Music Craft - Make Your Own Rain Stick!

I recently did this activity with some of my students and it was a big hit!  The kids loved creating their own musical instrument and decorating it with their own special flair.  This was especially successful with children with special needs because it's a great sensory activity with many different materials to explore.

Rain Sticks:

What You Need:

Paper towel tubes, wrapper paper tubes or PVC pipe (cut to desired length)
Tin foil
Colored tape
Beans or rice, dry split pea mix (this is my favorite to use - the different colors are really cool)
Paint, markers, foam stickers, pom poms or other items that you can use to decorate your rain stick

What To Do:

1. Block off one end of the paper towel tube.  You can make a construction paper cap and tape around and over it to block one end of the tube, or you can fold the end of the tube over and staple it shut.

2.  Make balls out of tin foil (about the size of a golf ball or a little smaller so they fit in the tube) 

3.  Fill the tube with the foil balls until it is filled to about an inch from the top.

4.  Pour small beans or rice into the tube.

5. Close the end of the tube the same way you closed the other end.

6.  Have fun decorating!  Some suggestions:  Mix tempera paint with glue halfway up in a small container or cup.  (Mix 1/4 glue and 1/4 tempera paint.)  Paint the mixture onto the paper towel tube.  Objects then can be stuck to the tube.  Foam cut-outs, construction paper shapes, tissue paper strips and other decorative items can be used.

The paper towel tube, with one end blocked off by colored duct tape, ready to be decorated!

 The split pea mix that will make our rain sounds!

Glitter glue, foam stickers and pom poms all help decorate our rain sticks and make them unique!