Can you create your own water orchestra?
Water is all around us, even if we don’t always notice it, and it’s a really precious resource. This activity is a celebration of water and exploration into the sounds it can make.
Materials
- Bottles, cups, jugs, bowls, plates etc. Any object that can interact with water in an interesting way!
- Water
Before you start
Collect different things that can carry water – bottles, jugs, cups etc. and bring them to your session. Encourage your group to do the same.
What to do
- Explain to your group that you are going to be making lots of different sounds using water.
- Pick up one of the objects you’ve brought – ask them about how water might interact with it.
- What kinds of sounds can water make with it? (Splishing, splashing, sloshing, dripping etc.)
- How might you change the sound water is making?
- What’s the most unique sound you think you can make?
- Get them to look through what you’ve brought, and select a few different objects.
- Then, get them to start making their own water instruments independently, or in small groups.
- After they’ve all had a try making instruments, bring the group back together. Everyone should introduce their instrument, and give an example of what it sounds like and how to use it.
- Once everyone has shown their instrument, start to think as a group what kinds of sounds you can make working together.
- What instruments sound similar?
- What instruments sound unique?
- How do they sound when played together?
- Start playing music with the full orchestra!
Instrument Ideas
Water makes many different sounds depending what you do with it. See how many different sounds you can make.
Things you could try:
Shake a bottle of water – does it make a different sound depending on how much water is in the bottle?
Pour water into a bowl – how does the sound change if you pour from high up or low down?
Splash your feet in a puddle – can you make different sounds if you just dip your foot in or if you do a big jump?
Drip water onto a plate – does the sound change as there is more water on the plate? How about if you use plates made of different things, like plastic / metal / china.
Fill a bottle with water and blow over the top – how does the sound change with different amounts of water in the bottle? How about if you use different containers?
What was your favourite instrument for your water orchestra? If you have a friend or family member with you, you could see how some of your instruments sound together.
Take it further
You could combine this with another music activity. You might also like to find out more about water and all the ways we use it with Water Everywhere.