Yay! It is time for a new activity.
This is one we also did on our Snow Day 2015! You can see the others here and here.
Today, I will show you how to make your own rain stick (or sound stick)!
This activity was slightly more time consuming to make (about 20 minutes total), so I squeezed this one in while little Mark napped on the couch with big Mark π
First, all you need is an empty tube, short nails, tape, beads, rice, or dry beans, and colorful paper. I used a toilet paper tube and a paper towel tube, but you can use any cardboard tube, the thicker the better!
Poke the nails through the tubes. You need to use quite a few nails to get the desired sound effect. This was the most time consuming part. You can also use toothpicks, just cut them to size.
This is what it will look like once you have all the nails in. I did them in two spirals and then straight down the sides.
Next, tape one end off of the tube, so that you can add your noise makers.
I also taped over the nails to make sure none popped out!
Then, add in a handful of your noise makers. I used glass seed beads for the small tube and pearl beads for the big tube. I tested each one out by flipping it over onto my hand to make sure I added enough to get my desired sound effect.
Once your beads, rice, or beans are added, tape of the open end.
I then covered both tubes in some left over colorful craft paper I had. You can use any colorful paper!
Ta-da! Finished product. I would recommend putting a layer of clear tape or laminating paper over the craft paper, as these will, without a doubt, end up in your little ones mouths.
And now for little Mark’s review!
Straight into the mouth.
I then gave him the big one. I showed him how it makes noise a bunch of times.
But, it went straight into his mouth. So, I tried my demonstration again…
This did motivate him to inspect the rain stick more closely…
Alas, it ended up right back in his mouth.
He seemed to enjoy watching me play with it, and he definitely liked the bright colors! I will be laminating it for future use, so he doesn’t gnaw off the craft paper.
To see more activity ideas, make sure you follow Momtog with a Blog, and like me on Facebook π