This is a great project for kids up to 12 years old.  It’s a homemade version of those large sticks that sound like rain when you turn them over. 

Supplies

• 1 Paper Towel Tube
• 1 Sheet of Colored Construction Paper
• 1 15″ Strip of Aluminum Foil (~ 12″ wide)
• 2 Heaping teaspoons of Uncooked Rice
• 2 Heaping teaspoons of Uncooked Barley
• 2 Pieces of Fabris (2″ x 2″ of any thin fabric)
• 2 Rubber Bands
• Glue
• Stickers, Markers, or Crayons

Directions

This project can be upgraded by finding substitutes for the tube or end coverings.

1. Cut the construction paper to a size that will enable you to wrap it around the paper towel tube, flush with each end.  Then wrap this around the tube and glue it on.  Let the glue dry.
2. Cover 1 end of the tube with a piece of the cloth.  Glue it on, then reinforce by wrapping a rubber band around it.
3. Loosely roll the tin foil (when rolled, it should be about as thick as a magic marker), keeping the width of 12″.  Then wrap this around your finger to make it the shape of a long corkscrew.  It doesn’t have to be wrapped tightly.  Insert the foil corkscrew into the open end of the tube.
4. Pour the rice, beans and barley into the tube.
5. Cover the other end of the tube with the remaining fabric and glue it, reinforced by the rubberband.
6. Decorate the tube with stickers, markers, or crayons.

Turn it over, and you have yourself a rainstick.