How to Make Rain Sticks for Preschoolers

Let children participate in creating their rain sticks.

Rain sticks are a traditional musical instrument from South America, made from a dried cactus and its thorns that is filled with small rocks and pebbles and then sealed on both ends with pieces of wood. While making a traditional rain stick with preschool children is a challenging and daunting task, making a replica rain stick allows children to be involved in the process and enjoy making music with a rain stick of their very own.

Things You'll Need

• Paper-towel tube
• Construction paper
• Markers
• Scissors
• Glue
• Aluminum foil

Instructions

1. Create the ends for your rain stick. Stand your paper-towel tube in the middle of a sheet of construction paper and use a marker to trace around the opening. Draw a second, larger circle around the first circle. Have your preschooler use a marker to connect the two circles with 10 to 12 spokes, or lines. Help your child cut around the bigger circle and then cut on each of the spokes.

2. Glue one construction-paper circle top on the end of your paper-towel tube. Place glue on each of the circle's spokes and fold them up onto the outside of the tube. Set aside the other construction-paper circle to use later.

3. Cut your aluminum foil into a strip that is 6 inches wide and about one-and-a-half times the height of your tube. Help your child crinkle the foil into a long snake shape and then twist it around until it resembles a coil or spring. Place your coil into your paper-towel tube.

4. Pour some dry beans into your tube. Work with your preschooler to fill the rain stick approximately one-tenth full of beans. Experiment with different items for different musical effects.

5. Help your child glue the second construction-paper circle to the open end of your rain stick to keep your beans inside the stick.

6. Let your preschooler decorate the outside of the rain stick with markers and construction-paper cutouts.

Tips & Warnings

• Beans often sound harder, while rice typically results in a softer sound.

References

• Enchanted Learning: Rainstick Craft
• Exploratorium: Make Your Own Rain stick