Supplies and Materials
28 oz (236 mL) plastic water bottles
2 toilet paper rolls
Electrical tape (colorful, if possible)
Filling For your maracas. (Sand, salt, pebbles, birdseed, rice, beans, small beads, large beads, dried pasta, rice, dried peas or beans, small washers, paper clips, small erasers.) Try 2 different fillings, one for each hand to get different “pitches”.
Assembly
Fill your maracas and tighten (or hot glue) the cap on your two water bottles. The next step is to create the handle. Take your two toilet paper rolls and make a straight cut from one end to the other. Tighten the roll in on itself to about the size of a 3/4 inch dowel and then apply your electrical tape. Start wrapping the tape around the bottom part of the rattle on the bottle and move down onto the new handle. Wrap slowly, covering all the cardboard of the toilet paper roll and you will have created a rather sturdy handle for your new instrument.
I Wonder...
Does the sound change depending on what you fill your maraca with?
Can you go to the Rhythm Reading section of the website and try to play along with some of the activities using your home-made percussive instrument?
Can you teach another family member how to play along with you?