How to Decorate Rain Sticks With Craft Paper

Making rain sticks to accompany kids as they dance is a creative activity for a boring afternoon. Let your kids design the sticks by adding a handful of dried beans or beads to an empty paper towel roll and covering the ends with paper. Then consider these suggestions when you decorate the tubes with craft paper and assorted embellishments.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Paper towel tube
• Dried beans or beads
• Craft paper
• Pencil
• Scissors
• Paint and brush
• Markers
• Craft chalk
• Rubber stamps and ink
• Adhesives
• Embellishments

1. Use a piece of colored craft paper (also known as "butcher paper") to cover the rain stick. Measure the piece so it will go around the tube with enough overlap to adhere it securely. Trim the piece so it's the exact length of the tube.

2. Decorate the craft paper before you adhere it to the tube. It's easier to color or paint it when the paper is flat. Create a pattern with paint, shade it with craft chalk, doodle with markers or add rubber-stamped images with vibrant ink. Study real rain sticks if you'd like to mimic an authentic design (see Resources below).

3. Allow your design to dry completely, and then affix the paper to the rain stick with double-stick tape or a glue stick.

4. Add dimensional embellishments to further decorate the rain stick. You may want to adhere them at the ends of the tube so you'll still be able to hold it easily. Try colorful feathers, buttons, paper or foam flowers, chipboard shapes or metal charms. Affix the pieces with liquid glue or adhesive dots.

Resources

• Let beautiful, authentic designs inspire you.