List of musical instruments facts for kids

An assortment of musical instruments in an Istanbul music store.

Have you ever wondered about all the different ways people make music? From drums that make a beat to flutes that sing melodies, there are so many amazing musical instruments around the world! This article will introduce you to some of the most common and interesting instruments, divided into groups based on how they make sound: percussion, wind, stringed, and electronic.

Percussion Instruments: Making Sounds by Hitting or Shaking
Wind Instruments: Making Music with Air
Stringed Instruments: Plucking, Bowing, or Striking Strings
Electronic Instruments: Making Sounds with Electricity
Images for kids

Percussion Instruments: Making Sounds by Hitting or Shaking

Percussion instruments are all about making sound by hitting, shaking, or scraping them. They are often the heartbeat of music! There are two main types:

Idiophones make sound from their own vibrations, like cymbals or bells.
Membranophones make sound from a vibrating skin or membrane, like drums.

Here are some cool percussion instruments:

Instrument	How it makes sound	Where it comes from	What it's like	Related to
Afoxé	Idiophone (shaken)	Nigeria, Brazil	Shaker
Agogô	Idiophone (hit)	Yoruba people	Unpitched bell	Bell
Angklung	Idiophone (shaken)	Indonesia	Pitched bamboo tubes
Balafon	Idiophone (hit)	Africa	Wooden xylophone	Keyboard
Batá drum	Membranophone (hit)	Cuba, Nigeria	Drum
Cajón	Idiophone (hit)	Peru	Box drum	Box drum
Carillon	Idiophone (hit)	Low Countries	Pitched bells	Bell
Castanets	Idiophone (clapped)	Spain	Hand clappers
Claves	Idiophone (hit together)	Australia	Rhythm sticks	Clave sticks
Cowbell	Idiophone (hit)	Switzerland	Unpitched bell	Bell
Cymbal	Idiophone (hit)	Romania	Metal disc
Glockenspiel	Idiophone (hit)	France/Germany	Pitched metal bars	Keyboard
Gong	Idiophone (hit)	Asia	Large metal disc
Güiro	Idiophone (scraped)	Cuba, Panama	Scraped gourd
Handpan	Idiophone (hit)	Unknown	Pitched steel drum	Steelpan
Maraca	Idiophone (shaken)	Venezuela	Shaker
Marimba	Idiophone (hit)	Africa, Central America	Pitched wooden bars	Xylophone
Mbira	Idiophone (plucked)	Africa, Zimbabwe	Pitched thumb piano	Keyboard
Shekere	Idiophone (shaken)	Africa, Brazil	Gourd shaker
Slit drum	Idiophone (hit)	Unknown	Hollow wooden drum	Slit drum
Steelpan	Idiophone (hit)	Trinidad & Tobago	Pitched steel drum	Drum
Tambourine	Idiophone/Membranophone (hit/shaken)	Europe, Asia	Frame drum with jingles	Frame drum
Triangle	Idiophone (hit)	Cajuns	Metal triangle	Triangle
Vibraphone	Idiophone (hit)	Unknown	Pitched metal bars	Xylophone
Xylophone	Idiophone (hit)	Africa	Pitched wooden bars	Xylophone
Bass drum	Membranophone (hit)	Unknown	Large drum	Bass drum
Bodhrán	Membranophone (hit)	Ireland, Scotland	Frame drum	Frame drum
Bongo drums	Membranophone (hit)	Cuba	Small pair of drums	Drum
Conga	Membranophone (hit)	Caribbean	Tall drum	Drum
Djembe	Membranophone (hit)	West Africa	Goblet-shaped drum	Goblet drum
Goblet drum	Membranophone (hit)	Egypt, Turkey	Goblet-shaped drum	Drum
Janggu	Membranophone (hit)	Korea	Hourglass drum	Drum
Tabla	Membranophone (hit)	India, Pakistan	Pair of drums	Drum
Taiko	Membranophone (hit)	Japan	Large Japanese drum	Drum
Talking drum	Membranophone (hit)	West Africa	Drum that changes pitch	Drum
Timbales	Membranophone (hit)	Cuba	Pair of metal drums	Drum
Timpani	Membranophone (hit)	Unknown	Large kettle drum	Drum
Tom-tom drum	Membranophone (hit)	Unknown	Cylindrical drum	Drum

Wind Instruments: Making Music with Air

Wind instruments, also called aerophones, create sound when air vibrates inside them. They can be made of wood, metal, or even animal horns! There are two main groups:

Woodwind instruments usually have a reed (a small piece of cane) or an edge that splits the air, like a flute.
Brass instruments use the player's vibrating lips to make sound, like a trumpet.

