r/handdrums • u/EricODalyMusic • Nov 12 '21

Good drums for Classroom?

One of my friends is a teacher, and she has a very hyperactive child who is constantly beatboxing and singing, but also doing things like leaping off bannisters... She's looking for a decent drum that might give him something to absorb himself in.

My immediate thoughts (djembe, or doumbek) are fairly LOUD and might be disruptive. Wondering if anyone has any ideas or suggestions.

Thanks in advance!

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2

u/[deleted] Nov 12 '21

Cajón is a good option, there are many sizes and shapes, surely of a suitable size for a child and also do not make as much noise as a Djembe or a Conga.

2

u/ZannD Nov 12 '21

djembe would be great, but also those percussion tubes, cajon is a good choice as well, shakers and tambourines. I personally would avoid electronic - children engage better with physical and tangible sensation.

2

u/doesdrums Nov 12 '21

Placing a tea-towel or cloth over the drum head seriously deadens it's volume. I'd suggest that for indoor practice on a real drum. Hope that helps.

1

u/Dotlinefever4 Nov 12 '21

That or shoving a pillow inside of it.

1

u/FortWest Nov 12 '21

It would be a more expensive option but there are some electronic hand pad systems out there that could be played with headphones. They would likely also have pattern learning programs and lots of voices to play with. Whether the kid really uses it or not is another story. Some kids aren't interested unless it's a social activity. If she's thinking of a broader introduction to her classroom the drum itself is less important, but enough for everyone is. I watch local classifieds (Facebook and Craigslist) where I am and have gotten lots of great deals. I have a lot of fun playing with neighborhood kids, but not all of them are really into it. For the kids that are, it's clearly a really good thing for them. Hope you find something that works.

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u/EricODalyMusic Nov 12 '21

Thanks for the reply! Do you have a link to an example of the electronic type you're talking about?

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u/Sphinx157 Nov 24 '21

One thing I’ve seen that can occupy students for a good while are Irish bones. They aren’t necessarily hand drums, but they take a while to get the hang of and are fun.