When we get the request in our schools for Earth Day ideas, it’s quite easy to offer suggestions by showing our “Love for Our Planet” theme books about the ocean, mountains, farms, and rain forest. If you are new to our Music Rhapsody & Music Box group, here they are!
https://musicrhapsody.com/product/lynn-kleiner-4-book-cd-special/
I include instrument making in all of my books (This includes In All Kinds of Weather, Kids Make Music) and most of these are made out of recycled items. Since we celebrate Earth Day in April, this is a great time to choose an easy, fun to make project, and then enjoy using the activities and recordings to make music with the creative instrument that was made.
No time for instrument making? Set out a sample and encourage a little community clean up and make an instrument at home!
Here’s an easy one from my Songs of the Sea collection. Water Bottles! Water Bottles! So many water bottles! This is one item that’s easy to obtain for wonderful homemade instruments.
Water Bottle Shaker and Guiro
- Use a water bottle that has ribs, not smooth. Empty and wash out the bottle, dry completely
- Remove the label
- Add sand, smaller sparkly beads, glitter, shiny items or other colorful bright objects
- Decorate the parts of the bottle that are smooth with stickers or colored markers if desired.
- Use hot glue or lots of colored masking tape to secure the bottle cap on the bottle
Ways to Play
- Shake the bottle for a wonderful shaking sound. Create different sounds by moving it up and down, side to side, fast and slow, etc.
- Use a chopstick to scrape across the ribs of the bottle to produce an entirely different sound, a guiro.
- Produce yet another sound by tapping the bottle with the chopstick.
Have a listen to everyone’s favorite shaker song! Sandy Sandy Sand from Songs of the Sea.
Visit Music Box for more Earth Day songs and project ideas!