Music & Instruments

We've got nothing against wooden spoons, but if your child craves a bona fide mallet to drum with, these are a snap to make.

Turn any pair of shoes into temporary tap shoes for when your toddler has dance fever.

Here's a twist on the rhythm sticks that Australian aborigines use in ceremonial dances: decorated paint stirrers that let your child be a one-man percussion section, clapping along to his favorite music.

Little kids seem born to shake: rattles, juice in a sippy cup, their own groove thing. You can delight them with this simple homemade shaker crafted from -- because we know you've got no shortage -- a pair of laundry detergent caps.

Kids are natural copycats -- or is that copykittens? Either way, you can make the most of your child's urge to imitate with these musical mirroring games.

Your tot can enjoy the sound of a gentle rainfall -- without the sogginess -- thanks to this easy-to-make sound-alike instrument.

From strumming crib bars to drumming in a garage band, kids always seem to know how to get a bang out of life. Cultivate your child's curiosity with one of these noisy experiments. All you need is a simple mallet: a drumstick, chopstick, or wooden spoon w

In the wonderful children's classic "Peter and the Wolf" (see our favorite CDs, below), composer Sergey Prokofiev assigned an instrument to each of his characters: strings accompany the young protagonist, an oboe signals the appearance of the duck, French

Fill a bunch of bottles with different amounts of water, and you've got yourself an instrument!

Shekeres (pronounced SHAY-ker-rays) are African percussive instruments that today are used by world music performers all over the globe.

Kids love music and banging on pots, pans, and plastic containers. Combine their creativity with their musical talent by making this adorable homemade drum.

This wooden harmonica is fun to play, and kids over 5 can whip it up in minutes.