Musical Instruments for Residents - Hit 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 help improve and/or maintain quality of life by motivating 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 drum or xylophone (or both!) for a resident to rock out! Find the instructions below for both instruments with variations.

Drums

Help provide developmental tools to residents with intellectual and developmental disabilities! The following website was the inspiration for this project - https://kidsactivitiesblog.com/5491/big-thoughts-creative-kids.

Supplies

• Clean Coffee can/oatmeal can/Tide Pods container/soup tin can (as long as there are no sharp edges!)
• Balloons - various colors
• Scissors
• Duct tape
• Pair of clean chopsticks or unsharpened pencils
• Paint and paintbrushes/sharpies (optional)
• Dried beans/lentils/rice (optional)

Instructions

1. Gather your supplies. Make sure the container of your choice is clean and there are no sharp edges. You can choose containers of different sizes to make different sounds.
2. Cut the nose off of two balloons of different colors enough to fit over the open mouth of the can.
3. Optional - Before adding the balloons, add a couple tablespoons of dried beans/lentils/rice to make it a drum/maraca combo!
4. Cut small holes in one of the balloons so that when stretched on top of the other you have a polka dot effect.
5. Secure both balloons to the can using duct tape. Use fun color/design tape for a cool effect!
6. Optional - Decorate your drum using sharpies or paint.
7. Test your drum! Use your hands to play it like a bongo or try using chop sticks or two unsharpened pencils.

Looking for something more challenging? Try this out! - https://www.instructables.com/Make-a-Talking-Drum-out-of-Funnels/

Xylophone

Help provide developmental tools to residents with intellectual and developmental disabilities! There are a few variations of xylophones, so choose the one that best fits your availability and ability level. The following website was the inspiration for this project - https://www.somewhatsimple.com/xylophone-craft/

Supplies

• 8 - 1 Gallon Paint Stir Sticks (12" long)
• 1 - 5 Gallon Paint Stir Stick ( 21" long)
• 1 - 1″x1″x36" wood dowel
• 16 - 23 gauge ½" or 5/8" pin nails
• 4 - 3/4" wood screws
• Fine sand paper - 150 grit or higher
• Ruler or measuring tape
• Drill and bits
• Hammer
• Miter Saw/Circular Saw
• Paint
• Paintbrush
• Wood glue
• 1 - 12" Wooden dowels ¼" diameter
• 1 - Wooden spheres 1 ¼" diameter
• Drop cloth

Instructions

1. Begin by assembling your supplies and prepping your work station by laying down drop cloth.
2. Measure out and cut your 12" paint sticks in the following sizes: 7", 6.75", 6.5", 6.25", 6", 5.75", 5.5", 5.25". These will be your "notes".
3. Measure out and cut your 21" paint sticks in the following sizes: 6" and 5". These will be your base pieces.
4. Measure out and cut your 36" dowel to two 18" pieces. These will be your frame pieces.
5. Sand down the edges of all your wood.
6. Paint all your pieces of wood. Be sure to choose bright colors for the "notes" to make it easier to identify and distinguish for residents. Let dry.
7. Line up the two 1"x1" pieces so they are at a V angle with the narrow end measuring roughly 1" apart and the wide end measuring 2.5".
8. Screw the base pieces into the frame using the 3/4" wood screws. The 5" base should be about 1" from the narrow end and the 6" base should be 1" from the wide end.
9. Flip the frame over and measure 1.5" in from the narrow end and that’s where you will place the first 5.25" note. Space each consecutive note 1" apart. The last 7" note should be 1.5" from the wide end of the frame.
10. Nail all the notes in using the pin nails.
11. To make the mallet, drill a hole using a 5/16" drill bit about half way through the wooden sphere. Apply wood glue to the divot and insert the ¼" wooden dowel. Let dry. Paint if desired.

Here are a variety of other xylophones to try!

• Easy - Wrench Xylophone - https://deceptivelyeducational.blogspot.com/2013/07/diy-xylophone-out-of-wrenches.html
• Advanced - PVC pipe xylophone - https://lovelyindeed.com/how-to-make-a-xylophone/
• Advanced - https://www.instructables.com/Copper-pipe-glockenspiel/

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, Thursday, and Friday from 10am to 1pm