How to Make a Homemade Tambourine with Free Printable Coloring Templates

May 2, 2020

In this stressful time as the orders to stay at home continue with an unknown end, music heals and comforts. Featured today on Theresa’s Reviews, I am sharing how to make a homemade tambourine to spread joy, learn about rhythm, and maybe even write your own song. You can also download and print three free templates to make your own tambourine at home!

I used Canva to design these templates. Making our own templates to color made this activity special and memorable.

One of my daughters wanted to create tambourine to share a message about how important being healthy is to everyone right now. The other wanted to share a message about how much she loves music and how everyone should have music in their lives.

Homemade tambourines are very simple to make! Check out these directions.

Supplies

2 paper plates

Ribbon

Dried beans

Hole punch

Glue

Colored pencils or markers

2 Templates

Directions

Print off two templates, one for each side of the tambourine. Color the templates, and cut them out.

While coloring the templates, another person can begin making the tambourine out of the paper plates.

Place one plate on a table. Take another plate, turn it upside down, and place it on top of the other plate.

Begin punching holes around the outside of both plates. Be careful to keep the holes aligned.

The holes should be about 2 inches apart. You will have about 8 holes.

Cut the same amount of ribbon with each being about 1 foot long. The longer the ribbon is, the more it can sway as you shake the tambourine. If you are using gift ribbon, as I was, you can also curl it with scissors to make it bounce when you wave the tambourine.

Tie the ribbon through the holes to keep the plates together. Before you completely secure the plates to each other with the ribbon, pour about half a cup of dried beans into the inside of the plates.

After you tie the last ribbon through the plates, add glue around the edges of the plates to hold the two plates together. Let it dry.

Glue the templates to the outside out of the plates. Let all of the glue dry before you begin waving and shaking the tambourine.

When it is dry, you can play with and enjoy your new instrument!