Do you know that it is not at all difficult to DIY a musical instrument study unit in your homeschool?

No, you don’t need to be a fully trained music teacher to do it. 

You just need to know a few basics and you can have as much fun creating the unit for your kids, as they will, when they complete the activities. 

Ok, ok, I hear you. 

You don’t have time, don’t know where to start and don’t want to get into making printables and searching through tons of videos on YouTube. 

Just hear me out. 

In this post, I will give you all the necessary tools and the guidance and all you have to do is make a few decisions and voila, you will have created your own DIY instrument study unit. 

Ready to get started? 

Pick An Instrument

The first decision you have to make is to decide on an instrument. 

There are dozens of instruments to choose from, so if you are finding it difficult to make a decision, figure out which instrument family you will like to choose from, string, percussion, brass or woodwind. 

Once you’ve done that, narrow the search down and pick one instrument to focus on.

Collect Printables

Now that you’ve decided on the instrument, do a quick search and look for some free printables, you can use. 

Teachers Pay Teacher is a good site to check, however, I have saved you the trouble and provided you with a printable (suitable for all ages). 

Check it out. 

Create A Playlist

Yes, it is as simple as that. 

Create a playlist of songs that are performed on the instrument of choice. 

For instance if you chose the clarinet, you can listen to music by KennyG, or if you chose the violin, you can listen to music by Vanessa Mae, for the piano Richard Clayderman or Yanni might be a good choice. 

Now, you get the picture don’t you?

Decide On Activities

Based on the age group of the kids, you have to now decide on the activities that would best suit them. 

Here are three categories to help you. 

Hands On Activities – Like a homemade flute or guitar. 

Research Activities – Obviously this is better for older kids, who can actually research about the origin of the instrument, famous players and much more. 

Field Trips – A trip to an instrument store, or attending an orchestral performance for instance (again, this would vary greatly depending on the age of the child). 

Blend, Blend, Blend

Yes, blend music with other subjects like science, history or geography. 

Let’s say your kids are learning about China for geography, so why not then learn about Chinese musical instruments? 

Get it? 

That’s it. 

So what do you think? 

Can you DIY an instrument study unit in your homeschool? 

Don’t forget to download the printable I have made available. 

Did you know that one of the best ways to introduce your kids to music is by blending music in with other subjects that they learn in the homeschool? 

When I say this, one of the first questions I hear from moms is, how do I do that? 

I’m teaching history today, and what about the signing of the Magna Carta can I use to teach music?

Ok, so let’s assume for a second that your kids are currently learning about the Middle Ages, in this post I am going to explain how you can blend the study of history and music in your homeschool. 

Read on to learn about different activities you can do with your kids to teach them about any event or era in history and blend in some music appreciation as well. 

As always, I have also included printables you can use to take your kids learning to the next level. 

Instruments Of The Era

Let’s continue to assume that your kids are currently learning about the Middle Ages, a time of disease and plagues and lots of political upheaval. 

The medieval era in music covers the time up to 1350, which can be considered as the middle ages. 

Now that you’ve identified the age, it is time to get started on learning about some musical instruments from that time. 

Introduce one instrument from that time to your younger kids and have older kids research some instruments themselves. 

Older kids can take it a step further and learn about the instrument in depth and even create a playlist of songs played on the instrument. 

Eg. A sackbut is a medieval musical instrument. 

Remember the knowledge and projects of the older kids can be used to expand the knowledge of the younger ones. 

Composers Of The Era

How about researching and learning about some of the composers from the era? 

Some well known composers of the medieval era in music were Hildegard of Bingen, Guillaume de Machaut and Guillaume DuFay. There are many others. 

With younger kids you can help them learn the names of a few composers and find and listen to a composition or two. 

Older kids can carry out a research study into the life and works of a selected composer. 

The Role Of Music

What role did music play in medieval life? Do you know?

Research indicates that almost all forms of music and compositions around the era were focused on worship music. 

It is possible that peasants played flutes and other early instruments just for pleasure, however famous composers of the era only composed for religious ceremonies and events. 

This is another excellent research opportunity for older kids, don’t you think?

Wars And Their influence On Music

Do you know that the Trumpet for instance is a very ancient instrument as is the drum? 

They were both used extensively in the middle ages. 

The trumpet was used in civilian life when soldiers were sent out to make special announcements from the rulers, while drums were often used as a form of battle cry. 

There are many other similar instruments that kids of all ages can be introduced to based on events and timelines they are studying in history. 

Monarchs, Revolutions And Music 

Monarchs of the ancient world were seen as great patrons of the arts. 

Hence look at which monarchs from the middle ages, may have influenced and contributed to the upliftment and study of music. 

Also many different revolutions throughout history resulted in music flourishing as a means of camaraderie and hope as well as a battle cry. 

So learn about music that sprung up from different revolutions and wars. 

As you can see, there are many different ways in which the study and appreciation of music can be introduced to kids of all ages when you are teaching them history. 

Let me know which one of the above methods you are going to try out first.