Six instruments. One free workshop series.
Every Print2Play workshop pairs a 3D-printed instrument with real, hands-on instruction — so kids leave able to play, not just holding something new.
How a workshop comes together
We print and prep
Our volunteers run instrument files on our own printers, then sand, tune, and assemble every piece by hand.
We bring instruments to kids
Finished instruments travel with us to community sites across Sarasota — free, no instrument rental or purchase required.
We teach, table by table
Mentors work one-on-one and in small groups on rhythm, notation, and technique until a kid can actually play something.
The lineup
Every instrument below is printed, assembled, and taught in-house.
Frog guiros
A ridged-back percussion instrument, scraped with a stick to make its signature croaking rhythm. It's usually the first instrument a workshop kid picks up — no prior music experience needed, and it's loud, fun, and immediately rewarding.
Ocarinas
A round wind instrument printed as a single body to teach embouchure and more advanced skills. Ocarinas introduce a diverse range of techniques and added musicality to a workshop's lineup.
Recorders
A classic first melody instrument, printed to standard fingering and scale so kids can move straight from a Print2Play workshop into any school music program without relearning technique.
Hand drums
Printed shells built for group rhythm work — call-and-response, tempo games, and ensemble playing. Hand drums are how we get a whole table playing together instead of one kid at a time.
Violins
Our most ambitious build: a fully strung, playable violin, printed in sections and assembled with a real bridge and tuning pegs. Violins go to our more advanced students, working with a mentor over multiple sessions.
Maracas
Printed as a shaker body and handle, these are usually the very first instrument we hand a younger kid — no embouchure, no fingering pattern, just rhythm. A simple, forgiving way to start keeping a beat.
Who we serve
Every workshop is free and built for kids who wouldn't otherwise have access to an instrument or music instruction — no fees, no instrument to buy, no experience required to walk in.
We partner with community sites and youth programs across Sarasota to bring workshops directly to kids, rather than asking families to find their way to us. If you run a program that could host a Print2Play workshop, we'd love to hear from you.
Get in touch about hostingHelp us print the next set
We're entirely volunteer-run, so almost everything we raise goes into filament and hardware for the next batch.
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