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Percussion Play are delighted to introduce a new metallophone into their range of outdoor musical instruments. The Papilio is our largest single instrument, yet as the pictures show its suitable for all, from tiny tots to elders.

Firstly, why is it called Papilio? Papilio is Latin for Butterfly. The word Papilio was used as the genus name or every known species of butterfly in the world. The shape of our Papilio outdoor musical instrument resembles a giant butterfly, hence the name.

What's a metallophone? Any musical instrument consisting of tuned metal bars that are struck to make a sound. The most recognised metallophone is the Glockenspiel and relatives of the glock include the saron, bell lyre, fangxiang and the gender. Metallophones have been played in eastern Asia for more than 1,000 years and were first mentioned in Europe in the middle of the 18th century.

How does it work? The 32 tuned metal keys are anodised aluminium tubes, suspended by...

The Cajón (pronounced Ka-hone; short A, long O) is a member of the percussion family and growing in popularity very quickly. It is said to have originated in the 1800's among the Peruvian slaves from West and Central Africa as a substitute for the prohibited African drums. The name simply means “a box” and it’s said that the first Cajóns were the boxes used by the fruit pickers or fisherman along the Peruvian and Cuban coastal regions. Simple and effective, these Peruvian slaves used the crates or boxes to tap out a beat. Expert players from Peru are called Cajóneros or Cajónistas.

Our version is based on the traditional Cuban/Peruvian drums, however, as with all Percussion Play instruments we needed our Cajóns to be perfect for outdoor, all weather performances. Therefore, the resonating box is made from stainless steel, perfect for all year outdoor use yet still very responsive and easy to play. Etched with a tribal pattern, our Cajon’s are attractive, very stable and...

This week has been World Nursery Rhyme Week (10-14th November). A week-long celebration promoting the importance of nursery rhymes to the under 5’s.

Songs and rhymes for young children have been passed down for generations. They are fun, children love them, and they provide a warm, nurturing experience between parent and child. What we may not be aware of as we recite simple nursery rhymes or sing songs with children is they’re not just for fun, they have enormous educational value.

Short and sweet, they help children to learn language formation. They contribute to a child's spatial development when used with music and movement. Nursery rhymes also contain moral lessons to teach and are great for introducing counting and animal sounds.

When children hear nursery rhymes, they hear the sounds vowels and consonants make. They learn how to put these sounds together to make words. They also practice pitch, volume, and voice inflection, as well as the rhythm of language. Children...