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
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!
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.
- 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:
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:
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:
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:
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:
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:
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:
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:
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 2nd 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:
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.
Easy Native American Spin Drum Craft for Kids
Looking for a Native American craft to make with your kids this year? This is a really fun spin drum craft using recycled materials. It's a fun activity to celebrate Indigenous Peoples' Day or Thanksgiving.
Materials
- Colored craft papers
- Empty toilet paper roll
- Cardboard
- Yarn or strings
- Wooden beads
- Popsicle stick
- Sharpie
- Sewing needle
- Pencil
Tools
- Scissors
- Glue stick
- Hot glue gun (optional)
Instructions
- Collect a piece of cardboard, a popsicle stick, and an empty toilet paper roll for the craft. Take the toilet paper roll and trace its circumference on the cardboard sheet, we’ll need 2 round shapes from the cardboard sheet.
- Cut out the traced round shapes from the cardboard sheet and also cut out a slice (about 2 cm or 1 inch will do) of the toilet paper roll.
- Use a sharp object 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.
- Insert a 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.
- Take a length of yarn or string and attach a wooden bead on either open ends of the strand. Make sure to tie knots to secure the bead. Attach a needle through the other end of the strand.
- Consider the popsicle stick as vertically attached; now draw the needle through the toilet paper roll horizontally.
- Measure the length of the remaining strand (including the bead) outside the roll and make sure that it is no longer than the diameter of the roll. Tie the inner strand with the popsicle stick (inside the roll).
- Now, draw the needle out of the roll from the opposite end. Keep an equal amount of thread on the other side of the strand and secure the 2nd bead nicely.
- Attach the cardboard round shape cutouts on both open sides of the toilet paper roll.
- Use colored craft papers or paint to decorate the plain cardboard parts of the spin drum.