Here’s a quick and easy project for kids. Make a set of little pipes with just 6 straws and a piece of cardboard. While the results may not be exactly “musical”, the process is fun and kids can learn about the high and low sounds that the different lengths of straw make.
All you need are:
6 straight drinking straws
A stiff piece of cardboard (about 1.5″ x 6″)
tape or glue to adhere the straws
scissors
For little kids, a grownup should cut the 6 straws into stepped lengths… each one slightly shorter than the next. Try to cut the ends on an angle.
Then the kids can help to glue or tape the straws down onto the cardboard. Make them level on top, but it doesn’t have to be perfect.
Let the kids experiment with blowing into the flat ends of the pipes. We never got a truly “musical” sound, because they are only plastic straws, but by moving them in different ways you can achieve high or low blowing sounds (which in my experience, entertains kids more than it should).
It’s fun to see what you can make out of ordinary household items.