Invent an experimental instrument - Fun at-home activities for Kids.

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Invent an experimental instrument

Design and build an experimental musical instrument from household items to explore sound, pitch, and rhythm by testing different materials and shapes.

Table of contents

Step-by-step guide to design and build an experimental musical instrument

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How to Make Musical Instruments for Kids! | Welcome to Nana's

What you need

Cardboard box, rubber bands, glass jars or cups, wooden spoon, tape, scissors, ruler, paper, pencil, small fillers like rice or beans, colouring materials, adult supervision required

Step 1

Draw a simple sketch of your experimental instrument showing where strings shakers and any horn will go.

Step 2

Gather all the materials from the Materials Needed list and bring them to your workspace.

Step 3

Cut and flatten the cardboard box to make a sturdy flat base for your instrument.

Step 4

Wrap rubber bands around the box widthwise to create strings and space them apart.

Step 5

Pluck one rubber band to hear the sound it makes.

Step 6

Slide a pencil under a rubber band to increase its tension and raise the pitch.

Step 7

Pluck the tightened rubber band again to compare its pitch to before.

Step 8

Fill each glass jar with a different amount of rice or beans and seal the lids to make shakers.

Step 9

Tap each jar with the wooden spoon to listen to how the pitch changes with more or less filler.

Step 10

Attach a cardboard tube to the side of the box with tape to act as a horn for louder or changed tones.

Step 11

Decorate and label parts of your instrument using paper and colouring materials to make it look awesome.

Step 12

Create and play two short rhythm patterns using the strings and shakers to explore rhythm and timing.

Step 13

Write down which materials and shapes made higher or lower sounds on your paper as notes from your experiment.

Step 14

Share your finished creation on DIY.org.

Help!?

What can we use instead of rubber bands or glass jars if they're hard to find?

If you don't have rubber bands, use strong string, hair ties, or elastic strips stretched widthwise across the flattened cardboard base (step 4), and swap glass jars for plastic food containers or sealed paper cups filled with rice or beans for the shakers (step 8).

Why does my instrument sound dull or the rubber bands keep slipping, and how do I fix it?

If bands sound dull or slip, slide the pencil under the band to raise tension as in step 6, move the band to a tighter section of the box, and secure ends with tape or a small cardboard bridge to stop slipping.

How can I change this activity for younger children or make it more challenging for older kids?

For younger children have an adult pre-cut and flatten the cardboard and seal shakers so they can safely decorate and tap patterns (steps 3, 8, 11, 12), while older kids can experiment with different band widths, clothespin bridges, measure pitch changes, and write detailed results on paper (step 13).

How can we make the instrument louder, change tones more, or personalize it further?

Attach a longer or cone-shaped cardboard tube as a horn (step 10), add bridges or clothespins to fine-tune each rubber band, try different jar fillers and label them (steps 8, 13), then decorate and share the finished creation on DIY.org (final step).

Watch videos on how to design and build an experimental musical instrument

0:00/0:00

Here at SafeTube, we're on a mission to create a safer and more delightful internet. 😊

5 DIY Musical Instruments That Actually Work - Make Music at Home

4 Videos

Facts about acoustics and instrument building

🥁 Street musicians often turn buckets, spoons, and pots into percussion instruments — you can make a loud drum from a tin can and balloon.

🎵 Pitch is how high or low a note sounds and is determined by vibration frequency; humans generally hear from about 20 to 20,000 Hz.

🔊 A hollow box or tube can amplify sound through resonance — that's why guitars and cajóns have soundboxes.

📏 Changing length, tension, or thickness of a vibrating object changes its pitch — shorter or tighter strings vibrate faster and sound higher.

🔧 Experimental tinkering with found objects helped shape new musical instruments and styles in experimental music.

How do you make an experimental musical instrument at home?

Start by choosing a sound source (rubber bands, bottles, or boxes). Sketch a simple design and gather household parts. Assemble a base, attach sound-makers (stretch bands across a box, fill jars with water, or tape straws together), then test each part by plucking, shaking, or blowing. Change tension, fill levels, or shapes to alter pitch and rhythm. Record results, make small adjustments, and encourage kids to iterate—experimenting is the main goal.

