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DIY: Rain Stick

February 28, 2011 by Anna Ranson

Make a rainstick using recycled materials and things from around the house! A fantastic musical instrument for young children that sounds just like falling rain!DIY rainstick tutorial

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 I’ve been wanting to try making one of these for so long! A parent of a child I once taught told me how to make a rain stick (or rain maker) while we were doing a project about the rainforest. It is so easy!

You need a tube of any size made from VERY thick, strong cardboard or soft plastic. An ordinary toilet roll is too thin and won’t work. Apart from that you just need a hammer, some small nails (I used panel pins) and something to put inside the tube to make the noise with. We used a big scoop of butter beans and pinto beans (left over from the dinosaur small world play!)

Tap the small nails into the tube at random intervals until there is one every few inches or so. Not very technical, but it doesn’t really need to be!

If your two year old begs to have a go too, then that’s up to you. We went with it and she had a really good attempt at banging (with the wrong side of the hammer lots of the time!) I tapped a couple in part way for her and she had fun bashing them the rest of the way and was pretty impressed with herself.

The right way around now. Look at that concentration!

This is what it will look like on the inside of the tube when you have finished. The more nails you tap in, the longer it will take for the beans to fall through, making the noise last longer.

Then you need to drop your chosen filling inside. I’m sure there are 101 things you could use from rice to macaroni, couscous to beads!

Next she covered some plain paper in glue and wrapped the tube up in it. You can choose to cover it in whatever way you please, but beware that the nails need to be covered somehow to stop little fingers working out a way to pull them out!

We needed two sheets of A4 paper and she needed help to wrap it securely.

Ta da! Ready to be decorated.

Next she covered the whole tube in glue then had a wonderful time emptying the contents of the Jar of Wonder and sticking them all over it.

I had a packet of animal print papers from the £1 shop and we tore them into pieces together (a fun activity all by itself!) and added those too. They seem appropriate and fit the jungly rain stick theme!

A lot of concentrated effort went into this decorating!

The finished product! She could have gone on adding layers and layers of collage if I’d left her to it! Instead I gave her another stack of coloured paper and she started sticking on there instead.

Testing it out! It sounds fabulous, like a slow shower of heavy rain. Just perfect for doing rain dances and adding to our music basket.

“Hear dat Mummy!”

This activity is good for:
* creativity and imagination
* knowledge and understanding of the world: instruments, tools, building, design and technology
* distinguishing and describing sounds
* music making
* dance and movement
* fine motor skills: sticking, tearing, glueing, tapping nails, shaking

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Filed Under: Activities, Age, Art, Art, Big Kids Crafts, Cardboard Tube, Collage, Construction, Craft, Create, Creativity, Dance, DIY, How To, Instruments, Junk Modelling, Learn, Make, Movement, Play, Preschooler, Resources, School Age, Singing and Music, Toddler, Toys, Toys & Games

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Comments

  1. The Princess and the Tot says

    February 28, 2011 at 5:16 pm

    This turned out SO cute! I can’t wait to make some with Super Tot and Princess!

  2. Rachel T says

    February 28, 2011 at 5:57 pm

    The ‘jar of wonder’ ? You’ve piqued my interest! You must have an entry about that somewhere… off to search for it.

  3. Anna @ The Imagination Tree says

    February 28, 2011 at 6:23 pm

    Ha ha, yes indeedy, we love our Jar of Wonder (and have many now!) Read about it in this post here. You will need to copy and paste it into your browser as comments don’t take links.
    https://theimaginationtree.com/2010/07/creating.html

  4. Courtney says

    February 28, 2011 at 8:54 pm

    Love this!!!!!!!!!! My son would enjoy this- we’ll try it! I linked to it on my blog today-

    http://pcjpthompson.blogspot.com/2011/02/fun-craft-idea-from-imagination-tree.html

  5. b. lee says

    February 28, 2011 at 10:09 pm

    u guys did an awesome job!! it’s been forever since we made one of these … gonna have to save a couple paper towel rolls ~ ~ ~

  6. Patricia says

    February 28, 2011 at 10:21 pm

    I have to try it. Thanks for sharing!

  7. creativejewishmom/sara says

    March 1, 2011 at 12:06 am

    Great project! And I am just thrilled that you’ve shared the secret of how to get that falling noise, which we all love! My kids are going to love this one! Great to “meet” you and thanks so much for sharing on craft schooling Sunday!

  8. Raising a Happy Child says

    March 1, 2011 at 12:12 am

    What an awesome idea! I love this rain stick. I will add it to my long list of things to make with my daughter.

  9. Counting Coconuts says

    March 1, 2011 at 1:35 pm

    Love this! I’ll be posting it on my Counting Coconuts Facebook page – thanks so much for sharing such a wonderful idea!

  10. Christie - Childhood 101 says

    March 1, 2011 at 1:53 pm

    What a great idea, Immy would love this.

    Thank you again for being part of We Play and linking up 🙂

  11. Frog, Goose and Bear says

    March 1, 2011 at 2:17 pm

    I absolutely love this idea! I have always loved the sound of rain sticks! This page has been bookmarked and I look forward to having a go!

