Make a Wind Instrument Craft

When you play a musical instrument, it makes the air around you vibrate (move back and forth rapidly).  The air carries the vibrations to your ears and your eardrums vibrate so that you can hear the sounds made by the musical instrument.

Pan Pipes are a simple wind instrument. When they are played, the air inside the tubes (straws) vibrates to make a sound.

Materials

• 6-8 straws per person
• cardboard or heavy oaktag paper
• glue
• scissors

Directions

• Cut 2 rectangular pieces of cardboard for each instrument (approx. 6 inches by 1 1/2  inches)
• Place and glue the straws on one of the pieces of cardboard, leaving approx. 1 inch above the cardboard

• Glue the other piece of cardboard over the first piece of cardboard. The straws will now be between both pieces of cardboard.

• Trim the bottom of the straws with a scissors so that each one is a little shorter than the one before it. 

• Have the straws facing downward and hold the straws to your mouth as you blow across the tops to make MUSIC.

 The shorter the straws, the higher the pitch.

 The longer the straws, the lower the pitch.

Other wind instruments: flute, clarinet, trombone, saxophone