Description:
Learn how to make a 'nature instrument'.
Links to EYFS:
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Communication and Language
Physical Development
Literacy
Mathematics
Understanding of the World
Expressive Arts and Design
Activity:
We started this weeks activity by asking the children a question: "Do you have a favourite song"? We encouraged the children to share their favourite song with everyone by singing it alone or in a group. After that we asked some more questions: Do you prefer to sing with or without musical instruments? Does anyone in your family play an instrument? Do you know how to play an instrument or do you prefer to sing while someone else is playing? After introducing the theme to the children and listening to their answers we talked about what an orchestra is and how they work well as a group.
To make our nature instruments we started by asking the children to find a medium thickness stick which they cut to length using some secateurs. The children then decorated their sticks with various things such as leaves, feathers and coloured wool which they wrapped around the base. We used some wire cutters to cut some thin wire to length and then threaded various beads and bells onto it. We attached the wire to our sticks to finish making our nature instrument. The children then sang, played and danced around using their newly created instruments.
Home Activity:
Try and make your own musical instruments using different materials and listen to the different sounds they make. For example, fill up some glass jars with differing amounts of water and use a wooden spoon to hit the jars and listen to the different pitch between them. Ask your child why they all sound different.