DIY Colour Pencil Xylophone

Here is a fun way to reuse old or broken items from around the house and create something new and wonderful. This DIY is known as upcycling. We are using old colouring pencils (but any sort of pencil will do) and we’ll make a xylophone for all the family to play with. Materials: - Cardboard - Scissors - 2 wooden skewers - 2 beads or balls - Pencil sharpener - Coloured pencils (or normal pencils) Instructions: (1) Firstly, using your scissors, cut the cardboard into 4 rectangles that will create a trapezium shape when put together. (1a) For reference, the longer sides should be equal to one another. The right-hand side should be smaller than the equal-sized rectangles and the left-hand side should be the smallest. (2) Once you have all 4 sides, take the two longer equal sides and make triangular incisions on the parallel edge of each other. This is where the pencils will rest. (3) Next, cut out slots about halfway into each cardboard piece for them to all interlock together. (3a) See how we have done it in the video. You could also ask an adult for help on this bit! (4) Place all the pieces together, making sure that the ridges for the pencils are facing upwards. Now you have your base in the shape of a trapezium (5) Place this to one side and take your 2 wooden skewers or rods. Place the balls or beads onto the end of each skewer. These will be your xylophone sticks (also known as mallets) (6) Make sure your pencils are different lengths and place them in their allotted spaces (7) Now your xylophone is complete, take your sticks and play a tune!