Make Your Own Instruments

What can we use instead of a paper towel tube, rubber bands, or beans if we don't have them?

Use an empty toilet paper roll for the flute, substitute hair ties or elastic ponytail bands for the rubber bands around the box, and put dried pasta or beads into a sealed bottle or jar as a shaker instead of beans or rice.

My box guitar or tube flute isn't making a clear sound—what should I check or fix?

If the rubber bands on the closed box are too loose or buzzing, tighten or replace them and move them toward the box edges, and if the paper towel tube won't sound, slightly enlarge the mouth notch and blow across it (not into it), while also ensuring the shaker lid is taped tightly so nothing falls out.

How can I adapt this activity for younger kids or make it more challenging for older kids?

For younger children, pre-stretch the rubber bands on the box, pre-cut or pre-poke the flute holes, and help tape the shaker lid while they decorate, and for older kids, use the marker to precisely mark five evenly spaced holes to experiment with pitch, try different rubber band thicknesses to tune strings, and compose three rhythmic patterns to record for DIY.org.

What are some ways to personalize or extend the instruments and the final performance?

Decorate each instrument with the coloring materials and stickers, add a small paperclip or folded cardboard 'bridge' under the rubber bands to change string height and pitch, layer the flute and shaker to build harmonies, and arrange at least three different rhythms into a short performance to share on DIY.org.