  12. GianneCurry says

    March 1, 2011 at 6:02 pm

    Or you can try with toothpicks and a paper towel tube!
    http://cowsgomooandducksgoquack.blogspot.com/search?q=rainstick

    Yours seems a little more sturdy; I went for an easier version…but maybe if I come across a sturdy tube we’ll revisit this craft! Thanks for sharing!

  13. Julie says

    March 1, 2011 at 7:40 pm

    How Cute! Thanks for sharing! I knew these were easy to make but I never actually knew how. We may have to try this soon!

  14. MyKidsMake says

    March 1, 2011 at 7:58 pm

    oh fun! my kids would def. enjoy making these (and playing with them!!!)

  15. SarahF says

    March 1, 2011 at 10:23 pm

    How strange, Anna! I was telling Zhenia all about the pics I saw on another blog of young kids banging nails into blocks of wood and how Max would love it and we should let him have a go. Zhen thought the idea was bonkers – mainly safety concerns. Well, you know what, I’m going to show him the pics of Cakie. Surely he can’t refuse, seeing how much fun she had, no blood in sight, *and* she’s 3 months younger than Max 🙂

  16. Sherry and Donna says

    March 2, 2011 at 11:29 am

    I’ve seen other people make these before but you technique is brilliant! I will definitely have a go at one of these!!
    Donna 🙂 🙂

  17. Rachel Harwood says

    March 4, 2011 at 3:48 pm

    I LOVE IT!!! I can’t wait to do this with my kids! I am definitely adding this to one of my link inspiration collections soon.

    Love to have you link up to my new link party, For the Kids Fridays!
    http://sunscholars.blogspot.com
    :)rachel

  18. Michelle says

    March 5, 2011 at 5:35 am

    It turned out awesome! Featuring this craft in this week’s high paw! Thanks for participation and hope to see you again this week!

  19. Alison says

    March 6, 2011 at 4:28 pm

    I used 5 tubes off icing sugar yesterday, wonder if those will be thick enough for this…
    Found via http://www.notimeforflashcards.com

  20. Melissa @ The Chocolate Muffin Tree says

    March 6, 2011 at 5:48 pm

    BEAUTIFUL BEAUTIFUL BEAUTIFUL!!! So fun—what kid (or me) wouldn’t love this!?? Great post!

  21. musicalmary says

    March 6, 2011 at 11:03 pm

    Very cute! I can even do this with my bigger kids while we are studying Africa and music. Thank you. I am new to your blog and your newest follower!
    ~Mary

    http://www.homegrownlearners.com

  22. Aleacia says

    March 7, 2011 at 7:08 am

    We made one of these and linked back to your fantastic directions!
    http://aleaciah.blogspot.com/2011/03/jungle-weeks-221-34.html

    Great post!

  23. RedTedArt says

    March 9, 2011 at 12:04 pm

    Oh my! A toddler one too!! How lovely. My son would love helping me make one! love how pretty the final rain shaker turned out!! Perfect perfect!

    Maggy
    (thanks for linking up to Kids Get Crafty)

  24. Anna @ The Imagination Tree says

    March 11, 2011 at 11:56 pm

    Musical Mary- I hope you do! Older kids could, of course, do the whole thing themselves 🙂

    Aleacia, I just visited your jungle theme art work and rain stick and they are all amazing!!

  25. jfb57 says

    April 2, 2011 at 9:23 am

    I suspect there will be quite a few folk surprised at how young little miss is doing this! There is a feeling in sch that little ones can’t manage that sort of thing! Great to show otherwise!

  26. http://livingatthewhiteheadszoo.blogspot.com/ says

    April 8, 2011 at 7:56 pm

    Your rain stick turned out beautiful. I’m now your newest follower!
    Amber

  27. PippaD says

    May 23, 2011 at 11:54 pm

    What a great craft! Shall attempt this tomorrow!

  28. Emma @mummymummymum says

    October 21, 2011 at 8:13 pm

    That is brilliant! You have such great ideas!! xx

  29. crittersandcrayons says

    October 23, 2011 at 6:06 pm

    My goodness! The nails are genius! We made some simple rain sticks during a drought here in South Texas. They were fun but not very pretty. haha! http://crittersandcrayons.com/2011/08/24/craftless-paper-towel-roll-rain-sticks/ I’ll have to share yours on my page. 🙂

  30. dclare designs says

    January 25, 2012 at 9:05 am

    I love your website!!! I just found myself without a job and have a ton of time on my hands with my 2 year old son, such a blessing, but your site is helping me and him do fabulous fun mommy and me time! Thank you so much for your site!

  31. Antoni says

    March 2, 2012 at 6:18 pm

    Simplemente, GENIAL, GREAT.

  32. Malone Mama says

    May 19, 2012 at 8:18 pm

    Love the rain stick idea! Such a cheap way to make an out of the ordinary instrument 🙂 I pinned this idea to remind myself to have my girls make their own.

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About The Imagination Tree Hello and welcome! I'm Anna, Mama of 4, early years teacher and play enthusiast from the UK! Click here to read more about me.

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