Korean Drum Craft: Make Sogo drum With Kids

My kids love their Sogo drums and love watching groups of Korean preschoolers perform on stage for their families using these user-friendly “lollipop” drums.

When we decided to run a Sogo workshop for kids at the community cultural exchange on South street in Philadelphia, our first challenge was: How can we MAKE a Sogo with kids that they can then play right away? One that is not dripping with paint?

We also wanted a low price point for materials. Oh, and we wanted the drums…to not be very loud. Loud enough to give the kids using them some immediate feedback, but not “UGH”-level loud. We thought everyone would appreciate that.

I think we came up with quite an excellent solution. When I made my exemplar drum, I began literally not knowing if I would finish or not. An hour later, I had made an entire drum, without leaving my kitchen for materials. It’s not gorgeous or elegant…but it gets the job done!

How to make Sogo: Korean Drum Craft with Kids

Materials Required:

• Oatmeal canister (42 oz!)
• Clear packing tape
• Masking tape
• Colored “duck” tape
• Drawing or construction paper
• Marker to decorate drum head
• A short length of drinking straw or organic stick
• Disposable bamboo chopsticks
• A little bit of yarn or tinsel for making a tassel

Instructions

Take your 42 oz oatmeal canister and cut rounds about an inch wide. you can get a lot of drum frames out of one oatmeal container!
Take clear packing tape and encircle the entire drum “frame” with it. This first layer is the most difficult and the most important–you must maintain the round shape of the frame and not let the tape squeeze it out of shape. Loose is better than tight. You can make tighter layers later.
Next layer: masking tape. Cover it all–both “heads” and the edge.
After another layer of clear packing tape, you’ll want to make a small slit in what will be the “bottom” of the vertical drum head. Your handle will go here and it’s easier to make that little hole now.
Cut two four-inch rounds of paper–wrapping paper, coloring paper, construction paper. Your child can decorate these as they see fit. Affix them with a bit of tape on the backs of them, to each side of the drum. Take your colored duck tape and wrap it around the edge of the drum, leaving the slit opening for your handle.

To make your handle, wrap a set of disposable bamboo chopsticks in colored duck tape.
Insert handle. A little glue would not hurt.
Use smaller strips of your duck tape to further attach your handle to your drum head.
Now make a small hole directly opposite your handle, at the top of the drum. Insert a short length of drinking straw or even a little piece of stick, if you want a more organic look. Again, a little glue is fine.

Attach some tinsel or yarn to the straw/stick at the top of the drum for a tassel. Use another set of chopsticks wrapped in duck tape to make a stick for hitting your sogo.
And there you go–fast, cheap and out of control!

If you are looking for more Korean crafts, be sure to check out these:

• Make some cool Lotus Lanterns
• Make a traditional Sam Taeguk Fan