Clean Water for All God’s Children
Objective:
to create a ‘rain stick’ to remind children of the pleasant sound of God’s good gift of rain.
(Note: the rain stick is a musical instrument from South America. They are traditionally
made from the skeleton of a cactus, with many thorns inside. This hollow cactus skeleton
is filled with small pebbles, and the ends sealed with pieces of wood.)
Materials Needed:
paper towel rolls, one for each student; circles of colorful fabric, about 3” in diameter –
2 per student; several sizes of dried beans; rice; flat-headed nails, about 1 5/8” long
(about 25 per student); clear packaging tape; optional: colorful ribbon, cut into various
lengths ( from 12’’ to 20”)
Teacher Instructions:
1. Paper towel tubes have a spiral seam. Draw dots along this seam at about ½” intervals,
all the way down the spiral.
2. Students will poke a nail into each dot, pushing it all the way in to the head. Wrap
tube with tape to hold nails in place
–
colored electrical tape works well and is very
festive!
(For younger children, you may want to pre-punch the holes)
3. Cover one end of the tube with a fabric circle, affixed with tape so that the end of the
tube is sealed shut.
4. Have student select rice or various beans, put a handful in the open end of the tube.
5. Seal the other end with another fabric circle.
6. Optional: Tie several ribbons around the ends of the tube for decoration.
7. Write student’s name on the tube.
Turn the raintubes
slowly
for best sound. Children will enjoy hearing the different
sounds of ‘rain’ made by the various beans and rice.
Rev. 1/06
Day 2: Crafts
Rain Sticks