What materials do I need to build an experimental instrument from household items?

Common materials include cardboard boxes, rubber bands, empty jars or bottles, paper cups, straws, chopsticks or wooden spoons, rice or beans, tape, glue, scissors, and a ruler. Optional items: balloons, tin cans, paper plates, pencils, and a smartphone or recorder. Avoid sharp tools for young children and use adult help for hot glue or cutting metal. Most builds use safe, everyday objects you already have at home.

What ages is this instrument-building activity suitable for?

This activity suits a wide range: preschoolers (3–5) can shake, tap, and decorate instruments with close supervision and simplified steps. Elementary kids (6–10) can build simple string and percussion designs and try basic tuning. Tweens and teens (11–16+) enjoy more complex experiments with pitch measurements, adjustable tension, and recording. Always supervise cutting or small parts, and adapt tasks for fine-motor ability and attention span.

What are the benefits of building experimental instruments with kids?

Building instruments teaches science (sound waves, pitch), math (measuring lengths, counting beats), and creativity. It strengthens fine motor skills, problem-solving, and persistence through trial and error. Making music together supports social skills and self-expression, while documenting changes encourages scientific thinking. The activity is low-cost, hands-on, and playful, helping children link abstract concepts to real-world sensations and boosting confidence when their designs make sound

Ready to create?

All Activities

Invent an experimental instrument

Design and build an experimental musical instrument from household items to explore sound, pitch, and rhythm by testing different materials and shapes.

Table of contents

Step-by-step guide to design and build an experimental musical instrument

0:00/0:00

Here at SafeTube, we're on a mission to create a safer and more delightful internet. 😊

How to Make Musical Instruments for Kids! | Welcome to Nana's

What you need

Cardboard box, rubber bands, glass jars or cups, wooden spoon, tape, scissors, ruler, paper, pencil, small fillers like rice or beans, colouring materials, adult supervision required

Step 1

Draw a simple sketch of your experimental instrument showing where strings shakers and any horn will go.

Step 2

Gather all the materials from the Materials Needed list and bring them to your workspace.

Step 3

Cut and flatten the cardboard box to make a sturdy flat base for your instrument.

Step 4

Wrap rubber bands around the box widthwise to create strings and space them apart.

Step 5

Pluck one rubber band to hear the sound it makes.

Step 6

Slide a pencil under a rubber band to increase its tension and raise the pitch.

Step 7

Pluck the tightened rubber band again to compare its pitch to before.

Step 8

Fill each glass jar with a different amount of rice or beans and seal the lids to make shakers.

Step 9

Tap each jar with the wooden spoon to listen to how the pitch changes with more or less filler.

Step 10

Attach a cardboard tube to the side of the box with tape to act as a horn for louder or changed tones.

Step 11

Decorate and label parts of your instrument using paper and colouring materials to make it look awesome.

Step 12

Create and play two short rhythm patterns using the strings and shakers to explore rhythm and timing.

Step 13

Write down which materials and shapes made higher or lower sounds on your paper as notes from your experiment.

Step 14

Share your finished creation on DIY.org.

Help!?

What can we use instead of rubber bands or glass jars if they're hard to find?

Why does my instrument sound dull or the rubber bands keep slipping, and how do I fix it?

How can I change this activity for younger children or make it more challenging for older kids?

How can we make the instrument louder, change tones more, or personalize it further?

Watch videos on how to design and build an experimental musical instrument

0:00/0:00

Here at SafeTube, we're on a mission to create a safer and more delightful internet. 😊

5 DIY Musical Instruments That Actually Work - Make Music at Home

4 Videos

Facts about acoustics and instrument building

🥁 Street musicians often turn buckets, spoons, and pots into percussion instruments — you can make a loud drum from a tin can and balloon.

🎵 Pitch is how high or low a note sounds and is determined by vibration frequency; humans generally hear from about 20 to 20,000 Hz.

🔊 A hollow box or tube can amplify sound through resonance — that's why guitars and cajóns have soundboxes.

📏 Changing length, tension, or thickness of a vibrating object changes its pitch — shorter or tighter strings vibrate faster and sound higher.

🔧 Experimental tinkering with found objects helped shape new musical instruments and styles in experimental music.