Here are some cool wind instruments:

Instrument	Picture	How it makes sound	Where it comes from	What it's like	Related to
Accordion	Accordion	Free reed (air pushed by bellows)	Europe	Keyboard with bellows	Accordion
Alboka	Alboka	Reed (double reed)	Basque Country	Double clarinet	Clarinet
Alphorn	Alphorn player in Wallis	Brass (player's lips vibrate)	Switzerland	Long wooden horn	Natural trumpet
Alto horn	Yamaha Alto horn YAH-203	Brass (player's lips vibrate)	Belgium	Medium brass horn	Trumpet
Aulos	Double aulos	Reed (double reed)	Ancient Greece	Double pipe
Bagpipe	The Bagpiper	Reed (air from bag)	Europe	Reed pipes with air bag	Bagpipe
Balaban	Azerbaijani Balaban	Reed (double reed)	Azerbaijan, Iran	Small double-reed instrument	Oboe, duduk
Bandoneón	Bandoneon tango player	Free reed (air pushed by bellows)	Latin America	Square accordion	Accordion
Bansuri	Bansuri flutes	Woodwind (air blown across hole)	India	Bamboo flute	Flute
Baritone horn	Yamaha Baritone horn YBH-301	Brass (player's lips vibrate)	Germany	Medium brass horn	Trumpet
Bassoon	Bassoon	Reed (double reed)	Western Europe	Large double-reed instrument	Oboe
Bugle	Bugle in C	Brass (player's lips vibrate)	Europe	Simple brass horn	Trumpet
Clarinet	Clarinets	Reed (single reed)	Germany	Single-reed instrument	Clarinet
Concertina	Wheatstone English Concertina	Free reed (air pushed by bellows)	Europe	Small accordion	Accordion
Conch	Japanese horagi	Brass (player's lips vibrate)	Unknown	Shell trumpet	Conch
Cornet	Yamaha Cornet YCR-6330II	Brass (player's lips vibrate)	France	Small trumpet-like instrument	Trumpet
Didgeridoo	Didgeridoo	Brass (player's lips vibrate)	Australia	Long wooden tube	Trumpet
Duduk	Duduk	Reed (double reed)	Armenia	Double-reed instrument	Oboe
English horn	English Horn	Reed (double reed)	Western Europe	Oboe family instrument	Oboe
Euphonium	Yamaha Euphonium YEP-621	Brass (player's lips vibrate)	Germany	Medium brass instrument	Trumpet
Fife	Wooden Fife	Woodwind (air blown across hole)	Portugal, Switzerland	Small flute	Flute
Flugelhorn	Yamaha Flugelhorn YFH-8310Z	Brass (player's lips vibrate)	Germany	Trumpet-like instrument	Trumpet
Flute	Western Concert Flute	Woodwind (air blown across hole)	France	Side-blown instrument	Flute
French horn	Yamaha Horn YHR-314II	Brass (player's lips vibrate)	Europe	Coiled brass instrument	Trumpet
Harmonica	Harmonicas	Free reed (air blown/drawn)	Germany	Mouth organ	Harmonica
Heckelphone	Heckelphon	Reed (double reed)	Germany	Large double-reed instrument	Oboe, English horn
Hulusi	Hulusi	Free reed (air blown)	China	Gourd pipe	Harmonica
Irish flute	Irish Flute	Woodwind (air blown across hole)	Ireland	Wooden flute	Flute
Kazoo	Kazoo	Woodwind (player hums)	United States	Simple buzzing instrument	Whistle
Khene	Khene	Free reed (air blown/drawn)	Laos	Bamboo mouth organ	Harmonica
Oboe		Reed (double reed)	Western Europe	Double-reed instrument	Oboe
Ocarina		Fipple flute (air blown into chamber)	Italy	Enclosed whistle	Ocarina
Piccolo		Woodwind (air blown across hole)	Western Europe	Small flute	Flute
Recorder		Fipple flute (air blown into mouthpiece)	Germany	End-blown flute	Recorder
Saxophone		Reed (single reed)	Belgium	Single-reed brass instrument	Clarinet
Shakuhachi		Woodwind (end-blown)	Japan	Bamboo flute	End-blown flute
Shofar		Brass (player's lips vibrate)	Levant	Ram's horn	Trumpet
Tin whistle		Fipple flute (air blown into mouthpiece)	Celtic	Simple metal flute	Recorder
Trombone		Brass (player's lips vibrate, slide)	Western Europe	Slide brass instrument	Trombone
Trumpet		Brass (player's lips vibrate)	Unknown	Valved brass instrument	Trumpet
Tuba		Brass (player's lips vibrate)	Germany	Largest brass instrument	Trumpet
Uilleann pipes		Reed (air from bellows)	Ireland	Irish bagpipes	Bagpipe
Vuvuzela		Brass (player's lips vibrate)	South Africa	Plastic horn	Trumpet

