Really easy animal orchestra

Our favourite book this week is Noisy Orchestra. It's a lovely simple story that introduces instruments and classical music. Harris loves pressing the buttons and unlike many push button books I love the music too. In the book, an animal orchestra is getting ready to play a concert. You can listen to each section, string, woodwind, brass and percussion, practice. Then hear them all play together for the concert. Inspired by the book, we decided to make our own animal orchestra with some bits and bobs we found around the house. Turns out Harris's cuddly toys are quite talented musicians...

Here's how we made our really easy animal orchestra

String section

Get one tub, a used ice cream or take away box will do just fine. And some elastic bands, different sizes will make different sounds.

Put the bands over the tub.

And add a cuddly friend.

Percussion section

Find some containers, we used a couple of little jars and an empty juice bottle. Then fill them with anything that will make a noise. We used red lentils, couscous and pasta, but you could use loads of things, rice, cereal, dried fruit, everything makes a fun new noise. 

Brass section

Sorry, I couldn't think of a way to make a trumpet or any other brass instrument... So instead why not do some banging. I'm sure all your kids have already discovered how to turn a pan and any kitchen utensil they can find into a drum...

Woodwind section

You will need a few straws, we used 6 but you don't need that many, and some sellotape.

Cut the straws into different lengths for different sounds, lay them in a line on top of the sellotape. 

And wrap them up tight

The concert

Find some toys and give them all an instrument each. Then watch your little one get super excited!

And of course the fun part is playing the instruments... They all worked!!

Hope you all have fun making your own animal orchestra! 

Thanks for reading :-)