Making a DIY marching drum felt like the perfect project to do with my daughter. I’m always hunting for new crafts, especially the kind you can pull together with stuff lying around the house. My little one? She loves wild noises and never seems to run out of energy, so turning an old cake tin into a drum was right up her alley. She gets something fun, and I get a happy kid—noisy, but still happy. I wasn’t sure giving her a new way to be loud was the smartest move on my part, but she took to it right away. Let’s jump in and make some music.
Getting Your Supplies for a Marching Drum
First thing, gather what you need. I didn’t have to leave the house for much—maybe you won’t either.
Here’s what I used:
- Cake storage tin with lid (mine was about 20cm wide and 10cm high)
- Spray paint in white, yellow, and blue
- Masking or Washi tape
- Half a meter of ribbon
- Two pop rivets
- Two pieces of dowel, 25cm each (1/2cm wide), and one piece, 10cm (1cm wide)
- Strong glue
- A few handfuls of rice, lentils, or pulses for sound
Step-by-Step Guide to Your DIY Marching Drum
Got your supplies? Time to get hands-on. Here’s how I did it, step by step.
1. Getting the Tin Ready
Clean the tin well. Scrape off any labels or stickers. Paint needs a bare surface or it just peels off. Once dry, take off the lid. Spray the lid blue. Paint the rest of the tin white. Let both dry all the way. A couple of coats look best, and it pays to wait between layers. This way you skip the drippy look. Trust me, a smooth coat really pops at the end.
2. Painting the Pattern
Now it gets fun. I went for a triangle pattern all the way around. Grab a ruler and pencil, measure the tin, and mark even triangles. This helps keep the design neat.
Tape off every other triangle.
- Stick tape down on both sides of triangles you want to protect.
- Keep those sections white.
- Spray the open triangles yellow.
- Wait for them to dry, then carefully peel off the tape.
- Do the same for blue triangles, taping off yellow and white as you go.
Following these steps, you get a colorful, cheerful drum. It may sound a bit picky, but that clean pattern is so worth it.
3. Making the Strap
It’s not a marching drum unless you can sling it across your shoulder. For this, drill a little hole on each side. I held a block of wood inside to keep the tin from bending.
To put together the strap:
- Fold over each end of the ribbon about an inch and sew them down.
- Pop a rivet through the ribbon and tin at each spot.
- Double-check that your strap isn’t twisted.
No rivet set? Grab a nut and bolt—works just as well. The strap really lets the kid march and play.
4. Making Drumsticks
We can’t forget drumsticks. Here’s the easy way:
- Cut 5cm off the thicker dowel.
- Drill a hole right down its middle. It needs to fit the thinner dowels.
- Slice that drilled piece in half so you have two beaters.
- Glue a beater on each thin dowel end.
- Let them dry.
- Sand rough parts smooth.
- Finish up with a splash of yellow spray paint.
These are much easier for smaller hands to hold, and they fit perfectly with the drum.
5. Final Details
Want to jazz things up? Toss a little rice, lentils, or even bells inside the drum to get a shuffle sound every time it’s shaken. Just a handful does the trick.
After that, pop the lid back on. Run a bead of strong glue around the edge to hold it in place. Now nothing falls out—even when things get rowdy. The drum ends up feeling really sturdy.
Enjoy Your New Creation
Handing my daughter a make-it-yourself drum might not have been the quiet choice, but watching her play made it all worth it. She’s been loving it—and so have her friends. I might have to whip up a couple more if I want to keep the peace at playdates. This project was fast, easy, and the smiles were endless. If you’re looking for something hands-on that both you and the kids can enjoy, take an afternoon and try making your own DIY marching drum.
