Okay, this is aimed at kids, but I've seen kids music projects that produce real instruments. We've probably all seen the 'make a harmonica with a comb and wax paper and realized that it really is a kazoo.
I've played around with making free reed instruments that only function in the 'plink' stage- The ruler on the edge of the desk that you plunk...
We can do better. I'm issuing a challenge to our community- let's design a real DIY toy harmonica. It has to be wind/breath powered, free reed and something a kid could make with a little adult supervision. My first thought is these brass slats I got at the hardware store, and a wooden comb. I'm thinking blow only for starts.
So, who wants to give it a shot? The goal is an instrument a little kid could make good free reed sounds with. An all blow 3 note chord would satisfy the challenge, but the key thing is it has to be something a kid can build from easy to get parts (that aren't really harmonica parts).
I don't have much to offer as a reward, but I'll see if I can come up with something interesting. Remember, it doesn't have to sound great, but it does have to be free reed.
Komuso, I've seen some people play leaves really well, but I don't think they are in the free reed category, which was I'm really after- or maybe they are, but in a different branch than the harmonica. I'm looking for something that demonstrates the swing of a reed through a gate. In that way we actually might have more in common with the beads in a whistle than shengs and leaves.
