HOMEMADE INSTRUMENTS FOR KIDS: DIY XYLOPHONE

Musical toys are great developmental tools for kids.  From auditory sensory processing to fine motor skills to proprioception and more, store bought or homemade instruments and other toys that make music are an awesome way to get kids rockin’ and moving!  I’m in love with this super easy homemade Xylophone for little ones – try it out and you’ll have your own little one man (or woman) band in no time!

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WHAT YOU’LL NEED:
-Cardboard tubes (paper towel rolls, toilet paper rolls, wrapping paper rolls)
-Rubber bands
-Yarn, ribbon, or embroidery floss

WHAT TO DO:
Cut your tubes so that you have 5 different lengths (about 1″ difference in length between each tube).

Start with your two smallest tubes and use a rubber band to fasten them together.  Put the rubber band around one tube, twist it (so it makes a figure 8) and put the other loop around the next tube.  Hold them in place and put another rubber band around the two tubes the same way.

Then, add the next biggest tube using the same method with the rubber bands.  Keep going until you’ve added all of your tubes.

Next, use your yarn, ribbon, or embroidery floss to weave in and out of your xylophone tubes for decoration.  We took a length of embroidery floss,  put it through the largest tube, and tied a knot so the kids could wear it around their necks!

HOW TO CHANGE IT UP:
-Try letting your child personalize their xylophone by decorating the tubes before you fasten them together!  You could paint them, color on them with markers or crayons, add stickers – get creative!

-Try out your xylophone using different types of sticks!  Our favorite?  Silly straws!  Other options: chopsticks, twigs, pencils/pens.

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Claire Heffron

Claire Heffron is co-author at The Inspired Treehouse and a pediatric occupational therapist in a preschool/primary school setting. She began her career with a bachelor's degree in magazine journalism but quickly changed course to pursue graduate studies in occupational therapy. She has been practicing therapy for 10 years in public and specialized preschool/primary school settings. She is a mom to three funny, noisy boys and relies on yoga, good food, and time outside to bring her back to center.

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