Shaman Drum - 16in (40cm) diameter, round hair

The 16 inch round hair Shaman Drum (40cm) is a hand-made, goatskin-covered shaman drum, supplied with a double-sided suede and plush beater so you can explore a wide range of sounds. Despite its size, this beautiful drum is very light and easy to carry, with an impressively deep, resonant tone that’s robust enough for everyday classroom use. It’s perfect for shamanic drumming, drumming circles and SEND settings, and makes a lovely large percussion instrument for young children to play together.

Octagonal shaman drums in natural or painted versions are also available, with painted models featuring cryptic black shadow-animal designs. Padded cotton carry bags can be purchased separately to protect and transport your shamanic drums.

The round shaman drum range comes in seven sizes, of which this 16 inch round hair Shaman Drum is the second smallest. Looking for a different size? Explore our full Shaman Drum collection.

A cotton-padded shamanic drum bag (16") is also available to fit our 40cm Shaman Drums and other shamanic drums up to 40cm in diameter.

These drums can help with all aspects of EY development, including:

Sensory and/or physical needs

* Self-played:Helps with grip and holding.
Motion is generally towards the self, compared to away from or down with other drums, requiring different motor control skills.
How does it feel to your body when you tap the drum gently and then when you beat it harder?

* Practitioner-facilitated play:
Practitioner holds the drum, face outwards, into the back or solar plexus of the receiver. You can even take this all over different parts of the body [even above the head] but not too close to ears, then play with varying degrees of strength whilst the listener feels the vibration of the drum. If the body responds well to stimulus this can be a very more-ish activity for some.

Social, emotional and mental health

Repetitive, gentle 'thuds' from the Shaman drum vibration that can be felt in the tummy or back area can help to give an emotional sense of stability and security, in a similar way that lullabies work.

Communication and interaction

The Shaman drum can be used in a similar way to a resonance board.
You can place it on a wheelchair or on a resonant floor and play it [as indeed you can with any drum] .
Look for the resulting responses. If the practitioner holds the drum against themselves, students can beat the drum and practitioner can give feedback, in word and/or gesture ? this can help the student to temper their own playing [unless they want to give you a hard time by constantly playing hard and loud, of course].

Cognition and learning

'Reading' signals via words and gestures helps with understanding spoken and body language.
Learn about where the drum comes from.
Learn about what Shaman drums are used for, how and why they are used in specific ceremonies.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best size for a shamanic drum?
There isn’t one “best” size. Smaller shamanic drums (around 12"–16") are easier to hold and suit children or personal use. Larger shaman drums (20"+) give a deeper voice and work well as shared floor drums or group leaders. This 16" model sits in the middle and suits most ages.

What drums do shamans use?
In many traditions, practitioners use frame drums often called shamanic drum or “medicine drum”. They’re typically single-headed with a handle or lacing at the back. In schools we treat this as a versatile frame shaman drum for rhythm games, soundscapes and well-being work.

How to choose a shamanic drum?
When choosing a shamanic drum, think about:

• Size and weight – can your learners hold it comfortably?
• Sound – deeper vs brighter tone for your space.
• Build – strong frame and skin for regular use.
• Context – classroom, therapy, or personal practice.

This 40cm hairy goatskin drum balances portability with a rich, low voice.

What is the role of rhythm in shamanism?
Across cultures, steady shamanic drumming is often used to support focus, movement and group cohesion. In education we use rhythm in a secular way – to develop pulse, listening, coordination and relaxation skills, without teaching spiritual practice.

N.B. For SEN settings: When you purchase this product you get free access to a wide range of downloadable SEND teaching resources. Please visit our SEND resources page to see the range - free resources have a purple "FREE" label alongside.

The EAN of this product is 5060344030915