Balloon drums are great tools for teaching kids about rhythm.

A regular drum set can be expensive, loud, hard to store, and intimidating to play. But a balloon drum set is inexpensive to make, easy to store, and will not annoy the neighbors. Best of all, balloon drums are so colorful and fun sounding that they capture and hold kids’ attention and interest.

In August 2004, Danny Frankel and Addi Somekh led a workshop at the Tech Museum in San Jose, California, on how to make and play balloon drums.

Below is a letter from the museum:

 

August 18, 2004   Dear Addi, I wanted to write and thank you for an excellent balloon workshop experience here at The Tech Museum in San Jose. In planning a summer of circus themed activities, we thought balloons would be a great addition to the programming in the museum. We started with a very vague idea of what we could use, and you worked with us to customize a balloon workshop experience that would be appropriate for our unique museum setting. Although we initially set a limit on the number of people in our classroom space, we had lines forming quickly. We definitely appreciated your flexibility in allowing the audience to grow as needed. My colleagues and I were impressed with the interactions in the workshop. You and Danny did an excellent job of explaining the drums setup and playing music that appealed to every age in the room. My favorite part was watching the kids playing the drums and shakers! Thanks again for an excellent experience, Sima Westwood Museum Programs Specialist The Tech Museum of Innovation