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DIY rain stick craft that actually sounds like rain!

April 12, 2017 by Katie 22 Comments

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Rain sticks are those fun instruments that you turn upside down to make it sound like rain.

Today I’m showing you how to make kid-friendly rain sticks that actually work.

Note: You’ll find more weather-related activities on my Weather Unit Study page. 

DIY rain stick craft | craft for kids | How to make a rain stick that actually works! || Gift of Curiosity

To make these rain sticks, we gathered the following supplies:

  • Paper towel roll
  • Aluminum foil
  • Rice
  • Clear tape
  • Wooden spoon
  • Broom handle
  • Colored paper
  • Optional: Funnel

DIY rain stick craft | craft for kids | How to make a rain stick that actually works! || Gift of Curiosity

We started by tearing a sheet of foil about 10″ long.

DIY rain stick craft | craft for kids | How to make a rain stick that actually works! || Gift of Curiosity

We twisted the foil into a stick-like shape.

DIY rain stick craft | craft for kids | How to make a rain stick that actually works! || Gift of Curiosity

And we wrapped it around the handle of a broom to make a spiral.

DIY rain stick craft | craft for kids | How to make a rain stick that actually works! || Gift of Curiosity

Then we tore a small piece of foil about 7″ long.

DIY rain stick craft | craft for kids | How to make a rain stick that actually works! || Gift of Curiosity

We twisted this piece of foil into a skinny, wire-like shape.

DIY rain stick craft | craft for kids | How to make a rain stick that actually works! || Gift of Curiosity

We wrapped this thin piece of foil around the handle of a wooden spoon in order to make a tight spiral.

DIY rain stick craft | craft for kids | How to make a rain stick that actually works! || Gift of Curiosity

We then inserted the smaller spiral into the larger spiral.

Note: This is the key step that makes the rain stick work.

DIY rain stick craft | craft for kids | How to make a rain stick that actually works! || Gift of Curiosity

Next, we placed the end of the paper towel roll onto a sheet of paper and traced a circle around it. We did this twice (once for each end).

DIY rain stick craft | craft for kids | How to make a rain stick that actually works! || Gift of Curiosity

We then drew a bigger circle around the small circles we had just drawn.

DIY rain stick craft | craft for kids | How to make a rain stick that actually works! || Gift of Curiosity

We cut out the larger circles, and used scissors to make a lot of cuts from the edge of the paper to the inner circle.

DIY rain stick craft | craft for kids | How to make a rain stick that actually works! || Gift of Curiosity

We then taped the paper to the end of the paper towel roll, wrapping the flaps we had cut up the sides of the tube and securing them with clear tape.

DIY rain stick craft | craft for kids | How to make a rain stick that actually works! || Gift of Curiosity

Once one end of the tube was secured, we inserted the two foil spirals we had created.

DIY rain stick craft | craft for kids | How to make a rain stick that actually works! || Gift of Curiosity

Then we added about 1/4 cup of dried rice to the tube.

DIY rain stick craft | craft for kids | How to make a rain stick that actually works! || Gift of Curiosity

We then secured the other end of the tube with the other circle of paper we had cut.

DIY rain stick craft | craft for kids | How to make a rain stick that actually works! || Gift of Curiosity

We used lots of tape to make sure everything stayed together.

DIY rain stick craft | craft for kids | How to make a rain stick that actually works! || Gift of Curiosity

We then wrapped a sheet of colored paper around the outside of the tube to make it bright and colorful.

DIY rain stick craft | craft for kids | How to make a rain stick that actually works! || Gift of Curiosity

The kids decorated their rain sticks with markers and rubber bands.

DIY rain stick craft | craft for kids | How to make a rain stick that actually works! || Gift of Curiosity

And then the rain dance began!

DIY rain stick craft | craft for kids | How to make a rain stick that actually works! || Gift of Curiosity

More weather resources

More weather posts from Gift of Curiosity:

  • Books about the weather
  • Weather 3-part cards
  • DIY weather station
  • Water cycle demonstration
  • Two ways to make a cloud in a jar
  • Cloud classification activities
  • Cloud classification craft
  • DIY weather vane
  • Wind resistance experiment
  • Make a tornado in a bottle
  • How do hurricanes form?
  • Make a hurricane
  • Printable weather Bingo game
  • Printable weather I Spy game

You’ll find more resources for learning about weather on Weather Unit Study page my Weather Activities Pinterest board. 

