items are sold on the internet. Have fun searching for good buys.

So what kind of instruments can you buy? Here is a selection of some we've gathered with a bit of their history:

Whistles and Flutes [See Figure 1]

In Ireland, we picked up an Irish Tin Whistle or Feadog. This six holed whistle came with a music guide and plays a flute pitched set of notes easily by blowing through the mouth piece.

A decorative whistle was purchased in Mexico. It doesn't play easily but it is cute. It only has one pitch.

The South African Recorder or Flute was inexpensive and came in two styles, one blown on the end and one blown through the first of six holes, reducing the number of notes. It sounds much like the Irish Tin Whistle, but reedier because of being made from wood.

Castanets and Rattles [See Figure 2]

We picked the castanets up in Spain, a percussion instrument usually associated with flamenco dance that seems easy to play but takes a bit of learning. Your hands need to be loose and cupped around them, the string pulled taut over the thumb. When you straighten your thumb out it makes a sharp clacking noise. They are played in pairs, one with a higher pitch than the other.

We found rattles made out of gourds when we visited South Africa. One is smaller than the other and makes less of a rattling noise. You can shake them to a beat, or tap them together.

Drums [See Figure 3]

My husband bought the Hopi drum while visiting New Mexico. It has an animal skin pulled taut with rawhide around a dug out wood frame. The beater is a cotton covered stick end. Sounds can be made on the frame, on the center to produce more of an echo and on the edge of the skin to make a clackier sound. You can tap with one hand to silence the drum or to beat lightly while tapping. Both sides of the drum can be played, but the top usually has the best sound.

The Hawaiian Koa wood drum consists of a piece of dug out wood and a tapered rhythm stick used to beat on it. The sound changes depending on which side or end you beat or which part of the tapered stick you use. You can also tap on it with your hand, or slide down the length to produce a different sound.

Tamborine [See Figure 4]

I found the tamborine in Spain for a small cost. This one is open, some are created with one side like a drum. The tamborine is either shaken, or beat against the thigh or hand to produce different sounds.

Keyboard [See Figure 5]

I purchased an electric keyboard thinking it would be smaller to have in my house than a piano. It will play the same sounds as a piano, but it also can play a background beat, typical songs, a variety of horns or play itself. Usually, one person will find their way to this instrument and putter around. The sound level can be dimmed so it isn't intrusive.

Music Circle

The most fun we had was to put on a quiet background CD, and play along. We took turns trying out the different instruments and well, showing off to each other. We made a racket, but it was shared time that passed quickly. My nieces and nephews still ask if we can play when they visit. The concept is simple, all you have to do is shop and then when the time is right and the kids are itching to do something different, you have them on hand.