Stringed Instruments: Plucking, Bowing, or Striking Strings

Stringed instruments, or chordophones, make sound when their strings vibrate. You can make the strings vibrate in different ways:

Plucking them with your fingers or a pick.
Bowing them with a bow.
Striking them with hammers.

Here are some cool stringed instruments:

Instrument	How it makes sound	Where it comes from	What it's like
Appalachian dulcimer	Plucked or strummed	Germany, United States	Mountain dulcimer
Archlute	Plucked	Western Europe	Large lute
Autoharp	Strummed	United States	Zither with chord bars
Bağlama	Plucked	Turkey, Azerbaijan	Long-necked lute
Balalaika	Plucked	Russia	Triangular lute
Banjo	Plucked or strummed	North America	Round-bodied string instrument
Biwa	Plucked	Japan	Short-necked lute
Bouzouki	Plucked	Greece	Long-necked lute
Cello	Bowed	Unknown	Large string instrument
Charango	Plucked or strummed	South America	Small lute
Clavichord	Struck by tangents	Western Europe	Early keyboard instrument
Double bass	Bowed or plucked	Western Europe	Largest string instrument
Dulcimer	Struck with hammers	England	Hammered zither
Erhu	Bowed	China	Two-stringed fiddle
Fiddle	Bowed	Western Europe	Violin
Guitar	Plucked or strummed	Spain, etc.	Fretted string instrument
Gusli	Plucked	Russia	Zither
Guqin	Plucked	China	Seven-string zither
Guzheng	Plucked	China	Long zither
Hammered dulcimer	Struck with hammers	Central/Eastern Europe	Hammered zither
Harp	Plucked	Worldwide	Large frame with strings
Harpsichord	Plucked by quills	Western Europe	Keyboard instrument
Hurdy-gurdy	Bowed by wheel	Europe	String instrument with crank
Kantele	Plucked	Finland	Zither
Koto	Plucked	Japan	Long zither
Lute	Plucked	Western Europe	Pear-shaped string instrument
Lyre	Plucked	England, Greece	U-shaped harp
Mandolin	Plucked	Italy, etc.	Small lute
Musical bow	Struck or plucked	South Africa	Simple string on a bow
Nyckelharpa	Bowed with keys	Sweden	Keyed fiddle
Oud	Plucked	Middle East	Pear-shaped lute
Piano	Struck by hammers	Italy	Keyboard instrument
Pipa	Plucked	China	Pear-shaped lute
Qanun	Plucked	Middle East	Zither
Santoor	Struck with hammers	Iran	Hammered dulcimer
Shamisen	Plucked	Japan	Three-stringed lute
Sitar	Plucked	India	Long-necked lute
Ukulele	Plucked or strummed	Portugal/Hawaii	Small guitar-like instrument
Veena	Plucked	India	Large lute
Violin	Bowed	Italy, Western Europe	Small string instrument
Zither	Plucked	Europe	Flat string instrument

Electronic Instruments: Making Sounds with Electricity

Electronic instruments use electricity to create or change sounds. They can make sounds that no other instrument can!

