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Make Your Own Pan Flute with Straws

By Laura Miller, Publisher of Macaroni Kid Appleton-Waupaca-Oshkosh, WI March 1, 2017

This is a simple, yet fun project for kids because not only can they make their own musical instrument, but it actually works and sounds pretty cool. And bonus for parents that it's a quiet cool sound!


What you need
Straws - Your choice how many. We used six straw to get eight tubes because we used cut ends for some of the short ones.
Tape - Your choice here too. Clear tape will do the job, but pretty tape will make it even more fun!

What you do
1. Cut the straws in all different sizes. It works best to plan out the order you want them if you're using different colored straws and then start cutting from longest to shortest. Use cut ends if you can for some of the shorter ones.



2. Lay a piece of tape down with the sticky side facing up. Begin placing the straws along it starting with the shortest straw so you make sure you have enough of it above and below the tape. Then line the rest up in order of length, being sure to keep the top edge as straight as possible.



3. Once the straws are placed, wrap the ends of the tape up and around the other side of the straws until the ends meet. Wrap it around a second time for extra strength, but this time in the opposite direction.





4. Have fun playing your pan flute! You can blow across the opening or down into the straws, but don't put your mouth on the straws or it won't work! Notice how each straw has a different pitch based on its length.