Rainstick

The rainstick is believed to have been invented by a group of indigenous people in Northern Chile. They were made by hammering cactus spikes into dead cactus tubes and filling them with rocks. Whenever an object filters through a rainstick, it bounces off whatever it is sifting through and produces a sound. Each tiny sound vibrates through the tube, creating a collective sound like rain.

• Paper
• Paper towel tube
• Pencil
• Scissors
• Tape
• Spatula or stick
• Tinfoil
• Rice, beans, small rocks, etc.
• Bowl

Fold the paper in half

Trace the bottom of a bowl onto the paper

Trace the paper towel roll in the middle

Draw spokes around the inner circle

Cut out the outer circle and spokes

Put one cap on the end of the tube

Fold the spokes over the tube and tape it down

Use a piece of tin foil about the length of your tube

Fold the foil in half four times

Wrap the foil around a stick or spatula to create a spiral

Stretch it out

Place it in the tube

Repeat!

Experiment with different amounts of foil

Create a funnel with a piece of paper

Using a mixture of two materials creates a unique sound

Fill the tube about 1/10 of the way full

Later you can experiment with different amounts

Tape your second cap on the end

Test it out!