Homemade Maracas

Posted 2013-09-19 by SupahAnnie ⇒ follow

Younger kids will know them as shakers but whatever you call them they are fun to use and super easy to make. Kids can create their own, even picking what they will use to make the noise. Whilst creating them, using them and dancing with them they will also learn that different things make different sounds. Use this opportunity to demonstrate how rocks will make a very loud shaker/maraca whilst some rice will make a much softer sound. That's a great tip for parents so you don't get a headache or go deaf, believe me it's great!

Time: 20 minutes
Age: Any Age
Level: Medium

Materials

Rocks or pebbles (if your yard doesn't have any go for a walk and find some)

Pasta or spaghetti

Water

Masking tape

Toilet roll tubes

Sand (optional)

Pegs

Plastic cutlery

Recycled bottles, boxes, empty food containers, ice cream and yoghurt containers, keep the lids, paper towel rolls (use whatever you can find that would be suitable to use)

Hair ties or elastic bands

Method

Collect containers, different sizes and shapes, that you would normally put into your recycling bin.

Collect things from around the home that could be used to make a good sound (see examples in 'materials' above).

Put the items you have collected into your recycled containers, boxes.

Next you need to secure them so that they are safe to use and won't break. With bottles you can cover the lid with masking tape. Tape empty boxes closed too..

Paper towel rolls and toilet roll tubes will need to be sealed at both ends to work. An easy way to do this is to use a bit of scrap paper, newspaper or catalogue placed across the opening and secure closed with an elastic band or hair tie. You can also do this with the yoghurt containers or you can tape them together like I did. This makes them bigger and much easier to hold.