Invent a noisemaker
Design and build a safe homemade noisemaker using bottles, rubber bands, beads, and tape, then test sound changes and explore pitch and volume.
Step-by-step guide to design and build a homemade noisemaker
Step 1
Gather your materials and clear a small workspace where you can build and make noise.
Step 2
Rinse and dry the bottles so they are clean and ready to use.
Step 3
Put a small handful of beads into one bottle to make the shaker part.
Step 4
Close the bottle with its cap and wrap tape around the cap and neck to hold it tightly.
Step 5
Stretch 2 to 4 rubber bands over the top of the taped cap so they sit like strings across the bottle mouth.
Step 6
Pluck each rubber band once and listen to the sound it makes.
Step 7
Slide one rubber band toward the bottle neck to tighten it and pluck it again to hear the pitch change.
Step 8
Shake the bottle gently three times and listen to how quiet the sound is.
Step 9
Shake the bottle firmly three times and listen to how the volume gets louder.
Step 10
Fill a second bottle to about one-third full with water to make a tuned tapping bottle.
Step 11
Tap the side of the water bottle and listen to how the pitch is different from the empty bottle.
Step 12
Share a photo or description of your finished noisemaker and what you discovered about pitch and volume on DIY.org
Final steps
You're almost there! Complete all the steps, bring your creation to life, post it, and conquer the challenge!
Help!?
What can we use instead of beads for the shaker if we don't have any?
If you don't have beads, use a small handful of rice, dried beans, small pasta, pebbles, or pennies in the bottle to make the shaker part.
The rubber bands keep slipping or make no sound — how do we fix that?
If the rubber bands slip or sound dull, add extra tape around the cap and neck (step: wrap tape around the cap and neck) to build up a firmer surface and use wider or tighter rubber bands stretched over the taped cap so they sit like strings and produce clearer plucked tones.
How can we adapt this noisemaker activity for different ages?
For preschoolers, an adult can rinse and dry bottles and pre-fill and tape them so the child only shakes and taps safely, while older kids can follow all steps—adding beads, capping and taping, stretching and sliding rubber bands, and filling bottles with water to explore pitch and volume changes.
How can we make the noisemaker more advanced or personalized?
To enhance the project, decorate and label each bottle, mount several taped-and-banded bottles on a cardboard base, and tune them by adjusting rubber band tension and water level (for example, fill the second bottle to about one-third full) to create a multi-note instrument you can photograph and describe.
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Facts about sound and acoustics for kids
🧴 Changing the water level in a bottle changes its pitch — more water usually raises the note.
🔊 Louder sounds come from bigger vibrations (amplitude) — strike or pluck harder to get more volume.
🎵 Pitch depends on vibration frequency; double the frequency and the note is one octave higher.
🥁 Sound travels through air at about 343 meters per second at room temperature (20°C).
🪢 Thicker or looser rubber bands vibrate slower and produce lower pitches than thin, tight ones.
How do I build a homemade noisemaker with bottles, rubber bands, beads, and tape and explore pitch and volume?
What materials do I need to make a safe homemade bottle noisemaker?
What ages is this bottle noisemaker activity suitable for?
What are the benefits, safety tips, and fun variations for a homemade noisemaker activity?
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