Tell Us About Your Instruments.

[Meredith Pizzi]

What kind and brand of instruments are you using in your groups with children of this developmental level?

[Mary Carter]

I have mainly worked with 3 year olds to 21 year olds so, in my personal collection I have lots of djembes (mainly remo) bongos, congas and professional percussion stuff that my percussion friends donated to me so I would have more appropriate instruments for the older kids I was working with. The school that I worked in had a bunch of random maracas and bells and some paddle drums that I could use with the littler ones. I do have a big ocean drum (remo) and some nice chimes that are good for using with little ones and a few ukuleles. I did obtain a few of the remo kids drums and some lollypop drums from a guy on Craigslist (where I get most of my instruments…) as he was retiring from teaching kindermusic classes. I know I need to get a bunch more shakers/maraccas and little tambourines now that I’m venturing out on my own so I am anxious to hear what brand people are using. My birthday is coming up in a couple weeks so I know what I’m asking for! Oh! And I do have a bunch of scarves that I got from Lakewood Learning Supplies.

[Corie Barkey]

I work with mainly 2 to 5 year old’s right now and I use many Remo, tubanos, paddle drums djembes, rhythm sticks, ocean drum and gathering drums. Fruit/veggie shakers, chiquitas. I use some other eclectic rhythm instruments. I love to use the rainbow colored xylophone, desk bells and a pentatonic glockenspiel for pitched instruments. I use scarves, bean bags, a parachute and a gathering elastic band all from westmusic. On occasion I will bring out the autoharp or qchord for accomp instead of the guitar to keep things interesting and offer variety of timbre.

[Mary Jane Dibble]

I use chiquitas a lot. I also use ocean drums, some little children tambourines, paddle drums–the kids especially love the ones that look like a lolipop. Also, rainsticks, djembe drums, little colorful shakers, castanets, scarves, ribbons, parachute, rhythm sticks, jingle bells, and colored desk bells.

[Emily Baroody]

I use the instruments that are supplied to me at the music school for their early childhood program, and honestly some of the instruments are reminiscent of the toys on the island of misfit toys in Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. I have tons of basic beat egg shakers, a few maracas, two octaves of boom whackers, eight cymbals, twenty red and blue rhythm sticks, ten plastic castanets, twelve drums with rubber heads, a few lolipop drums and soft mallets, some plastic xylophones, a parachute, scarves, feathers, and I often bring my djembe to class or borrow the music therapy large gathering drum. I really liked the idea of having a yucky bucket in class and will definitely be implementing that immediately. My sterilization process right now involves a lot of lysol wipes and a lot of time and constantly putting dirty instruments behind a desk so that other kids cant reach for them.

[Molly Moses]

I have used mostly instruments from West Music, including shakers, boom whackers, lollipop drums, rainsticks (always popular), ocean drums, fruit shakers, and gathering drums.

[Cynthia Cross]

I too get most of my instruments from West Music. At my school I have a large variety of rhythm instruments and drums. For the younger kids (2.5-6 years) I use a LOT of shakers – they seem to be the most popular with the kids. I try to use as many one-handed instruments as possible (shakers, tambourines, hand castanets, jingle bells) or drums without mallets. I find the adults in the room – mainly staff – get really stressed out about children playing ‘properly’ when 2 hands or a mallet is required. I also have boomwhackers, ocean drums, a variety of frame drums, hand bells, desk bells. I can’t wait to purchase my own instruments!

[Anonymous]

If you decide to become a Sprouting Melodies Provider, you always have the option to talk with Meredith and Beth about making a list of instruments to order that fits into your budget.

[Laura Silvestain]

At my school, we use many egg shakers and chiquitas, bells that go on the wrist and ones that are adapted for those without a strong palmer grasp, and we have a wide variety of ocean and buffalo drums, tambourines (including a shiny one that children enjoy), and larger drums like djembes. I am not sure of the brands that are used.

[Mary Kerrigan]

I work primarily with adults so my collection of instruments is mostly larger for children and babies. I do have a small collection of shakers and maracas that are smaller in size, some chiquitas and egg shakers as well as some bells and small hand drums that I have used whenever I do have the chance to work with children. Most of the equipment I have purchased is from the Music Therapy Starter kit from Westmusic.com. I again purchased the adult instrument starter kit; however, they do have a children and infant starter kit as well which is something I would consider investing in if I had na increase in working with children.

[Brianna McCulloch]

I have tons of basic beat egg shakers, chiquida maracas, small tambourines, paddle drums, remo hand drums (but I need more of these!!), a few jingle bells (I want more of the ones that velcro on for my MT practice), scarves (I know not an instrument but great for this age group), rhythm sticks, rain sticks, finger cymbals, and my number one favorite thing is my remo gathering drum.

[Melaine Pohlman]

Some of my favorite instruments for the early childhood setting include: shortened rhythm sticks, djembes, the children’s tom tom drum, gathering drums, finger cymbals, small triangles with safety mallets (great for parent to hold and child to use), jingle bells (with Velcro), Chiquita maracas, rain sticks, ocean drums, long handled castinets and the tambourine that has the kaleidoscope head on it.

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