Two weeks ago, I wrote a post about the Ocean drum and how wonderful it was in the classroom. You can view that post HERE. Last week, Developing Melodies was featured in the Macaroni Kid Newsletter with a DIY ocean drum project. You can look through all of Macaroni Kid Blo/No HERE.
This week, I will share that article with you! I know that many of my readers are out of town and so I encourage subscribing to your local Macaroni Kid! Because each newsletter is local, you won’t get my articles delivered to you, so each time I write for something local, I will be sure to include a post about it here (about a week later), so that all of my readers can enjoy it!
DIY: Ocean Drum (Tutorial)
I’m originally from the East Coast and one of the things I miss most about living there is the sound of the ocean. While we didn’t spend every day there, we were frequent beach goers and the sounds of the ocean usually meant that spring/summer was here (even though waves happen all year, its just too cold to go in winter). As we head into Fall here in Central Illinois, I would like to share with you a great way to keep the beach and summer here with you all year… musically! Here are the instructions for your very own OCEAN DRUM!
What you need:
1. Two Clear/or see through colored Plastic Plates
2. Beads, rice or beans
3. glue gun and glue
What you do:
1. Take one plate, right side up and pour about 3/4 cup worth of your beans, rice or beads.
2. Glue around the entire edge of the plate
3. Place other plate, right side down, on top and press together.
Ideas for how to use it:
1. Create an “ocean” space in your living room and spend a day at the beach.
2. Create an ocean sound scape with the sounds of the Ocean Drum, seagulls, and a light breeze.
(BTW, one of the wonderful mothers that I work with made the above ocean drum for her son. He plays with it EVERYDAY!)
So readers, what are some ways that you could use your DIY: Ocean Drum?
Love this Meryl. Very creative. =) Where did you get the translucent green plates?!?
Thanks Bonnie!
I would check in the tableware section at your grocery store. I believe the ones above were bought at Dollar General. Happy Crafting!
That is very cool! I’ve made my own ocean drum using a piece of 10 inch PVC pipe for the drum shell and two 10 inch plastic drum skins (the sort you use on a rock drum kit). The skins are held on with 2.5mm nylon blind cord and it uses peppercorns to create the ocean sounds. I punch 16 holes around the circumference of the skins for the blind cord using a leather punch; getting it tight enough is the hard part. The great thing about it is that as well as the ocean sound you can play it with sticks and get 3 distinct sounds: hold it flat with nothing touching the bottom skin and it is an amazingly loud snare drum; place it on the ground and it has a sharp hard crack sound; hold it vertically and it is a deep booming drum. It’s a great instrument for young children to learn about tone and timbre.
This sounds great, I will have to try it out sometimes. My hubs, DevelopingDad, is the super instrument maker. One day I hope he will add his tutorials and experience to our site.
Thanks so much for stopping by!