Rain Stick Music Craft 1

Making a Native American rain stick craft is a great musical idea. It 's not only fun, but helps teach kids about other cultures. Authentic rain sticks have little spines inside that slow and change the sound of the beans as they fall down. The basic construction of a kids rain stick is the same, using a paper towel roll or other cardboard tube, but I'm offering a few different variations. The difference is what you put on the inside. You can choose the one that is best for you.

Variation 1

This is the simplest rain stick. There is nothing inside, but dried beans, rice, corn, or seeds. It's little more than a shaker. You can decorate the outside anyway you like, with crayons, markers, scraps of paper, etc. The best idea I saw was wrapping the outside with crumples brown paper and coloring lines or simple shapes and adding some feathers. It has a really nice, woody, Native American look to it.

Materials:

• paper towel roll or cardboard mailing tube
• cardboard or cereal box
• dry rice, corn, or beans(rice sounds best)
• brown paper
• markers
• twine
• feathers
• beads
• scissors
• glue

Directions:

1. Trace the end of the cardboard tube twice on an old cereal box. Cut out the circles. These will be the caps for the ends.
2. Cut 2 square of brown paper and glue the circles on the center. Alternatively, you could use thick brown tape.
3. Cut a piece of brown paper to roll around the tube. Decorate with lines and simple shapes. Crumple up the paper and smooth it out a few times.
4. Spread glue around one end of the tube. Place one cap over the opening and fold down the paper and hold in place.
5. Put rice or beans of choice into the tube.
6. Glue on the other cap.
7. Put glue on the tube and roll the paper around it.
8. Tie a piece of twine around each end with long tails
9. Thread a few beads on the twine and tie the end in a knot.
10. Use tape, glue, or rubber bands to attach feathers to the twine.

Source: Teach Kids Art