Tucked away in a tent in The Garden of Unearthly Delights is a wonderful, quiet refuge where kids can let their imaginations run wild. Using a huge variety of objects, from irrigation piping to old tennis racquets, kids are encouraged to explore how sounds are made and create their very own instruments to take home.

The staff from Upsound are there to encourage, assist with tricky construction or when power tools are required, but everything is child-directed, and no concept is out of the question. There are instructions to get you inspired, but what you create is entirely up to you. Each session runs for 45 minutes, and when we attended, we walked away with a box guitar, pan pipes, hose trumpet, bottle top shaker and elastic maracas. 

Don’t forget to ask Jacob from Upsound to show you his amazing violin made from a wooden clog, or his “mop-o-phone” cello. You can even create a record player from the items at hand!

Parental supervision is required and parents are encouraged to participate with their children. The result is a wonderful, collaborative experience.