A harmonica was one of the first musical instruments ever taken into space and it can also be the first musical instrument that your child makes, using this very simple method using two ice lolly (popsicle) sticks and some rubber bands. The “music” you get out of this will depend on your skill as both a maker and musician – it’s fairly straightforward to get three different notes out of the simple make shown in the video but, as with all the “marvellous machines” in the book, there’s plenty of room for experimentation and improvement.

EXTRAS: Read more about astronauts playing music in space by clicking here. You really shouldn’t teach a child about harmonicas without also teaching them about Stevie Wonder:

MORE GOOD STUFF: Click here for more activities. I’ll be publishing more videos of activities from my book over the coming weeks. Check back here, follow me on Twitter or subscribe to my YouTube channel to make sure you don’t miss them.