Homemade musical instrument: Maracas
One of the challenges with music education is teaching kids in a way that keeps the process challenging and interesting for them. Crafting homemade maracas is a great way for children to express themselves through the means of art and music. This hands-on project is sure to spark their creativity, as well as introducing them to rhythm and sound. What better way to engage your students in the music-making process than with this fun-based classroom project! This activity is particularly suited to preschool/primary school students.
You will need:
- Ann egg carton
- Dry rice/ beans/ lentils
- Scissors
- Sellotape
- Lollipop sticks
- Paint
Instructions:
- Tear off the top lid of the egg carton, leaving just the bottom half of the carton.
- Using a scissors, cut out two connecting sections of the carton.
- Fill one of the sections with some dry rice/ beans/ lentils.
- Place a lollipop stick between the two halves before sealing them closed with selloptape.
- Personalize your maracas by painting and decorating them.
Our team of Mobile Music tutors find these homemade instruments to be an excellent teaching resource, and often use them when teaching activities from our lesson plans. To avail of our complementary lesson plans and benefit from these teaching tools, please submit your name and email address at the bottom of this page. You can also find other educational music resources on our website to facilitate with your teaching.
Watch this video for more information about making your own maracas:
