Making Twirl Drums

This instrument is especially good to make around Chinese New Year time (late January, early February). Use them in the New Year's Parade to make a pleasant rain-like noise and add to the general festivities.

Objectives

Children ages 4-5 are able to paste and glue FM II
ages 3-4 can make simple toys FM III
and they can string beads FM II

 

Materials

12" bamboo skewers with sharp points removed; 3" circle of cardboard (2 per drum); beads (2 per drum); 8" lengths of twine on large needles; 2" lengths of tissue paper or ribbon; watercolors or felt pens; glue; hole punch.

Procedures

1. Gather children at the table and pass out skewers, circles, and glue. Show children how to glue circles together with skewer between them. Place a dot on either side of the circle for the holes and let children punch holes, giving help as needed.

2. Let children choose the colors of tissue or ribbon they want and let them glue strips to the end of the skewer.

3. Give each child a needle threaded with twine and let each choose two beads. Have children string one bead, sew in and out of the two holes in the circle, and string the second bead. Remove needle, adjust the length of twine, and secure the bead with a knot. (The drums work best when the beads strike the center of the circle when twirled.)

4. Let children decorate the drums with watercolors, felt pens, or tissue paper. Allow drums to dry.

5. The drum is played by rotating the stick between the palms of the hands. The beads strike the cardboard circles and make a novel drum sound. Children may enjoy trying to play two drums at once, one in each hand, rotating drums with wrist or finger motions.

NOTE: See MULTI-CULTURAL: New Year's Parade