Get your humming skills ready! National Kazoo Day is a fun holiday that’s celebrated every year on January 28. Yep, it’s a whole day dedicated to the fun, buzzing kazoo!
There’s a few theories about the invention of the kazoo, but most believe that the design originates from African tribal instruments. However, it wasn’t until the 1800s when a man named Alabama Vest designed the kazoo as we know it today. Large-scale production of kazoos started in the early 1900s, which helped them become known and used by musicians across the globe.[1]
And did you know that it’s easy to make your own kazoo using simple household items? Below, we’ll teach you how to assemble your own working kazoo and teach you a game to play with your new instrument. For extra creativity, have kids decorate their kazoo before assembly!
Required Materials:
- Toilet paper roll
- Wax paper
- Rubber band
- Sharpened pencil
- Scissors
Instructions:
- Use your sharpened pencil to make a hole in the toilet paper roll about 2 inches from the end of the tube.
- Cut out a square of wax paper that’s about 2 inches wider than the end of the tube’s edges.
- Hold the wax paper tightly against the end closest to the hole and secure it with a rubber band.
- Use scissors to trim off any excess wax paper–make sure that the hole poked with your pencil isn’t covered by the paper.
- Hum a tune into the open end of the kazoo and make some music! If you can’t think of anything to play, just hum along to the notes of your favorite song!
A fun game that kids can play with their new kazoo is “Name That Tune!” One person plays a well-known song on the kazoo while others guess what it is. Watch the video below for more instructions on how your kids can play “Name That Tune” with their new kazoo!
[1] National Kazoo Day, Extended Kazoo History, https://www.nationalkazooday.com/history2.html
