Easy Native American Spin Drum Craft for Kids

Are you looking for a cute Native American craft for kids to celebrate Indiginous Peoples’ Day or Thanksgiving? Keep scrolling to learn how to make this Native American spin drum craft!

This easy Native American spin drum craft tutorial was written by family travel expert Marcie Cheung and contains affiliate links which means if you purchase something from one of my affiliate links, I may earn a small commission that goes back into maintaining this blog.

Are you looking for a fun Native American craft to do with your kids?

This Native American hand drum is easy and inexpensive to make. You can use recycled materials, so it’s great for the environment too!

It’s perfect for celebrating Indigenous Peoples’ Day or Thanksgiving. Your kids will love making this Native American craft!

If you are looking for something fun and educational to do with your child, then look no further than our Native American hand drum craft tutorial.

They’ll be able to play music on their new instrument before they know it! Doesn’t that sound like fun?

Keep scrolling right now so you can get started on this awesome project today!

Native American Spin Drum FAQs

What is a spin drum?

The Native American spin drum typically consists of two pieces that are held together by strings and beads. When you play with your hands, it turns in opposite directions while producing a “tat-tat-tat” sound that will make anyone’s heart race!

What tribes use spin drums?

You can usually find spin drums in the Southwest of the U.S., but they are also found globally in African, Asian, and Latin American countries.

Native American Spin Drum Craft Tutorial

Native American Hand Drum Materials

The whole point of this hand drum craft is that you should have all of these materials already at home. In case you’ve run out of something, I’ve linked my favorite products.

These are the items you'll need for this Native American hand drum craft for kids. Image of a toilet paper roll, craft paper, scissors, glue stick, yarn, beads, a pencil, popsicle stick, and cardboard.

Colored craft papers
Empty toilet paper roll
Cardboard
Yarn, twine, or string
Wooden beads
Popsicle stick
Sharpie
Glue stick
Pencil
Scissors
Sewing needle
Hot glue gun (optional)

How to Make a Native American Drum

Step 1:

The first step for this Native American craft for kids is to trace circles onto cardboard.

Collect a piece of cardboard, a popsicle stick, and an empty toilet paper roll for this craft.

First, take the toilet paper roll and trace its circumference on the cardboard sheet. We’ll need 2 round shapes from the cardboard sheet. This will form the sides of the drum.

Step 2:

Image of an empty toilet paper roll and two cardboard circles. These are materials to make a spin drum craft.

Next, cut out the traced round shapes from the cardboard sheet. Then, cut out a slice of the toilet paper roll. Our slice is about 1 inch thick.

Step 3:

You'll want to cut about an inch off an empty toilet paper roll to make this Native American drum craft.

Use a sharp object (like scissors or a knife) to cut a slot on the side of the toilet paper roll slice. The slot should be big enough to insert a popsicle stick through it. This step will probably need help from a grown-up.

Step 4:

Image of a popsicle stick that is pierced through a slice of an empty toilet paper roll. This is the framework for a spinning drum craft.

Insert your popsicle stick through the slot of the toilet paper roll slice and apply glue on the joint parts (of the stick and the roll) to attach them nicely.

Step 5:

Tie a bead onto one end of the string and thread the other side through a needle. This is how to attach the beads to your toy drum craft.

Take a length of yarn or string and attach a wooden bead on one of the open ends of the strand. Make sure to tie knots to secure the bead or it will fall off. Thread the other end of the string through a needle.

Step 6:

Thread your needle through one end of your Native American drum. Image of a partially done spin drum craft.

Take your needle and string and pierce it through one side of your drum framework. Imagine that the popsicle stick is attached at the top.

Step 7:

You'll want to tie the string around the popsicle stick to secure it.

Measure the length of the remaining strand (including the bead) outside of the toilet paper roll. It’s really important to make sure that it is not longer than the diameter of the roll. Otherwise, the bead won’t hit the drum when you try to spin it.

When you’re happy with the length, tie the middle of the string to the popsicle stick as the photo above depicts.

Step 8:

Thread your string all the way through the toilet paper roll to form the skeleton of your Native American spinning drum.

Now, draw the needle out of the roll from the opposite end. Remember to keep an equal amount of string on the other side of the strand and secure the 2^nd bead nicely.

We put a little dab of hot glue on the knot on the popsicle stick, but that’s an optional step.

Step 9:

Image of a brown cardboard Native American spin drum craft for kids.

Attach the cardboard round shape cutouts on both open sides of the toilet paper roll. You can either use your glue stick or use a hot glue gun.

Step 10:

Now comes the really fun part! Use colored craft papers or paint to decorate the plain cardboard parts of the spin drum.

You can get creative by coming up with your own design or look online for Native American patterns and design ideas.

Native American Hand Drums Craft Wrap Up

Do you have a little one who is interested in learning about Native American culture? They will love this fun spin drum craft for kids.

This simple project can be made with items that are laying around your house, so it’s perfect to do on rainy days or when the weather is too hot.

Hopefully, you’ve learned how to make a drum out of recycled materials. I think it’s one of the most fun Native American crafts for kids.

If you’re looking for more ideas of crafts preschoolers enjoy making, head over to some of our other blog posts featuring children’s crafts!

Looking for more cultural crafts for kids? Learn how to make a sugar skull for Day of the Dead, a Chinese New Year dragon, and a Nutcracker ballet stage.

Yield: 1