Rain Sticks from Mailing Tubes

Your and your child can enjoy the sound of a gentle rainfall with this sound-alike “rain” instrument. You can create a noisy, kid-safe maze for falling grain with just a mailing tube and aluminum foil, and this gives toddlers plenty of crafting opportunities to "do it myself."
CRAFT MATERIALS:
16-1/2- by 6-inch piece of clear Con-Tact paper (optional)
Small pieces of colored tissue paper (torn or cut) (optional)
15- by 1-1.2-inch mailing tube (available for $1.50 at Staples)
2-1/2-foot length of aluminum foil
Broom
1/3 cup of rice
2 tablespoons of un-popped corn
Hot glue

Time needed: About 2 to 3 Hours (but oh, it’s worth it)

1. To decorate -peel the backing off the Con-Tact paper. Let your child decorate the sticky side with tissue paper. (Alternatively, have her paint the tube, then cover it with the Con-Tact paper.) Wrap the paper around the tube and tuck the extra length inside the ends (for ease, cut small slits around the overhang before folding it in).

2. Crush the foil lengthwise into a long cylinder, then wrap it around the handle of a broom to form a coil. (it will look like a long lock of curled hair, sort of) Slide the coil off the handle, stretch it until it's slightly longer than the tube, then push it into the tube. Use hot glue or masking tape to secure the ends of the foil inside the tube, about 1/4 inch from each opening.

3. Hot-glue a cap to one end of the tube, then help your child pour the rice and corn into the other end (a funnel or small pitcher works well). Hot-glue the other cap in place. Now turn upside down to hear the rainfall. And turn upside down again, and again!

Thanks to FamilyFun.com for this!