AlphaSphere
Bass pedals
Continuum Fingerboard
Drum machine
Electric guitar
Electronic keyboard
Electronic organ
EWI (Electronic Wind Instrument)
Hammond organ
Keyboard
Keytar
Laser harp
Mellotron
MIDI controller
Omnichord
Ondes Martenot
Otamatone
Personal computer (used for music)
Sampler
Synthesizer
Theremin
Turntablism (using turntables for music)

Images for kids

An Afoxé
An Agogô
An Agung
An Angklung
A Babendil
A Bak
A Balafon
Batá drums
A Cabasa
A Cajón
A Carillon
Castanets
Carlinhos Brown with Caxirolas
A Caxixi
Chácaras
Clapsticks
Claves
A Cowbell
Crotales
A Cymbal
Bino Branco with a Ferrinho
A Flexatone
A Gandingan
A Ghatam
A Glockenspiel
A Gong
A Güiro
Handpans
A Hang
A Kayamb
A Kemanak
A Khartal
A Kouxian
Kulintang
Maracas
A Marimba
A Mbira
A Pate
Qairaq
A Shekere
A Slit drum
Musical spoons
A Steelpan
A Tambourine
A Teponaztli
A Triangle
A Trash Tube
A Txalaparta performance
A Vibraphone
A Vibraslap
A Washboard
A Wood block
A Wooden fish
A Xylophone
Zills
An Ekwe
An Alfaia
An Ashiko
An Atabaque
A Bamboula
A Bara
A Bass drum
A Bedug
A Bodhrán
Bongo drums
Culo'e puyas
A Cultrun
A Dabakan
A Damaru
A Den-den daiko
A Dhak
A Dholak
A Djembe
A Goblet drum
A Gong bass drum
An Idakka
A Janggu
A Junjung
A Kanjira
Timbales
An Accordina
An Accordion
An Air horn
An Alboka
An Algaita player
An Alphorn player
A Yamaha Alto horn
An Arghul
A Double aulos
An Aztec Death Whistle
A Bagpiper
An Azerbaijani Balaban
A Bandoneón player
Bansuri flutes
A Yamaha Baritone horn
A Bawu
A Jupiter bayan accordion
Bob Burns with a Bazooka
ZeDe beatboxing
A Birbynė
A Blown bottle
A Young bombard player
A Buccina
A Bugle
A Bukkehorn
Bullroarers
A Calliope
A Modern Chalumeau
A Cimbasso
Clarinets
A Wheatstone English Concertina
An Antique Japanese horagi
A Cornamuse
A Yamaha Cornet
Three Cornetts
A Cornu
A Whirlytube
A Cromorne
Modern Krummhörner
A Danso
Iban Nikolai with a Didgeridoo
A Diple being played
Different sizes of Dizi
Arthur Lehman with a Double bell euphonium
A Duduk
Dulcians
A Dulzaina
A Dung-Dkar
A Bulgarian Kaval
An English Horn
A Yamaha Euphonium
A Wooden Fife
A Firebird trumpet clone
A Fiscorn
A Flabiol
French and English Flageolets
A Slide Trumpet
A Yamaha Flugelhorn
A RAJA FLUMPET
A Flutina
A Western Concert Flute
A Folgerphone
A Yamaha Horn
A Fujara
A Gaida player
A Gaita gastoreña
A Russkaya garmon
An Alto Gemshorn
A Gralla
A Guanzi
A Houguan
A Nose flute
A John Church and Co. reed organ
Harmonicas
A Harmonium
A Heckelphone
A Soprano Helicon
A Horagai conch horn
A Hotchiku
A Hulusi
A Hun
An Irish Flute
A Jug player
A Kagurabue
A Kaval player
A Kazoo
A Kèn bầu
A Keyed Bugle
A Khene
A Khloy
A Khlui mouthpiece
A Komabue
A Kombu
A Koncovka
A Kortholt
A Koudi
A Kuhlohorn
A Launeddas
A Lur
Miao musicians with Lusheng

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List of musical instruments Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.