Bongo Drums

Idea from 365 Days of Baby Love, by Sheila Ellison and Susan Ferdinandi.

MATERIALS

• 3 different size oatmeal cylinders
• masking tape

ACTIVITY

• Tape the cylinders together to make a set of drums.
• Briefly demonstrate how to beat each drum with your fingers, palms, knuckles, and heels of the hand.
• Put on some music and tap to the beat!

** Can be made into an art activity: Cut construction paper to fit each individual drum (cylinder). Color and tape or glue onto drums.

Rhythm Sticks

Original idea from 365 Days of Baby Love, by Sheila Ellison and Susan Ferdinandi.

MATERIALS

• Rhythm sticks: can use anything you'd like.. toy drum sticks, sanded wood, wooden spoons, etc..

ACTIVITY

• Hum a melody while you tap the sticks together lightly
• Let baby hold one in each hand as you hold one in each hand. Do a made up patty cake type tapping
• Put on music and tap a pillow or the floor together.
• Play freeze-tap (like freeze-dance but with tapping!)

** You can also turn this into an art project by making and decorating you own rhythm sticks.
Using non-toxic paint, paint sanded down wood doweling. You could also paint or color paper towel rolls (first stuff them with tissue or paper and tape the ends shut).

Music is Hiding

Idea from 365 Days of Baby Love, by Sheila Ellison and Susan Ferdinandi.

MATERIALS

• Musical toy baby likes

ACTIVITY

• Wind up musical toy and hid it somewhere in the room.
• Ask child to find the music/toy.
• Crawl around room together searching for music.
• You can also have child hid the toy and search for it yourself, making a big scene out of looking and finally finding it! :)

Noise Maker (rain maker) - Fourth of July Craft

This idea was found on the Toddler Crafts blog: http://www.toddlercraft.net/toddler-craft/fourth-july-craft-noise-maker/

MATERIALS

• Paper towel Holder
• Saran Wrap
• Tape
• Rice/pasta
• Glue Stick
• Red/White or Blue Construction paper
• Red/white/Blue Paint
• Star Sponge (you can cut this out of a regular sponge if you don’t have one)

ACTIVITY

1. Stamp Blue and White stars on Red construction paper
2. Let it Dry
3. On bottom of papertowel roll hold saran wrap and tape around it to make a bottom to the Paper towel holder
4. Fill Paper Towel 1/4 way with rice/pasta
5. Put Saran Wrap on top, tape around to seal
6. Take Dried Star Print Construction paper, and tape end of it to Paper towel roll
7. Cut off Extra that goes above Paper Towel Roll
8. Glue Print construction paper to paper towel roll

Enjoy your fun music maker and noise maker for the Fourth of July!

* You can do this activity anytime, just decorate differently and enjoy :)