How to Make a Homemade Rain Stick

Buy or find a mailing tubes that are 1 ½ inches wide for each child. These tubes are available at the post office, or at an office supply store. Make certain to keep the stoppers that come with the tubes.

Get a pound of ½ inch nails for each child. Collect hammers for each child (either buy or borrow them from friends).

Ask the children to hammer the nails into the mailing tubes in whatever configuration they desire. Supervise this step carefully. Make sure that only the head of the nail remains on the outside of the mailing tube. If the point sticks out the other side, pull the nail head back, readjust the angle of the nail, and hammer it in again.

Collect sand, lentils, dried beans, popcorn kernels, or anything else you think might make a nice sound in a rain stick, and stir them together in a large container. The children may enjoy doing this by hand (but make certain they don't put their hands in their mouths afterwards).

Put the stoppers on one end of the mailing tubes and secure it firmly in place with strong, wide tape.

Pour the sand mixture into the tubes with a funnel. Have the children test the sound the contents make-they may decide on only a little of the contents or a lot.

Seal the open ends with the other stoppers and tape them securely in place. This is an important step, as having the contents spill onto the floor or carpet would make quite a mess.

Teach children how to make music with their new rainsticks.