Didg For Kids | Tiny Tapping Toes

Tag Archives: didg for kids

Australia Day Kids Music Crafts!

Did you know there’s a special day to recognize Australia?

Celebrated on January 26th, Australia Day was previously called Anniversary Day and also Foundation Day. Over the years it has evolved to be less about colonial founding and more about celebrating the diversity and the changing face of modern Australia.

So what better time than this celebrate Australian culture and learn a bit more about “the land down under”.

What Did That Didgeridoo?

Aaaaaaank! Does anything else make you think of Australia as quickly as hearing a didgeridoo?

Here’s a link where you can learn more about the background of this instrument and also color or create your own homemade version of an aboriginal didgeridoo. Or just laugh and giggle to the samples of the didg’s wild “wooo wooo” sounds. http://www.dariamusic.com/didgeridoo.php

Tap Out Time With Australian Bilma Clapsticks

Clapsticks are clearly one of the easiest instruments for kids. And although almost every culture has a version of this instrument, Australia bilma have wonderful dot design patterns that are fun to craft and create. Use the dot designs to learn more about what’s important to Aboriginal Australians, because those are the animals, objects and patterns that appear most frequently in traditional Australian artwork and designs.

Here’s a step-by-step craft tutorial to MYO bilma, complete with awesome dot patterns: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Australian-Instruments-Make-Your-Own-Bilma-Clapsticks-1133140

A Bullroarer Makes A Buzz!

Used by several Native cultures around the globe, a bullroarer is a piece of wood on a long string that creates a truly unique sound when swung around in a circle. Rather then try to describe it, we’ll let Jungle Jay demonstrate it for you here and offer a link for a much safer version you can make out of plastic water bottles.

http://www.tinytappingtoes.com/uncategorized/outdoor-musical-play-make-your-own-bullroarer/

Learn About Uluru/Ayers Rock

Throughout Australia there are many very special and sacred sites for the Aboriginal people. One of the most important is called Uluru or Ayres Rock (in English). It’s a huge, red-colored stone formation that sits – literally – in the middle of nowhere. In this kids music video, called “You Gotta Didg”, you can see Uluru in the background while the didg is played and children dance.

10 Crafts For Australia Day!

Aside from music, we love these additional crafts that celebrate what’s truly unique and wonderful about Australia – from koala bears, kangaroos and wombats – to a hat with the theme of the Sydney Opera house. http://daycaredecisions.com.au/10-australia-day-craft-for-kids/

Wishing you a Happy Australia day as you discover more about this beautiful and diverse continent and nation!

Links and Resources

Australia Day – Official Site
http://www.australiaday.org.au/

MYO Bilma Aboriginal Clapsticks
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Australian-Instruments-Make-Your-Own-Bilma-Clapsticks-1133140

Hear, Color or Make a Didgeridoo
http://www.dariamusic.com/didgeridoo.php

Make Your Own Bullroarer
http://www.tinytappingtoes.com/uncategorized/outdoor-musical-play-make-your-own-bullroarer/

10 Crafts For Australia Day! http://daycaredecisions.com.au/10-australia-day-craft-for-kids/

Australia videos from Multicultural Kids Music Vids
http://multikidsmusicvids.com/?cat=96

→ Leave a comment

Posted in Australian Music, Classroom Music, Early Learning With Music, Ecology/Nature, First Instruments, Homeschool Musical Fun, Musical Crafts, Simple Instruments

Tagged Australia childrens crafts Didgeridoo, Australia Day, Australia Day crafts, Australia Day for children, Australia Day for kids, Australia day music, Australia day music crafts, Australia day videos, Australia kids crafts, childrens music., Daria, Daria Marmaluk-Hajioannou, dariamusic, didg for children, didg for kids, didgeridoo technique, Easy Instruments kids, music crafts, world music with daria, young children and music

Explore Australian Instruments With Your Child

Instruments from Australian Aboriginal culture are wonderfully easy to make and play. Whether you’re turning a cardboard roll from wrapping paper into a working didgeridoo or a broomstick into “bilma” clapsticks, these projects are creative, artistic and encourage your children to feel connected to world traditions as young global citizens.

What Can A Didgeridoo?

If you’ve seen any movie or video about Australia, you’ve heard the sound of a didgeridoo. Although traditional didgeridoos are made from long branches hollowed out by termites, modern ones can be crafted from pvc piping or the sturdy cardboard rolls found inside paper towels or wrapping paper.

Playing the basic sound of a didg can quickly be mastered by kids and adults alike! If you can “blow raspberries” (pucker your lips and blow air out while the lips flap back and forth a bit), then you can make a didg drone. Sound clips, coloring pages and easy instructions on making a homemade didg can be found at the link below.

The Didgeridoo – A Legacy of Kindness

Along with being a unique instrument, the didgeridoo comes with a wonderful origin story. You can read about how this instrument was created by a thoughtful elder who was so kind that he would not harm an ant. The Legend of the Didgeridoo can be found at the link below.

Simple Clapsticks

Almost every culture has discovered clapsticks – two pieces of wood, held in the hand and tapped together to make a beat. In Australia, clapsticks are called bilma and can be as simple as two sticks found in the woods or as elaborate as the decorated ones pictured here. Bilma are frequently used as part of ceremonies along with a didgeridoo. Special bilma made of hardwoods; such as mahogany, have a beautiful tone and can be heard for long distances.

Stay tuned for our next post where we share easy and fun methods for making and decorating bilma clapsticks with kids.

A Buzzing Bullroarer

If you don’t mind getting outside and can find a bit of elbow room, a recycled water bottle makes a fine bullroarer. Directions and a video of this really unique instrument can be found in the Links and Resources section below.

You Gotta Didg!

If you haven’t watched it yet, check out the video at the top of this article that features a didgeridoo and bullroarer. It’s a music video of DARIA’s “You Gotta Didg” song. The animation shows didgeridoos being played, beautiful Aboriginal face and body paint and the sacred site of Uluru in Australia, formerly known as Ayers Rock. Like the song? Add it to your Spotify, Apple Music or Pandora playlists at the links below.

Links and Resources

“You Gotta Didg” on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/3j6k7ftRC13AFWFAz9ZXza
On Apple Music https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/beautiful-rainbow-world/id208109471
On Pandora: https://www.pandora.com/artist/daria-childrens/AR3qdptJ5Vzh7r2

Hear, Color or Create A Recycled A Didgeridoo
http://www.dariamusic.com/didgeridoo.php