Welcome to the Percussion Play Blog

We hope you'll be a regular visitor as we share stories about the instruments we make and the people who play them.

This is where we share our passion for music in the great outdoors! We'll share with you details of exciting new outdoor music projects and designs from around the globe. We'll share with you information about the instruments we sell and a little about the inspiration behind them

Most importantly, this blog is about what we love to do the most - help you create new and exciting ways to bring music to the great outdoors.

Thank you for reading, visiting, commenting and contributing - we’re excited to have you here!

Wrap Up Warm and Get Outside: Why the music shouldn’t stop for winter

On these cold, dark wintery days, weather is the thing most likely to keep kids from playing outside. It is very easy to turn up the thermostat, lose track of our ‘screen time’ and minimise our exposure to the elements.

However, being out in the cold fresh air for most children is a wonderful and uplifting experience and they are often less fazed about challenging weather conditions than adults are.

Winter is a wonderful time to be outside and as the daylight hours are shorter it is especially important that children experience creative outdoor play during their school day. Percussion Play’s musical instruments are designed to withstand the elements and live outside all year to help create an outdoor environment that supports young children's health, well being, development and learning. Installing musical instruments in your outdoor setting will incentivise kids to venture out into the cold weather and try something new.

Children will love the fact that music can be used...


Percussion Play Instruments Feature in US Town 'Battle of the Bands'!

Percussion Play have been working with Symphoria - the musician-owned and operated successor to the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra - to create permanent outdoor musical instrument 'stations' in three locations across downtown Syracuse. Two of the sound stops (#SyrSoundStops) have been installed already in Columbus Circle and Lemp Park. The third location will be the Everson Plaza at the Everson Museum.

Started as a partnership between Symphoria and the Connective Corridor, the project has expanded to include the Everson Museum of Art, the SU Setnor School of Music, the City of Syracuse and Onondaga County. Working together, their aim is to distinguish downtown Syracuse as a uniquely creative and collaborative environment, and a fun place to live, work and visit.

Prior to being installed in their final 'homes', Symphoria have been showcasing the instruments around town over the past couple of weeks, demonstrating how our tuned instruments are designed for year-round music-making, are...


Percussion Play says 'Namaste' India

We're delighted to share with you photos of the first play area in India to feature Percussion Play instruments thanks to our representation by the great people at Pan India Play.

Based in Pune, Maharashtra and established in 1996, Pan India have been providing play solutions to a wide spectrum of projects from schools, residential developments, holiday resorts, local parks and city parks.

From consultancy through to installation, Pan India offers a full range of playground equipment and services, but was lacking musical performance solutions.

Rashida Sabbir, Director of Pan India Play tells us how this gated community in Mumbai came to choose outdoor musical instruments for their project:

"Initially I had met with the developer to discuss play equipment, however when I showed the director the musical instruments, he just loved them so much that he wished to incorporate at least a couple of them in the play area."

"Outdoor musical instruments are unheard of to most in India...


​New distributor partnership in Lithuania

Last week we were delighted to welcome a new distributor to our team. Meet Eglė Prieskienienė from UAB 'Dego', who is the brand new distributor of Percussion Play Outdoor Musical Instruments in Lithuania.

Visiting our workshop last week, Eglė met the whole team and was introduced to the full range of instruments. We want our distributors to be well-equipped with all the information and knowledge they need in order to provide the same level of excellent service we would provide to customers. Therefore, to enable Eglė a successful start she received some pretty intensive product training over the two day visit.

We wish her and the team at UAB 'Dego' the best success!

https://www.facebook.com/uabdego.lt/

Tel: +370 616 19216

Email: info@dego.lt

Blog - Dego Logo


Demfest returns for the second festival of its kind to embrace dementia

Last weekend, Percussion Play were delighted to attend the only Dementia Festival (that we're aware of) in the UK, held at the Sir Harold Hillier Gardens in Ampfield.

The aim of the festival was to educate and inspire people with dementia, their carers, families & friends and health professionals across Hampshire in a fun and informal way.

The festival was opened by Lawrence "Lawrie" McMenemy MBE, an Ambassador for the Alzheimer’s Society, and football legend in the UK.

Free to attend, visitors from all over Hampshire came to listen to the talks from top Dementia specialists, and see the inspirational and innovative ideas from local projects, companies and dementia specialists. Seminars and talks took place all day on dementia subjects including relaxation techniques and reminiscence therapies. Activities were available for all ages including therapies, table tennis and crafts. Visitors could enjoy the surroundings while listening and joining in with singing and music from the...


Sansa-Rimba features in care home 'Sensory Accessibility Path'

St. Joseph’s At Fleming a long-term care home in Peterborough, Ontario have created a wonderful new sensory path which aims to enhance the quality of life for its residents. The 'Resident Sensory Accessibility Path' is a paved pathway that wraps around the building, incorporating environmentally friendly features such as gazebos, flowers, memorial gardens, sensory stations and a pond. Open to the public, the wrap-around path is a great way to get the home's 200 residents, family and onsite day care children outside in the fresh air and socialise. A Sansa-Rimba outdoor xylophone has been installed for residents, carers and visitors to play on while taking a moment to rest, stop and admire the view.

Patrick Gillespie, CEO at St. Joseph's at Fleming said the residents didn't have many safe places to walk and getting outdoors is crucial. "The path not only provides a safe and accessible route, but it also encourages more outdoor programs and gets residents to engage with others along their...