How to Make a Stringed Instrument from a Shoebox

Create a fun homemade guitar or banjo using a shoebox and rubber bands with this simple family craft project.

  1. Gather Your Materials. You'll need a shoebox with lid, 4-6 rubber bands of different thicknesses, scissors, a pencil, a toilet paper tube or paper towel tube, tape or glue, and optional decorating supplies like markers, stickers, or construction paper. Choose rubber bands that vary in width and thickness to create different pitched sounds.
  2. Prepare the Shoebox. Remove the lid from your shoebox and set it aside. Cut a circular hole about 3-4 inches wide in the center of the shoebox bottom - this will be your sound hole. If you're helping younger children, do the cutting yourself and let them trace the circle with a pencil first. The hole helps amplify the sound your instrument will make.
  3. Create the Neck. Take your toilet paper tube and tape or glue it securely to one end of the shoebox, positioning it so it extends outward like a guitar neck. Make sure it's firmly attached by wrapping tape around the connection point. This neck will help your child hold and play the instrument more easily.
  4. Add the Strings. Stretch the rubber bands lengthwise over the shoebox, positioning them so they cross over the sound hole you cut. Space them evenly, about half an inch apart. The rubber bands should be taut but not so tight that they might snap. Different thickness bands will create different pitches when plucked.
  5. Secure and Test. Put the shoebox lid back on, making sure the rubber bands stay in position. The lid helps create a resonating chamber for better sound. Gently pluck each rubber band to test the sound. Adjust the tension by moving the bands slightly if needed - tighter bands make higher sounds, looser ones make lower sounds.
  6. Decorate Your Instrument. Let your children personalize their instrument with markers, stickers, or construction paper. They can draw designs, write their name, or create patterns. This step makes the instrument truly theirs and adds to their pride in the finished project.