Music · Colouring and counting worksheet
Parts of a Drum Kit: Free KS1 Music Worksheet
A drum kit is one of the easiest instruments for young children to understand, because it works in a way they already know: you hit it and it makes a sound. This free printable worksheet gives children at Key Stage 1 a single, clear picture of a drum kit to colour in, then asks them to count the different drums and cymbals they can see.
It links naturally to the KS1 music curriculum, where children learn to play untuned percussion instruments and to experiment with, create, select and combine sounds. Print it onto one sheet of A4 and pair it with a real shaker, tambourine or pot-and-spoon at home or in the classroom so children can hear what they are looking at.
Parts of a Drum Kit
Free Music worksheet · Ages 5 to 7
Activity 1
Colour the drum kit. Try colouring all the drums one colour and the cymbals a different colour.
- Colour the big bass drum in the middle.
- Colour the two round tom drums on top.
- Colour the two cymbals on their tall stands.
- Colour the crossed drumsticks at the front.
Activity 2
Look carefully at the picture and count. Write your answer in each box.
- How many drums can you count altogether?
- How many cymbals are there?
- How many drumsticks can you see?
Parts of a Drum Kitowee.worldAnswer key
- How many drums can you count altogether? — 4
- How many cymbals are there? — 2
- How many drumsticks can you see? — 2
What children learn from this worksheet
This worksheet introduces the idea that a drum kit is not one instrument but a small family of percussion instruments played together. By colouring the bass drum, tom drums, snare drum and cymbals separately, children begin to notice that each part has a different size and shape, and that bigger drums tend to make lower, deeper sounds while cymbals make a bright, ringing crash. The counting task reinforces early number skills at the same time as building musical vocabulary, so a single page supports both maths and music.
How percussion instruments make sound
Percussion instruments are instruments you make sound with by hitting, shaking or scraping them. When a drumstick strikes a drum skin, the skin wobbles very fast (it vibrates), and that vibration moves the air to make the sound we hear. Cymbals work the same way: the metal vibrates when it is struck. You do not need a real drum kit to explore this idea. Tapping an upturned saucepan, a biscuit tin or a cardboard box lets children feel and hear the same vibrations, which makes the worksheet a useful starting point for hands-on play.
Using this sheet at home or in class
For the youngest children, talk through the picture first and point to each drum before any colouring begins. You might suggest a colour key, for example colouring all the drums one colour and all the cymbals another, so children practise sorting objects into groups. Once the colouring is finished, the counting questions can be answered out loud before they are written down. To extend the activity, ask children to tap a steady beat on a table and then add a louder hit for the bass drum, helping them connect the picture to real sounds and to the idea of a steady pulse.
Building musical vocabulary
Naming the parts of the drum kit gives children words they can reuse across the whole of Key Stage 1 music. Words such as beat, loud and quiet, fast and slow, and percussion all come up naturally when talking about drums. Encouraging children to describe the sound a drum might make, rather than only naming it, supports the curriculum aim of listening with concentration and understanding. There is no need to teach technical drumming terms at this age; recognising that there are several drums and several cymbals is plenty.
Frequently asked questions
What are the main parts of a drum kit for KS1?
At Key Stage 1, the parts worth naming are the bass drum (the big drum), the tom drums and snare drum, the cymbals, and the drumsticks used to hit them. This worksheet shows all of these in one clear picture so children can find and count each one.
Is a drum a percussion instrument?
Yes. A drum is an untuned percussion instrument, which means you make a sound by hitting it rather than by playing different notes. Cymbals are percussion too. The worksheet helps children learn that we hit percussion instruments to make a sound.
What age is this drum kit worksheet for?
It is designed for children aged 5 to 7, which covers Years 1 and 2 at Key Stage 1. The colouring suits the youngest children, while the counting questions add a little challenge for those who are ready.
How do I print this worksheet?
The worksheet is built to fit one sheet of A4. Use your browser's print option and choose A4, portrait orientation. It prints in black and white as line art, so children can colour it in themselves with crayons or felt tips.
Is this drum kit worksheet really free?
Yes, it is completely free to print and use at home or in the classroom. It was written by the Owee education team to support the KS1 music curriculum and pairs well with any simple percussion instrument, even a saucepan and a wooden spoon.
Curriculum links
- Music KS1: play tuned and untuned instruments musically.
- Music KS1: experiment with, create, select and combine sounds using the inter-related dimensions of music.
- Music KS1: listen with concentration and understanding to a range of high-quality live and recorded music.
- Mathematics KS1 (Number): count to and across small numbers and count objects reliably, supporting early number and one-to-one correspondence.
Made by The Owee education team. Updated 02/06/2026. Free to print and share.
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