Homemade sound shakers

Make your own musical instruments
Bottle tops on white background

  • }Target year group: primary school pupils – KS1

  • cTime: 1 hour

  • uLinks with art and design

Learning objectives

To learn how to make an instrument to sing a favourite song.

 

Plastic bottle shaker

Resources needed

  • plastic bottle
  • pebbles
  • paint or stickers

Instructions

  • Choose a bottle (recycle one if you can).
  • Collect a handful of pebbles, ideally of different sizes. Make sure the pebbles are small enough to go into the bottle you have chosen.
  • Decorate the bottle: Be creative! Use paints, stickers, anything you want to make it pretty.
  • When you are done decorating the bottle, put the pebbles into the bottle and start enjoying your home-made shaker.
Extra challenge: you could add or remove pebbles and tune in your ears to the difference in sound.

Sound shaker instructions for education
 
Bottle top shaker activity for education

Bottle cap shaker

Resources needed

  • bottle caps or shells
  • twine, string or wire
  • nail

Instructions 

  • If you are using bottle tops, make a hole in the middle with a nail.
  • Pass the wire or twine through the holes; when you are done, make sure you make a strong knot to secure the shaker.

 

Ways to include all learners

Activity is suitable to learners of all abilities.

How might this activity support social, emotional and mental health needs?

Research has shown that music making has a positive impact on people’s wellbeing.

 
Research with Plymouth Institute of Education