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Musical instruments are a fun and functional craft that children of all ages can enjoy. There are many choices, and the possibilities are endless when it comes to personalizing and making them unique. Here are a few easy instruments to make with young children.

Drums
Use an empty oatmeal canister, coffee can or something similar. Cut a piece of paper to cover the outside. Decorate the paper in any way you like. Let the children use their imaginations. Paint, color, glue streamers on or use stickers. Then wrap the paper around the canister and glue or tape it in place. Punch holes near one end to tie a shoulder strap on, or staple it in place. Secure the lid with glue or tape, and you are finished. Unsharpened pencils make great drumsticks, or you can just use your hands.

Blocks
Gather two blocks of wood, equal in size, and sand them well. The exact size is not important, but it should be small enough for a child to handle easily. Screw a drawer pull to the top of each one for a handle. Tap them together for a fun, simple musical instrument. Make a more interesting sound by gluing sand paper to the blocks.

Rain sticks
Use an empty paper towel tube. Cover one end securely with paper or a piece of durable fabric and tape or glue in place. Accordion fold a piece of aluminum foil and slide it into the tube, then add some dry rice or coarse salt. Cover the open end securely. Decorate the tube in any way you wish. Gently tip one end up and listen to the sound of 'rain.'

Shakers
Gather some small plastic eggs. Put a little sand, a few buttons or some paper clips inside, and tape them closed. Or use an empty water bottle, and use larger objects such as pebbles.

Jingle bells
Make a bracelet out of yarn, laces or pipe cleaners and put a few jingle bells in between some beads. You could also string some bells and gather them together, then tape them to the end of a short dowel or an unsharpened pencil.

Tambourines
Decorate a block of wood, small enough to hold in your hand, with markers or paint. Flatten some metal bottle caps with a hammer. Put two, with the tops together, on the wood and hammer a nail through the bottle caps and into the wood, making sure it is in securely. Add two or three more nails with bottle caps, spaced far enough apart that they can move freely. A drawer pull could be put on the back for a handle.

Guitars
Decorate an empty cereal box, cut a hole in the front, about three or four inches in diameter. Tape the top closed and stretch some rubber bands around the box, making sure that they cross over the hole. A neck can be added by attaching a ruler or strip of sturdy cardboard to one end, but it is not necessary.

All of these materials can be found at your local craft store or hardware store, fairly inexpensively, or around your house. Substitutions can be made. For example, if you don't have water bottles, try soda bottles or small food containers with lids. Remember to use the materials safely, and supervise young children.

Making musical instruments is fun and can be done in so many ways. Let your imagination soar when personalizing and decorating them. When finished, the children can put on a concert or have a marching band. They can play along with their favorite songs, or make music all their own. The sky is the limit!

Learn more about this author, Marcia J.
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