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How to Make a Gourd Shaker

Making gourd shakers for toys or musical percussion instruments can be as simple as just letting the gourd dry and allowing its seeds to become the noise makers. Or, you can drill a hole in the gourd to insert other noise-producing items. Leave the gourd(s) natural or decorate it with paint or beads. Purchase cured, ready-to-use gourds, often called "birdhouse gourds," at craft stores and online.

Things You'll Need

Gourd(s)
Drill
1/4-inch drill bit
3/8-inch drill bit
Small noise-making items - beads, BBs, pebbles, dry rice, etc.
Small round cork
Craft knife
Elmer's Glue
Paint (optional)
String and beads (optional)

Instructions

- 1
  Drill a hole in the gourd somewhere where it will be easily plugged and not too obvious on the finished shaker. Depending on the size of noise-making material you have, make either a 1/4-inch or a 3/8-inch hole.
- 2
  Place noise-making materials -- such as beads, rice or pebbles -- into the gourd. The noise-making items need to easily move around, so don't use too much. Determine the amount according to the size of the gourd.
- 3
  Plug the hole in the gourd with a cork. Add glue around the hole first to keep the cork in place. However, if you want to change the noise-making materials, don't glue the cork in place.
- 4
  Use a craft knife to trim the cork (if glued in place) flush with the surface of the shaker after the glue has dried.
- 5
  Paint the gourd, if desired. Decorate it with strings of beads and feathers by drilling smaller holes and threading the string through them. Or, leave it natural.

Educational Toys