Adapted by North Dakota School for the Deaf/Resource Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing School-Age Outreach Department

Directions: 1. Tear a sheet of foil about 10 inches long

2. Twist foil into a stick-like shape (try to keep the foil about the length of the paper towel tube)

3. Wrap it around broom handle to make a spiral

4. Tear a sheet of foil about 7” long

5. Twist foil into a skinny, wire-like shape (again try to keep the tinfoil about the length of the paper towel tube)

6. Wrap this thin piece of foil around wooden spoon to make a tight spiral

North Dakota School for the Deaf/Resource Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Parent-Infant and School Age Outreach Department

Paper towel tube Aluminum foil Rice

Clear Tape Wooden spoon Broom handle

Colored paper Scissors Funnel (optional)

Rain Stick Materials:

Activities to do with the rain stick: 1. As you do the project, make sure your child knows the name of materials

(scissors, tape, tube, construction paper, marker, etc.)

2. Test how far away you can get before your child doesn’t hear the rain sound (listening bubble)

3. Discuss other household items that can be used for sound effects…Fill them with rice and see if they work

4. Chant “Rain, Rain go away; come again another day; little Johnny wants to play” as you walk around the house or yard shaking or tipping your rain sticks.

5. Talk about the water cycle. Check out how to make a rainstock and the activities attached to the craft on the www.giftofcuriosity.com/diy-rain-stick-craft website

Rain Sticks

Adapted by North Dakota School for the Deaf/Resource Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing School-Age Outreach Department

7. Insert smaller spiral into larger spiral (Note: this is the key to making the rain stick work)

8. Place end of paper towel tube onto a sheet of paper and trace a circle around it

9. Draw a bigger circle around the small one

10. Repeat steps 8 and 9 so you have 2 small circles surrounded by 2 large circles

(one for each end of the tube)

11. Cut out the larger circles

12. Use scissors to make a lot of cuts from the edge of the paper to the inner circle

13. Tape the paper to the end of the paper towel tube, wrapping the flaps that you cut, up the sides of the tube and secure them with tape

14. Once one end is secure, insert the two foil spirals you created

15. Add about ¼ cut dried rice to the tube

16. Secure the other end of the tube with the other circle

17. Use LOTS of tape to hold it all together

18. Decorate a sheet of paper and/or use colored paper

19. Wrap paper around the paper towel tube to make it bright and beautiful

20. Use rubber bands or clear tape to attach paper to roll

Let the rain sounds begin! (from www.Giftofcuriosity.com) Pictures from www.giftofcuriosity.com/diy-rain-stick-craft Check it out for larger and more step by step photographs.

Material substitution: This craft calls for clear tape but any tape may be used.

You may also substitute for the broom handle and wooden spoon. The idea is to have two round handles of different size so the smaller tinfoil coil will fit inside the larger one (just make sure the larger coil will fit inside the paper towel tube)

Any paper may be used at the bottom and top of the rain stick. If the paper is very thin, you may wish to use a couple layers. (Newspaper, magazines, mail flyers or advertisements, even an envelope that has been opened up)

Any paper may be used to decorate the outside of the tube…or you can color the tube itself with crayons, marker or paint. (Please allow time for the paint to dry before using the rain stick.) If you use paper, it is easier to decorate the paper BEFORE placing it on the tube BUT depending on the size of the paper, part of the design may be covered when you wrap it around the tube.