Monday, 20 February 2012

Musical instruments from recycled materials

There is a wonderful place in Belfast called The Play Resource Centre, where schools/youth groups etc. can pay a nominal annual membership & then go anytime they want & gather up free materials donated by companies. Depending on the day you go, you might get bottles, cardboard cylinders, hessian, card, paper, plastic tubing, sample shampoos etc. It is a truely wonderful place & saves a fortune in resources. They also have a brilliant shop & offer an arts programme called 'Creative Paths' whereby you can have a professional artist come in & work with the children. They provide bursaries to help offset the costs too.
I have been lucky enough to have availed of this programme over the past 4 years with my class. Even though I offer daily art opportunities the chance to work with a professional is something I would recommend for all children.
For 2 days last week we had Fionnuala Duffin in to work with the class. I had to provide rice, masking tape, beads & decorative stuff & Fionnuala brought everything else - all stuff from the the Play Resource.
Filling a shaker with rice - 2 cones taped together.
Taping up the end of one of the cones
Making drums - cylinders with the ends covered with heavy stickyback plastic
The children made drums, shakers and rain sticks and they all enjoyed working with Fionnuala & learning new skills - I think their favourite was putting the rice through a paper funnel into the shakers & rain sticks. There was so much to learn e.g. you needed masking tape on the end of the plastic tube BEFORE you put the rice in!
It was wonderful to see how appreciative the parents all were of the instruments the children had made.
Fionnuala & the class.
Posted by at
Labels:

15 comments:

  1. Love these! I have a box filled with materials in my music center for kids to make an instrument with, I don't think we use it nearly enough. Thanks for the reminder! :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies

    1. Thanks Ayn, I know what you men several times I see something on another blog & think - "I have that too and had forgotten about it"!!

      Delete

  2. What a wonderful reminder! This would make a great ongoing project for my son! He loves music and playing instruments! I pinned you: http://pinterest.com/lnmontessori/upcycle-recycle-green/ and am a new follower!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies

    1. so glad you found it useful - I'd say he would love this, sometimes the simpliest things are he best! I will have to look you up on Pinterest - isn't is an amazing resource? Kierna

      Delete

  3. Oh, these are absolutely wonderful!
    How lovely to have this opportunity, and these instruments are very creative - I'm especially liking the long plastic tubes.
    Kierna, these pictures tell a wonderful story!
    Brenda

    ReplyDelete
    Replies

    1. yes Brenda - the 'rain sticks' were very popular & so simple yet effective. Hope all is well with you, Kierna

      Delete

  4. We have a place similar here in Arizona that has a lot of "treasures" for teachers and others that work with children. I could go in there everyday to find goodies for the classroom. :) The children look like they had a blast making those instruments!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies

    1. Glad to hear there are similar places elsewhere, I know I think if I lived closer I'd probably call everyday!! Thanks for dropping by & I'm a huge fan of your blog! Kierna

      Delete

  5. Lovely post, Kierna. The smiles on the children's faces says it all - how happy and proud they are of their instruments!

    Those flexible rainsticks look very interesting - what sort of tubing is that? Is it very thin plastic?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies

    1. Hi Alec, yes they were very proud of them & so were the parents which was even better to see! The tubing is ribbed plastic, so yes very thin between the ribbed bits, not entirely sure what is from but is very flexible. Kierna

      Delete

    2. Hmm - I haven't seen it in clear plastic, but I use very similar black plastic ribbed tubing. You can get it it in many diameters and it's used for drainage. I use it for several different instruments - it makes great guiros (scrapers), and in larger diameters it's good for thongophones.

      If you've still got some of the pipe try taking a piece about the same length as your rainsticks, and whirling it around your head (both ends have to be open). If it's the same as the stuff I use you should get an eerie moaning sound that rises in pitch the faster you whirl the tube.

      Delete

    3. Oh yeah love doing that, tho' this is not rigid like drainage pipes but will try it & let you know!

      Delete

  6. Thank you a bunch for sharing this with all people you really
    recognize what you are speaking about! Bookmarked.

    Kindly additionally consult with my web site =).
    We could have a link exchange agreement among us
    my website :: my article archive

    ReplyDelete

  7. Amazing stufff witnessed here.."Children can be highly creative if given these type of opportunities

    ReplyDelete
    Replies

    1. Hi Erum & thanks for commenting. I love seeing how children can make anything out of nothing so to speak.

      Delete

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)