A few weeks ago, the weekly music class I attend with my son (which we ADORE) was cancelled due to weather. We stayed home and added some brand new instruments to our collection. This project went over really well with my 2-year-old- especially considering I didn’t invite him to participate in the crafty part of it, haha! There are small parts, and he’s a toddler who likes to test boundaries. So in the interest of transparency, I totally made these while my child was napping and then allowed him to play with them (supervised) once they were completed. It would, however, be a great project for older kids!
Follow these instructions to make your own set of musical shaker sticks from objects you might even have on-hand already.
You will need:
-Baker’s twine or yarn
-Beads, sequins, feathers, charms, etc.
-Sticks
-Bells
-Glue
- Add a drop of glue to the end of the twine and begin wrapping it around the end of the stick.
- Add beads and bells as you go, creating a formation or pattern if you like.
- If using feathers, add them with a drop of glue and wrap string several times to secure.
- Wrap the end of the string around a final drop of glue. Tuck the end of the twine into the coils you created previously. Allow all glue to dry before handling.
- Grab a handful of instruments to go with your new shaker sticks, and make some music!
This project was highly satisfying because of the ability to give a little *shake shake* and hear the tinkling of the bells. In fact, I just used what I had on hand but I’d probably get larger bells if I did this again. Also, the feathers are totally optional but my son did enjoy having that extra bit of pizzazz.
Need a fun song to play along with? I’ve got you covered, friend! We adore Meow, Hou-hou from the Baby Loves Salsa series. DANCE PARTY at 1:30!!
Happy music making!!
Wonderworks 