Rain Stick

Today's craft is inspired by ALL the rain we're having here on the east coast lately...It seems like it rains everyday here lately, so since we're not able to go outside and play, we decided to bring the rain inside and play! :)

This is a fun easy craft that will take you no time to throw together! My little loves playing with it and it has kept him occupied for a while now...Which reminds me, I better check on him,when he's this quiet, it can't be a good thing....

 

 

What you'll need:

•  15- by 1-1.2-inch mailing tube (I found these at Staples for $2.49. There was other sizes to choose from as well, I just thought this size would work for little hands.)
• 2 1/2 feet of aluminum foil
• 1/3 Cup rice
• 2 Tablespoons unpopped popcorn
• Glue Gun
• Broom (This is to wrap your foil around to create a coil. Anything about the thickness of a broom handle will work)

 

First thing you want to do is decorate your tube. I did shape cut outs because I realized I was out of tissue paper.(which is how I wanted to decorate it originally)

If you want to get all fancy and go the tissue paper route (SOO cute) then you'll need a 16-1/2- by 6-inch piece of clear Con-Tact paper and some torn pieces of tissue paper. Peel the backing off the Con-Tact paper. Let your little decorate the sticky side with tissue paper, then wrap the paper around the tube and tuck the extra length inside the ends.

 

Crush foil into a long cylinder. 

 

 

Wrap the foil around the handle of a broom (or something similar in size) to form a coil. Make sure you crush the foil pretty tight so it will fit easily into the tube.

 

 

 Slide the coil off the handle, and stretch it until it's a little longer than the tube, then push it into the tube. Use hot glue to secure the ends of the foil inside the tube, about 1/4 inch from each opening so you can place the cap back on.

 

 

Hot glue a cap to one end of the tube, then pour the rice and corn into the other end.Once the rice and corn are in, hot glue the other cap in place.

Our result! I let my little draw on the tube then I glued on the shapes with hot glue. The contact paper and tissue paper turns out really cute as well so I'm going to do that one later.

 

 

He seems to like it.

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Crafting