Making Summer Rain

Has a rainy day taken over your summer plans? Here's a great art project for kids on that rainy day!

Making Rainsticks

If you've never heard of them, a rain stick recreates the sound of the rain by turning the stick upside down. It's easy to create one of your own and what better way to spend a rainy day than creating your own rain stick. Here's how:

Materials:
cardboard tube (paper towel or toilet paper roll)
card stock or cardboard
tape
aluminum foil
seeds (beans or rice work as well)
markers or paint to decorate
any other additional items to decorate

Directions:
- Cut out two circles from either the newspaper or the cardstock to fit on the ends of the cardboard tube.
- Attach one circle to one end with tape.
- Twist a piece of aluminum foil into a snake like shape. Place it inside the tube.
- Add seeds (beans or rice) to the inside.
- Place your hand over the tube and listen to the sound. Add or remove seeds until you like the sound of the movement of the seeds.
- Cover the other end of the tube with the other circle and tape.
- Decorate your rainstick with paint, markers, beads, and any other material that you have chosen.
- Let it dry before playing with your new rainstick.