The Cymbals Go Crash!

[15 Minutes]

Making musical instruments at home offers children a creative, hands-on experience with materials and is musically educational as well.

You'll need:

• 2 disposable aluminum pie tins • toilet tissue tube • 2 brass fasteners • stickers • paper hole punch • scissors (ADULT USE ONLY) • tape

What to do:

1. Use scissors to punch a hole in the center of each pie tin.
2. Invite your child to decorate each pie tin with stickers.
3. Carefully cut the cardboard tube in half and then use a paper punch to poke a hole in the middle of the side of each tube.
4. Attach each tube to a pie tin by inserting a fastener through the holes in the pie tins and tubes. Use tape to cover the sharp edges.
5. Encourage your child to hold the cymbals by the tube handles and then hit the edges of the pie tins together. Create interesting sounds with this homemade rhythm instrument.

How to use:

1. Sing this song together as your child moves and plays his new musical instrument. (Tune: "Farmer in the Dell.")

2. The cymbals go crash, crash,
   The cymbals go crash, crash,
   March around and make the sound,
   The cymbals go crash, crash!

Let's Talk: Ideas to Explore Together.

• How do you make sounds with your cymbals? Can you show me?
• What sounds does it make?

Useful information:

While you are having fun together, your child is developing eye/hand coordination, listening skills, and small muscle skills.