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How to Make a Handmade Rain Shaker

Bring the soft pitter-patter of rain drops indoors with a homemade rain shaker. Cover it in fabric printed with raindrops or clouds to add a telling look to your shaker. You can also use the shaker to teach your child about Native American culture and social customs with a lesson in rain dances. If you are making the rain shaker for a rain dance, use a fabric printed in chevrons or geometric shapes.

Things You'll Need

1 cup unpopped popcorn kernels
Empty tennis ball container with lid
Masking tape
1/2 yard cloth
Scissors
Hot glue gun

Instructions

- 1
  Pour 1 cup of unpopped popcorn kernels into an empty tennis ball container. Attach the lid and wrap masking tape around the seam between the lid and the container to seal the container.
- 2
  Spread out a 1/2 yard piece of cloth on a flat surface with the printed side facing down. Place the kernel-filled container lengthwise in the center of the left side of the fabric. Squeeze a thick stream of hot glue along the edge of the fabric that is next to the side of the container. Press the fabric against the container and roll the container over to the right side of the fabric. Apply hot glue along the edge of the fabric to attach it to the container.
- 3
  Trim the ends of the fabric so that 4 inches of fabric remain on each end of the tube. Fold the ends of the fabric down against the tube̵7;s ends. Overlap the folds of the fabric and add hot glue between the folds. Press the folds flat against the ends of the tube.
- 4
  Cut six strips using the remaining fabric that are each 1 by 6 inches. Attach the ends of three strips to each end of the container using hot glue. Place the strips so they conceal the overlapping folds of the fabric.
- 5
  Shake the shaker gently from side to side so the popcorn kernels roll down the tube so it sounds like rain drops.

Nature