They say that one man’s music is another man’s noise, and there is nothing that young children like better than making noise. According to Doug Hewitt, author of “The Practical Guide to Weekend Parenting,” music activities for kids is a great time to talk to them about noise, music, their favorite instruments and what they hear each day. Construct some instruments today, and watch your children have a blast.
Flutes
Fill some clean glass bottles with different amounts of water and show your kids how to blow across the top to make different sounds. Let them blow hard and soft and then add and subtract water to see how the sound changes.
Drums
Pull out some pots and pans and wooden spoons to make a custom drum set. While you may want to wear earplugs for this one, the children will be screaming with delight. See who can use two “drumsticks” at the same time, like a professional drummer.
Pour different levels of water into drinking glasses and tap gently with a spoon. Try to tap out a favorite nursery rhyme or Christmas song. Do the same thing with plastic glasses, and talk about why it sounds so different.
Guitars
Make a guitar out of a shoe box and some rubber bands. Use different thicknesses of bands to get different sounds, and talk about the vibrations and how they can be music. Turn the rubber bands in the opposite direction and see how the music changes.
