Our Tea Time Monkeys character, Flip, often plays the trumpet. Your child can make one too, and play along with Flip! You don’t need many materials for this craft, but you will probably need to help your little ones make the cone. My kids really enjoyed making and playing these and we had a very noisy class, so be prepared!
You’ll need a kitchen roll (paper towel) tube for the trumpet craft, and it’s important that the cone fits properly. There seem to be two main standard diameters; 4cm and 4.5cm. I’ve provided templates for both these sizes, but measure the diameter of your tube and if it’s different you can create your own cone template from this great template making site.
Supplies
- Kitchen roll (paper towel) tube cut in half (you could use a toilet roll tube but for hygiene reasons it’s not recommendable, as the kids will be putting this to their mouths)
- Yellow card for the cone
- Yellow paper or card for the tube and handle (paper is easier to wrap around the tube)
- Round coloured stickers
- Washi tape or a strip of decorative paper
- Scissors, glue & sticky tape
How to make the Toy Trumpet craft:
1. Measure the diameter of your tube. Print the corresponding cone template onto yellow card – it’s important to choose print at “actual size” from your printer settings, so the cone fits correctly on the tube. Cut out the cone, as accurately as possible on the inner side. Cut a rectangle of yellow paper or card for the tube (10.5cm x 16.5cm should be fine for any standard size kitchen roll tube). I’ve provided a template in the link at the end of this post.
2. Put glue on the paper/card rectangle and wrap it around the kitchen roll tube. Put some glue on the tab of the cone semicircle, bend round and stick the two ends together to make the cone. It´s important to respect the sticking guide line, or your cone might not fit on the tube.
3. Take the tube and make lots of little vertical cuts around on end (about 1cm long). Fan out the tabs; this will help hold the cone and make it easier to fix in place.
4. Slot the tube into the cone. Use sticky tape to fix in place. Cover the join with washi tape or a strip of decorative paper.
5. To make the handle, take a strip of yellow card or paper about 12cm long and 4.5 cm wide (or use the template file). Fold a couple of times to make a sturdy strip about 1.5cm wide. Fold the strip at each end (about 1.5cm), bend it into a curve, then fix the handle onto the tube with sticky tape or fast drying glue.
6. Finish off by adding stickers for the keys and have fun playing your trumpet!
Advice for small group classes:
This craft can be completed in an hour, but you will need to help children with the trickier bits like making the cone and fixing it to the tube.
Some tips:
- Cut the tubes in half before class.
- Cutting the cone: It doesn’t matter if the outer of part of the cone isn’t cut well, but the inner part does need to be cut accurately, otherwise it won’t fit onto the tube. Neaten up these edges for the kids.
- Making the cone: help kids to stick the ends of the cone together so they’re flush with the guideline, or the cone will be too small to fit on the tube.
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Hello,
This was very helpful, thank you so much for sharing! Since we are homeschooling during quarantine, my granddaughter was able to make one for her assignment in Music class (make a brass instrument and record her playing it). She enjoyed making her trumpet 🙂
I’m so glad this was helpful for you and your granddaughter! It makes us very happy to know she had fun making it!
Great craft!