All children love making a noise so why not encourage them to make their own instruments made from things at home. Here are some ideas:

Yogurt Pot shakers: take used yogurt pots and fill with lentils.  Cover with paper and then tape down to secure.  Decorate with stickers or pictures taped round the pot.

Crisps tube long shaker: put a handful or large pasta shapes into the tube and pop on the lid.  Tape down to secure.

Ice cream tub drum: put some dried bean or peas into a used ice cream tub and bang to hear them shake around inside.

Tubey shake: Take along wrapping paper tube and pop in a round ball or bell. Turn upside down to hear it roll down.

Trumpet: take a kitchen roll tube and decorate.  Add some tassels on the end and ribbons to make it look great  Simply toot down the tube!

Tin drum: take a biscuit tin and add some metal bottle tops or little metal spoons.  Shake for a or bang for a metal sound.

Marble rolling: pop some marbles in a small metal tin swirl them to make a metal rolling sound.

Plate tambourine: Use a paper plate and punch hole round the outside.  Take some nuts and bolts and metal items and tie them round with string or wool.  Shake to hear them clang together.

Now, just put on some music and have a jamming session!

Musical instruments are great fun for making a bit of noise and banging, drumming or tapping in time with songs and music.  Even more fun is making instruments yourselves and having a go at using your own creations.  It's simple, and it's cheap and it's a great activity to do together.  Here's how to make a few different instruments to play at home with the little ones:-

Maracas: half fill empty plastic bottles of all shapes and sizes with different sorts of dried beans and pulses.  Pasta, dried peas, lentils, rice etc all make a great noise.  Screw the top tightly so none come out and secure with tape too.

Drums: put some dried pasta into closed and sealed margarine tubs or yogurt pots with lids.  Tape closed and drum with a wooden spoon.  You will hear the beans jump around inside along with the drumming noise as they bang.

Trumpets: decorate kitchen roll tubes with stickers and streamers and simply blow and toot into them!  Couldn't be easier and great to accompany a nursery rhyme.

Rhythm sticks: tie ribbons or streamers to wooden spoons and bang together in time with the music.  Ideal!

Saucepans drums: an old favourite and super fun if you really don't mind a big, metallic noise!  Set up some saucepans, upside down on the floor and give them a bang!  Use wooden spoons or pasty brush for a more muted sound!

Cymbals: Clang two lids together or hit one with a wooden spoon.  Don't use glass lids and be careful of dents!

Percussion: try jingling keys, tapping metal cutlery together, rubbing 2 scrubbing brushes together or even two pencils for a more gentle noise!