EM3050 Activity: Make a Rainstick
What is that sound? Is it the sound of rain hitting the pavement? It could be, or it could be your rainstick. Though we make our rainsticks out of card board and tinfoil, some rainsticks were originally made from cactus. These percussion instruments were believed to bring on th rain. For most of human history, nobody understood how the weather worked. Rainsticks were one way controlling the weather by creating the sound of rain. Listen here!
OBJECTIVES
To learn about the history of rainsticks and to create a rainstick with materials in your home.
MATERIALS
Cardboard/paper tube: Mailing tube, paper towel tube (you could try a mini rainstick with a toilet paper tube!)
Aluminum foil (option to use toothpicks or nails)
2 squares of paper, large enough to make a cover for the top and bottom of your tube.
Tape: wide mailing or duct tape it easiest
Pens, crayons, yarn, etc. for decoration
ACTIVITY
See below, or visit ClimateKids for instructions.
- Trace around the end of your tube onto a piece of brown paper (or construction paper).
- Draw a circle that is two times bigger than your first circle (around that first circle) and then draw four or so spokes between the two circles.
- Cut along the spokes.
- Tape the spokes onto one end of your tube.
- Cut a few pieces of aluminum foil that are about one and half times the length of your tube and about 6 inches wide.
- Crunch the aluminum foil pieces into long, thin, snake-like shapes. Then twist each one into a spring shape.
- Put the aluminum foil springs into your tube.
- Pour some dry beans, dry rice, or unpopped popcorn into your tube. The tube should only be about 1/10 full. You can experiment to see how different amounts and different types of seeds and beans change the sound.
- Make another cap from brown paper (the same as the first three steps) and cap your tube.
- Optional: Decorate the tube by covering it with brown paper or construction paper, and then making designs with crayons or markers (or cut-out paper or stickers).
Share your photos, journal pages, thoughts, experiences, and/or feedback with us! Post on social media with hashtags:
#umbrellaarts #musketaquid #concordearthday #musketaquidearthday #earthday3050
Or email Caroline at caroline@theumbrellaarts.org
DIRECTIONS AND IMAGES: Rainsticks and Folklore, ClimateKids
Special thanks to our Earth Month sponsors
