Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
Water Glass Xylophone
- StageEarly Years
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Water Glass Xylophone is a free printable music and sound activity for little ones. Children line up glasses, change the water in them and tap out sounds of their own. It needs only a few things from the kitchen, and page 2 gives the grown up notes on how to use the sheet, help for children who find it hard and a stretch idea.
It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company that has been making games for families since 1795. Print both pages, give page 1 to your child and keep page 2 for yourself. Black and white printing works well.
What is on the sheet
Children make their own musical instrument from glasses and water. They set out a row of glasses, put different amounts of water in each and tap them gently to hear the sounds. They listen carefully, change the water to change the sound, and then play their own tune. It is a hands on way to explore sound and be creative.
Setting up your xylophone
Choose your containers
Use glasses, jars or plastic cups that are all the same size. An adult should check that glass has no chips or cracks. Plastic cups are a good choice for the youngest children.
Add the water
Put different amounts of water in each container. An adult can pour from a jug. Stand the row on a tray or a folded towel, so spills are easy to mop up. Use cold water only.
Choose a beater
A metal teaspoon works well. A wooden spoon or a pencil gives a different sound. Tap gently on the side of each container, not the rim.
Listen and adjust
Tap each container and listen. Add a little water or pour a little out and tap again. Keep going until the sounds are clearly different from each other.
How does a water glass xylophone work?
A xylophone is an instrument with bars of different lengths. You hit each bar with a mallet to make a note. A water glass xylophone follows the same idea, but it uses containers and water instead of bars. Each container makes its own note, so a row of them can be played like a real instrument.
Every sound starts with a vibration. When you tap a glass, it vibrates, and the water inside affects how it does. That changes the pitch, which is how high or low a sound is. Children can hear this for themselves by tapping, listening and adjusting. It is a simple, safe way to meet some big ideas about sound.
An adult should choose, check and handle any glass, and clear up straight away if something breaks. Use cold water only. Tap gently, and use plastic cups if children are very young or excitable.
Sound facts for young musicians
- Every sound is made by something vibrating, which means moving back and forth very quickly.
- Pitch is how high or low a sound is.
- A xylophone is played by hitting its bars with mallets.
- Sound can travel through air, water and solid things.
- Drums, guitar strings and your own voice all make sound by vibrating.
Skills and curriculum link
- Listening carefully
- Comparing sounds
- Creativity
- Fine motor control
- Pouring and measuring by eye
- Exploring pitch
Ideas to talk about while you play
- Sound and vibrationSounds are made when things vibrate. You cannot always see the movement, but you can often feel it. Rest a finger lightly on a glass just after it is tapped.
- PitchPitch describes how high or low a sound is. Children can sort their sounds into higher and lower ones.
- Fair testingTo compare sounds fairly, tap each glass in the same place with the same beater and the same strength. Then only the water is different.
- Making a patternA tune is a pattern of sounds. Children can repeat a short pattern, then change one note to hear how the tune changes.
Key words
- XylophoneA musical instrument with bars of different lengths that you hit with mallets.
- VibrationA very fast movement back and forth that makes sound.
- PitchHow high or low a sound is.
- NoteOne musical sound with a particular pitch.
- TapTo hit something lightly and gently.
- TuneA group of notes played one after another to make a pattern.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for your child. Keep page 2, which has the notes, help ideas and stretch idea.
- Gather the glasses, a jug of cold water and something to tap with. An adult checks the glasses and does the pouring if they are glass.
- Let your child set up the row and tap each glass gently. Ask them to listen before they change anything.
- Encourage them to change the water in one glass and tap again. Ask, "What did you hear change?"
- Finish by letting them play their own tune. Ask them to teach you their favourite pattern of sounds.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Start with just two glasses, one with a lot of water and one with a little. Tap each one and say what you hear. Once the difference is clear, add a third glass. Take your time and let your child lead.
To stretch confident children
Try to make a row of glasses that sounds like a scale, going steadily from low to high. Then play a well known song, such as Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, by finding the right glasses. Write your own tune using colours or letters.
Make it a game
Play copycat. One player taps a short pattern on the glasses while the other looks away. Then the second player listens and tries to repeat it. Swap turns, and make the patterns longer as you get better.
Talk about it
- What did you hear when you tapped the glass with lots of water?
- Which glass makes the highest sound? How can you tell?
- What happens to the sound if you tap harder?
- Does a different beater change the sound? Why do you think so?
- Can you make a tune that sounds happy? What about sleepy?
- Where else have you heard a xylophone or other tapped instrument?
Take it off the page
Rubber band guitar
Stretch rubber bands of different thicknesses around an empty tub. Pluck each one and listen. Talk about which sounds are higher and which are lower.
Kitchen band
Gather safe things such as wooden spoons, plastic tubs and saucepan lids. Tap each one and sort them into loud and quiet, high and low. Then play together.
Sound walk
Go outside or around the house and listen quietly. Make a list or drawing of every sound you hear. Think about what is vibrating to make each one.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit with your child while they set up, then let them lead. Do the pouring and handle any glass yourself. Praise careful listening as well as lovely tunes, and keep the mood playful.
Teachers
Use it as a hands on starter for a topic on sound, a music lesson on pitch, or a wet play activity. Pairs or small groups work well. Ask children to describe what changes, and to explain how they made their test fair.
Home educators
This is an easy activity for a rainy afternoon, and children of different ages can join in. Younger ones explore and listen, while older ones can tune the glasses, write tunes and explain what is happening. Use plastic cups if you have little ones.
Where this fits in learning
Before this, children enjoy tapping, shaking and banging things to make noise. They begin to notice that different objects sound different. This sheet helps them listen more carefully and think about why.
Afterwards, children can go on to compare high and low pitch, learn about loud and quiet, and explore how instruments make sound. Later in primary school, sound and vibration are part of science, and music lessons build on pitch and pattern.
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What do we need for the water glass xylophone?
You need several glasses or cups, a jug of cold water and something to tap with, such as a metal spoon. A tray or towel helps with spills. An adult should check any glass and do the pouring.
- Is it safe to use real glass?
Glass can break, so an adult should check each glass for chips and cracks and supervise closely. Plastic cups or jars are a safer choice for very young children. They still make interesting sounds, though the sound will be different.
- What age is this activity for?
It is designed for little ones, who enjoy exploring and listening. Older children can join in too, by tuning the glasses, playing tunes and explaining why the sounds change. You can adjust how much you ask of them.
- Do I need to be musical to help?
No. Your child learns by tapping, listening and trying things out. You only need to be curious and encourage them. Ask what they can hear, and let them decide how they want to change the sounds.
- Why does the water change the sound?
Tapping makes the glass and the water vibrate, and the amount of water changes how that happens. This changes the pitch, which is how high or low the sound is. Let your child discover the pattern by listening.
- How does it link to the curriculum?
It supports music in the National Curriculum for England, where children experiment with and combine sounds and listen with concentration. It also prepares children for science, where they later learn that sounds are made by vibrations and that pitch can change.
- Can we use something other than a spoon?
Yes. A wooden spoon, a pencil or a chopstick all work, and each gives a slightly different sound. Try a few and compare them. Whatever you use, tap gently so nothing breaks or splashes.
Preview the full PDF
Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.