Help me make a toy tuba for a 3 yr old!

[MaryJaneLouise]

X posted in childhood years.

One of my boys loves tubas / sousaphones since he first saw one a year ago He even loves seeing them on youtube . I was thinking of making one out of cardboard? Or the long twisty balloons covered with papier mache? Any other ideas? Or have you see a realish one for sale that's not a lot of money?

[beanma]

Although I hate the stuff I would go for plastic in this instance. I'm afraid the cardboard or paper mache varieties would get wet if he tries to blow in it and start to disintegrate. I'd start with some flexible plastic tubing. I was thinking that cheapish corrugated type stuff, but you could go for a softer variety, too. I'd attach it to a funnel on the end for the horn. You could use several different diameters of the tubing and make the tube get progressively bigger as you near the funnel. I'd loop it around like a sousaphone. Personally, I would involve him in the creation of the thing. I think he'd love it. I'd just use duct tape or colorful gaffer's tape to put the pieces together. If you really wanna go all out you could probably acquire a real tuba/sousaphone mouthpiece, too.

Here's a link — http://www.mudcat.org/kids/blowers.cfm and another http://homeschooling.gomilpitas.com/...emademusic.htm .

[MaryJaneLouise]

That's a good idea, thanks for that!

Anyone else?

[LianneM]

wow I can't believe I came across this thread

My 3yo LOVES tubas and sousaphones as well. I ended up cutting out a sousaphone shape from a large cardboard box. I just drew two circles and connected them and cut it out. He really enjoyed walking around like he was in a marching band making "boom, boom, boom, boom" noises. He didn't care about blowing into it or anything, just wanted to hold it and pretend.

[utopia760]

my son had this one (second down) he got it for x-mas DONT BUY IT is broken in so many ways we had to throw it out it was the only real looking one that did not have buttons that olayed programmed music it worked just like a realy sax. My kids are 2 and 3 and broke it if your kids are older maybe 5 and up they could keep it nice i think but only if they are not too hard on toys the keys fall off like crazy even if it were taken well care of. just a heads up

http://www.musicaltoysplus.com/toy_t...nstruments.htm

[flapjack]

I would post on freecycle looking for a tenor horn, condition irrelevant. It's worth a try, though generally ou're more likely to find trumpets or trombones that way.