Homemade Musical Instruments Made from Toy Shovels

Make fun and adorable homemade musical instruments out of plastic toy beach shovels.

Pick up a few plastic shovels from Dollar Tree and the supplies noted below to make these fun homemade instruments with your kids or grandkids.

They’re easy to make but require a little drilling and knotting by an adult but there’s plenty kids can do. My kids loved stringing the bells on and gluing on the pom-poms and beads.

Please Note: This craft is made with small beads and bells and may be a choking hazard for little ones under six. 

Supplies

• Drill
• Plastic shovels
• Pom-poms
• Bells
• Craft glue (that adheres to plastic)
• Colorful craft string
• Plastic lacing cord
• Beads
• Scissors
• Sharpie (black, fine tip)

How To Make Homemade Musical Instruments Using Beach Shovels

1. All: Cut the top of the shovel with scissors to resemble the cat, frog, bear, or the cut-out for the dream catcher. The shovels we used came from the dollar store and were easily cut with sharp scissors. I recommend an adult do the cutting and use curved cuts, especially for the cat ears and the top of the dream catcher to blunt. If you are concerned that your cut-out is still too pointy, you can round more or add electrical tape (for example: cat ears)
2. Frog & Cat: Drill holes for the eyes.
3. Frog & Cat: Loosely string 2 bells on for eyes using a plastic lacing cord.
4. Frog: Use craft glue and glue 2 pom-poms where the eyes will be. Let the glue set a minute then secure the bells over the pom-poms by tying them at the back.
5. Frog: Draw a mouth and nose with a black, fine-tip Sharpie.
6. Bear: Drill a hole in each ear.
7. Bear: Tie a bell onto each ear using a plastic lacing cord.
8. Bear: Glue 2 beads on for the eyes and 2 pom-poms for the nose.
9. Dream Catcher: Drill 8 holes as shown.
10. Dream Catcher: Weave plastic lacing cord with 4-5 bells and beads through the holes in a random pattern tying in the back.
11. All: Finish by wrapping the handle with colorful craft string and tying 4-5 bells onto the handle (optional).

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