Musical Instruments for Residents - Shake It!

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CRi, Choice. Respect. independence. (formerly known as Community Residences, Inc.), is a community based organization with a focused effort on providing people with developmental disabilities and/or mental health needs the resources, supports and services they need to live their lives with purpose, actively engaged in communities of their choosing. CRi’s mission fully supports a person’s ability to exercise control of their life’s choices, and to live in and contribute to communities of their choosing, as young adults through aging in place. We believe in serving individuals within the communities in which they live & supporting the individual’s choices and independence.

With COVID changing the way we all interact with the world, we’ve had to adjust our routines, implement coping mechanisms, and find new strategies to connect with our loved ones and our community. CRi individuals have had to do the same, but many don’t understand why. Nearly two years into the pandemic, it’s still difficult to venture into the community for a fun outing and therefore have limited abilities/opportunities to socially engage. Staff have been working with residents to find ways to keep them learning and growing through games and projects that can be done at home - recreation therapy. The goal of recreation therapy is to motivate individuals to practice their fine motor skills and hone their cognitive function through tactile, visual, and auditory stimulation.

Music and musical instruments are a fun and energizing way to encourage activity. Musical instruments can be a tool to help individuals work on their cognition, communication, comprehension, focus, and fine motor skills. Make a homemade tambourine, maraca, or jingle stick (or all three!) for a resident to rock out! Find the instructions below for all three instruments.

Tambourine

Help provide developmental tools to residents with intellectual and developmental disabilities! The following website was the inspiration for this project - https:// thatkidscraftsite.com/diy-tambourine-craft/

Supplies

• Cardboard - From a packing box, not a cereal box
• Glue
• 2 bowls - 1 about 3" larger than the other. Plates work too.
• Pen/pencil
• Scissors
• Yarn - ¼" satin ribbon or thin strips of fabric work well too
• Jingle bells

Instructions

1. Trace a circle on the cardboard using the large bowl as a guide.
2. Using the smaller bowl, make a smaller circle within the bigger circle.
3. Cut out both circles, leaving a circle frame. This is your tambourine.
4. Repeat steps 1-3 to make a second frame.
5. Glue the two frames together to make the frame sturdy. Let dry. You want a sturdy frame.
6. Tie a knot with the yarn (or ribbon) around the tambourine frame and continue to wrap the yarn around and around covering the frame completely. Cut yarn and tie off with a knot.
7. Make several strands of yarn by cutting 12" pieces. We needed 7 strands - 1 for each bell.
8. Thread 1 strand into 1 bell (this can be tricky), until each bell is threaded with 1 strand of yarn.
9. Attach each bell to the tambourine frame using knot spaced around the frame evenly. Cover about 2/3 or ¾ of the frame to leave space for a resident to hold the instrument.

Maracas

Help provide developmental tools to residents with intellectual and developmental disabilities! The following website was the inspiration for this project - https://gardenseedsandhoneybees.com/diy-maracas

Supplies

• Plastic eggs
• Filler - dried rice, beans, or lentils - try different filler for different sounds!
• Plastic spoons - 2 per maraca
• Colorful duct tape
• Sharpies (optional)
• Scissors

Instructions

1. Fill the plastic egg with 1-2 tablespoons of filler.
2. Shake the egg to test the sound. Be careful not to overfill or you won’t get good vibrations.
3. Place the egg in between two plastic spoons and hold it in place using a strip of duct tape. You can use a strip or apply tape to the whole spoon/egg.
4. Duct tape the two spoon handles together.
5. If desired, use sharpies to decorate your maracas.

Jingle Stick

Help provide developmental tools to residents with intellectual and developmental disabilities! The following video was the inspiration for this project - https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=Qgxr_ii7-f8

Supplies

• Unsharpened pencil or 5/16" wooden dowel
• Thin Ribbon - between ¼" and ¾" is a good size. Make sure it’s not wired.
• Jingle bells - Try different size bells for different tones!
• Pipe cleaners - Two per stick
• Scissors
• Hot glue gun
• Paint and paint brush (optional)

Instructions

1. Paint your pencil or stick if desired.
2. String jingle bells on your pipe cleaner leaving about an inch of space between each one. You can adjust the spacing of the bells as you wrap.
3. Start at the top of the stick and wrap one pipe cleaner edge around the top. Twist to secure the loop and add a dollop of glue from the glue gun to secure it into place and cover the sharp end of the pipe cleaner.
4. Once the glue has dried, continue to twist your pipe cleaner around the stick until you reach the end of the pipe cleaner. At that point, add another pipe cleaner to the end of the first by twisting them together. Choose a different color pipe cleaner for a pop of color. Twist this second pipe cleaner back up the stick filling in any gaps.
5. Loop the end of the second pipe cleaner around the top of the stick like you did at the beginning.
6. Cut a length of ribbon 8"-12" and run it through the loop at the end of the second pipe cleaner and tie it into a knot.
7. Add another dollop of hot glue to secure the end of the second pipe cleaner and ribbon it into place and cover the pointy end.

Instruments can be dropped off or mailed to the following addresses:

Chantilly HQ

14160 Newbrook Dr, Chantilly, VA 20151
Donation boxes are located in the lobby beyond the double glass doors
Accepting donations Monday - Friday from 8am to 5pm and Saturdays from 10am to 12pm

Arlington/Falls Church Maintenance Office

7297A Lee Hwy, Falls Church, VA 22042
Donation boxes are located in the lobby just inside the front door
Accepting donations Monday - Friday from 10am to 2pm

Richmond

808 Moorefield Park Dr., Ste. 120, Richmond, VA 23235
Accepting donations Monday - Friday from 10am to 1pm