Monday, June 23, 2014

Easy DIY Outdoor Music Station for Kids

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Wanting to build an outdoor music station for kids? Then try this DIY recycled outdoor music station idea! It's quick to make and expensive too.

I love the idea of outdoor music walls and stations for kids. And I've been wanting to make one for my kids for quite some time. Especially after building our giant rainbow xylophone last summer. 

I keep seeing so many amazing outdoor music wall ideas and music fence ideas out there. And I kind of want to build them all...seriously.

However, the idea of building a permanent structure in the backyard just doesn't make sense. I just couldn't imagine a music wall lasting through our horribly long, cold winters.  

So I wondered if there was a way to build a temporary outdoor music station. One that could be set up in the spring and then taken down in the late fall. There had to be a something that would work for our climate.

Well, I managed to come up with a perfect solution for us! And, as an added bonus, it didn't cost me a dime to make. How is that possible you wonder? Well, it's because I upcycled some things I had on hand. So here's our recycled outdoor music station that takes only 10 minutes to set up.

Easy DIY outdoor music station


How to Make a DIY Outdoor Music Station for Kids

We've been spending a lot of time working in our backyard, prepping for building a garden. In particular, we've been transplanting fifty billion cedar trees to prep for building a garden.  Seriously, why did the previous owners of this house plant so many cedar trees?!  Anyway, while moving our extremely tattered swing, it dawned on me that the frame would make a perfect frame for a DIY outdoor music wall or station of some kind.

I mean just look at how hideous our swing is. It's been through one too many cold winters and has definitely seen better days. But I knew right away that the frame would be perfect for the outdoor music station idea that I had in mind. Or, at least, I hope it would work like I wanted it to.

The ugly swing that I used to make a DIY recycled outdoor music station for kids from And Next Comes L

First things first, I removed the old tattered swing and cushions. About time I retired it, hey? Then I added some metal banging surfaces (more details below). And then voila, a delightful little music making space. The frame itself is even great for making music.

DIY recycled outdoor music station that takes only 10 minutes to make from And Next Comes L

DIY recycled outdoor music station that takes only 10 minutes to make from And Next Comes L

I scoured our garage for any recyclables that we had to make this music station. I ended up finding a rusted cake pan, a green metal flower pot, and some tin cans of various sizes. I also added some jingle bells to the inside of one tin can. An idea that was part of My Nearest and Dearest's music station.

Jingle bells in a tin can on a DIY recycled outdoor music station from And Next Comes L

Once I had gathered all of the supplies, it was time to prep them for hanging on the frame. I punched holes into each item using a nail and hammer. The green flower pot already had a hole from where a handle used to be so I didn't have to punch any holes there. 

Next, I used some 50-lb fishing line to hang up the materials. I found the fishing line at the dollar store a while ago and have a stash in my craft desk for random projects like this. Anyway, I just knotted the fishing line multiple times until it was too big to slide through the hole. Then I tied the other end to the frame of our sturdy music station.

Close up of tin can hanging from a DIY recycled outdoor music station for kids from And Next Comes L

Armed with wooden spoons and a metal whisk, the boys went to town on the new music station.

J playing on a DIY recycled outdoor music station from And Next Comes L

K playing on a DIY recycled outdoor music station from And Next Comes L

Playing on a DIY recycled outdoor music station from And Next Comes L

The tin cans and pan make for awesome outdoor musical instruments. And, when hit, they swing back and forth a bit, which got quite the reaction from K!

K playing on a DIY recycled outdoor music station from And Next Comes L

K playing on a DIY recycled outdoor music station from And Next Comes L

Haha...and you should have seen the other hilarious photos that I took of him.  Especially when he figured out how to climb the side of the swing's frame.  He stood in all sorts of weird positions with tongue out or puffed cheeks, drumming away.  So not only did the boys make music, they also did some gross motor play by climbing the music station.  I guess you could say that I made a DIY recycled outdoor and climbable music station.

K playing on a DIY recycled outdoor music station from And Next Comes L

So that's our DIY recycled outdoor music station! It was quick and easy to set up and tons of fun for the kids.

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Easy DIY outdoor music station for kids