How to Make a Rainstick for Preschoolers
Rain sticks are a ceremonial instrument used in areas of Chile. A rain stick is designed for use during rituals to make it rain. Teach your preschooler about the history of the rain stick and then have him create one on his own using everyday household items.
Things You'll Need
- Paper towel roll
- Pencil
- Wax paper
- Safety scissors
- Clear tape
- Aluminum foil
- Uncooked rice
Instructions
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1
Place your paper towel roll upright on a piece of wax paper. Trace the bottom of the roll with a pencil. Lift the roll off of the paper. Draw a larger circle around the traced circle. Cut out the larger circle. Repeat once more so you have two large circles of the same size. Each circle must be at least 3 inches bigger than the original circle.
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2
Take one of the cut-out circles and place it on one end of the paper towel roll. The paper must be big enough to overlap the opening of the roll. Tape the circle onto the end of the roll. Wrap tape around the paper and the roll to secure the paper in place.
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3
Tear off two 8-inch pieces of aluminum foil. Roll each piece of foil into a long tube. Slightly crumple the foil as you roll it. Each tube must be long and thin enough to fit inside the paper towel roll. Place the tubes inside the paper towel roll.
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4
Pour 1/2 cup of uncooked rice into the paper towel roll. The uncooked rice will hit the foil when you turn the roll upside down. The noise made sounds like rain.
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5
Put the other circle of paper on the open end of the roll. Wrap a long piece of tape around the roll and the overlapping pieces of paper. This tapes the paper to the roll and prevents any rice from leaking out. Use enough tape to wrap completely around the roll and the overlapping paper.
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Tips & Warnings
Have your preschooler draw pictures or designs on the outside of the rain stick.
Instead of using tape, you can also secure the paper with rubber bands. You may use glue, but if you do, use construction paper or brown bag paper. Wax paper does not stick to regular school glue.
Never let your preschooler use sharp scissors. Always use safety scissors.