Follow Katie @ Gift of Curiosity’s board Unit Ideas: Weather on Pinterest.

Don't miss out!

22 Comments

Comments

  1. MaryEllen Eaker says

    June 12, 2017 at 7:11 am

    Love the rainstick.

    Reply
  2. Beth says

    August 18, 2017 at 8:58 am

    Do you think this would work just as well with toilet paper rolls? Thx. Super fun idea!

    Reply
    • Katie says

      August 18, 2017 at 11:57 am

      I imagine it would work, although you’ll get a better sound with longer tubes. In fact, I think doing it with wrapping paper tubes would be awesome!

      Reply
      • Susan says

        September 1, 2020 at 11:45 am

        Try the tubes from the artificial grass from the hardware stores even. Fun challenge… )

        Reply
      • Kalinah says

        January 26, 2021 at 7:13 pm

        I just made one with a wrapping paper tube, and it came out awesome! Thanks so much!

        Reply
        • Katie says

          January 26, 2021 at 8:36 pm

          Awesome! Glad you enjoyed it.

          Reply
    • Susan says

      September 1, 2020 at 11:41 am

      Toilet paper rolls would be too brief… Maybe tie a few together- lengthwise and horizontally…greater duration of enjoyment??
      And get the band together fora rockin’ monsoon storm! Exciting!!

      Reply
  3. Candida says

    March 5, 2018 at 6:18 am

    Did you tape the tin foil down inside? Very neat idea…I love that there are no crazy materials required!

    Reply
    • Katie says

      March 5, 2018 at 1:17 pm

      I do no believe we taped the coils of aluminum foil inside the tube.

      Reply
  4. Gma Rita says

    May 16, 2018 at 10:10 am

    This looks so much easier than the one I made w-a-y back when I was a Kindergarten teacher in the 1990’s. We had to push what seemed like hundreds of straight pins in the tube. Can’t wait to try the aluminum foil with my grandchildren!

    Reply
  5. Karen says

    April 4, 2019 at 10:26 am

    Do you recommend for preschool ages?

    Looks like a fun project!

    Reply
    • Katie says

      April 4, 2019 at 11:41 am

      Preschoolers would need some support with the project to be able to do it successfully, but it could work with the right supports in place. And I’m sure they’d have fun using their rain sticks when they are done.

      Reply
  6. Brenda says

    April 20, 2019 at 4:35 pm

    Do you think you could cover this with duct tape..to make it sturdier? I have toddlers.

    Reply
    • Katie says

      April 21, 2019 at 7:09 am

      Of course!

      Reply
  7. Jen. says

    July 31, 2019 at 12:36 pm

    Just an FYI – I used your tutorial as a link on my blog today. One of the best designs for a home-made rain stick out there and seriously is better than the ones my kids brought home in preschool!

    Reply
    • Katie says

      July 31, 2019 at 2:10 pm

      Thank you! We thought they worked pretty well too.

      Reply
  8. Gloria says

    August 9, 2019 at 6:46 pm

    I’ve made rainsticks with Pringles cans. They are sturdy and would eliminate needing to cut circles for the ends. They sound great too!

    Reply
    • Katie says

      August 9, 2019 at 6:59 pm

      Great idea!

      Reply
  9. Teri says

    October 20, 2019 at 5:41 pm

    Can’t wait to try these!

    Reply
  10. Rachel says

    March 29, 2020 at 3:51 pm

    Updated it too include an additional set of the tin foil so that it touches both ends. Now it really sounds like rain. Awesome quarantine project, thanks for sharing

    Reply
    • Debbie says

      April 7, 2020 at 9:44 am

      Hi Rachel, If you could please, What do you mean you included an additional set of foil? Do you mean you used two of the skinnier foils? Another large foil spiral? Did you make them all longer? I appreciate that you commented though. I want to do this with my grandson. He’d love this. Thanks.

      Reply
  11. laura campbell says

    October 3, 2020 at 1:54 pm

    Thank you 😊 sounds like the best way to make rainsticks with my middle school 6th grade students. I researched other ways and decided that you have the best way. I will post when I try this.

    Reply

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