Create and play two different sounds
Make and play two different sounds using simple instruments or household items, exploring pitch and rhythm while comparing how materials change the sound.
Step-by-step guide to create and play two different sounds
Step 1
Gather all the Materials Needed and set them on a table.
Step 2
Fill one glass about one quarter full of water.
Step 3
Fill a second glass to a different level such as three quarters full of water.
Step 4
Place both glasses on the kitchen towel so they stay steady.
Step 5
Gently tap the quarter full glass with the metal spoon and listen closely.
Step 6
Gently tap the three quarters full glass with the metal spoon and listen closely.
Step 7
Put a small spoonful of rice or beans into the sealable container and close the lid.
Step 8
Wrap tape around the lid so the container cannot open while shaking.
Step 9
Shake the sealed container to play a steady rhythm for eight counts.
Step 10
Tap one glass with the wooden spoon and listen to how the sound is different from the metal spoon.
Step 11
Draw a picture that shows which glass had the higher pitch which had the lower pitch and how the shaker sounded.
Step 12
Share your finished creation on DIY.org
Final steps
You're almost there! Complete all the steps, bring your creation to life, post it, and conquer the challenge!
Help!?
What can we use if we don't have a metal spoon, wooden spoon, or glass?
Tap the filled containers with a metal fork in place of the metal spoon and a wooden chopstick or popsicle stick instead of the wooden spoon, and if you can't use real glass follow the instructions with sturdy plastic cups knowing the pitch and timbre will change when one is about one quarter full and the other three quarters full.
Why do both glasses sound the same when I tap them?
Check that you actually filled one glass about one quarter full and the other three quarters full, placed them on the kitchen towel so they don't move, and are tapping gently near the rim with different spoons because small water-level differences or tapping the wrong spot will make the pitches seem similar.
How can this activity be adapted for different ages?
For toddlers, have an adult use plastic cups and prepare the glasses and the taped sealable container while the child taps and shakes for four counts, and for older kids add more glasses with measured water levels and record pitch and rhythm details before drawing and sharing on DIY.org.
How can we extend or personalize the experiment after finishing the steps?
Decorate and label each glass and the shaker, try different fillings like rice, beans, or dry pasta to compare shaker timbres, compose a short pattern combining tapped glass pitches and the eight-count shaker rhythm, and then upload your drawing and audio to DIY.org.
Watch videos on how to create and play two different sounds
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Facts about music and sound activities for kids
🧪 Fill two identical glasses with different water levels and tap them: the glass with more water makes the lower pitch.
🧒 Human hearing spans roughly 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz, and kids often hear higher pitches better than adults.
🥁 Materials change timbre: metal sounds bright and ringing, wood sounds warm, and glass gives clear, bell-like tones.
🔊 Sound travels at about 343 meters per second in air at 20°C — roughly 3 seconds to travel 1 kilometer.
🎵 Stretching a rubber band or tightening a drumhead raises its pitch — shorter/tighter vibrators vibrate faster and make higher notes.
How do I help my child make and play two different sounds using simple instruments or household items?
What materials do I need to make two different sounds for this activity?
What ages is this sound-making activity suitable for?
What safety tips should I follow when making and playing two different sounds with my child?
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