From goats’ toenails to gourds and stones, anything that makes a sound can make a rhythm! See, hear, and sing with unusual rhythm instruments from around the world. Then take home ideas for making your own instruments from things in your own world!

LIBRARIANS:
Get media and promo materials HERE
Get ideas for your own library program HERE
      To BOOK THIS CONCERT, e-mail Nancy or call her at (206) 232-1078

Rhythm Instruments
Lots of information and plans at my homemade rhythm instruments page.
All lend themselves to accompaniment with multicultural songs, and can provide craft activity for older children
African tambourine (made from paper mache and shells, beads, or buttons)
Juice can shakers
Bottle cap shakers
Paper mache fruit maracas
Drum (made from heat-shrink aircraft nylon and quilting hoop, great sound!)
Stones (every culture has songs about or accompanied by stones)

Free Songs to Download
Sticks and Stones, Seeds and Bones (sing with homemade instruments from found items. Use to talk about indigenous rhythm instruments)
Hee Nah Nee Nah (Navajo song/game)
Los Animales (Spanish, animals and colors, printable pages and to accompany)
Bonjoir, mon ami (French)
Es un Dia (Spanish, simple printable pages for prop book to use while singing)
Tingalayo (West Indies, simple hand motions)
Walkin’ in the Outback (Australia- printable animal pictures to use with song)
Henry the Dog (song for use with Appalachian toy/rhythm instrument)

Rhythm of the Rocks CD
Collection of multicultural songs, some with activities and variety of languages
Illustrated songbook with activities sold separately.

Fun props and More Ideas
Limberjacks (dog, man, frog, horse)
Use this engaging toy/rhythm instrument to accompany a simple song or story.
Rhythm Bones (rhythm instruments made from wood) This site has instructions for playing “bones”, and you can purchase them. Every culture has a version of this instrument.
Everybody Needs a Rock, by Byrd Baylor - a fun accompaniment to your “rock” songs!
Everywhere the Cow Says Moo" is a delightful book with fun illustrations that introduces young children to foreign languages.
Talk with children
about how clothing and things come to us from all over the word. Have parents or older children read the labels on clothes or objects you bring in, and mark the places they came from on a map. For example, I tell children before I have left the house I have traveled the world! My dress is from Hawaii, my guitar is from Nashville, but the wood is from Brazil, my earrings are from Seattle, and on and on. It’s a great literacy and geography activity! Bring some objects from home so you can be sure there is a greater variety of countries of origin.
Bring a variety of found objects
like sticks, stones, seeds, and have children make instruments from them or use in a story (assign different sounds to different characters)