Rain trees are traditionally used by many American tribes in Christmas ceremonies to bring rain. They make great music for children ages 3-12. There are two easy ways to make a rain stick. One for younger children, the other for use with older children. As a former kindergarten and YMCA Recreation Leader I had the opportunity to do both types with caring for my children. I will give directions for both types.
Rain wood Craft of younger children
This activity can be used for children ages 3 and up.
Necessary materials
Cardboard tube from the catalog paper towels
aluminum foil
Dry rice, beans: or a small aquarium of rocks.
Pre-cut the brown paper bag circles into a cardboard tube larger than the end
Scissors
masking tape
Funnel
1/4 measuring cup
Gluten
Tissue paper pieces
Plastic table cloth to cover work area
directions
Work area with a plastic sheet.
Take a sheet of aluminum foil and shape it into a long snake shape
bracteoles curved into an oblong “S” shape
Place the aluminum foil inside the paper towel tube
Cover one end of the cardboard tube with a circle paper bag and seal it closed with masking tape
Measure a cup of rice, beans, corn or aquarium gravel
Using a funnel, fill a cardboard tube with rice, beans, corn or aquarium gravel
Circle the other end with a paper bag and seal it closed with masking tape
Use tissue paper strips and glue to decorate the outside of the rain tree
It is allowed to be cooked
Demonstrate how to turn a rain tree to hear the gentle sound of falling rain
Caution materials inside can be a choking hazard. Don’t use with children under 4
Rain Tree Craft for Older Children
This activity can be used for children ages 8 and up.
Necessary Materials
Poster tube with end caps
Dry rice, beans: or a small aquarium of rocks.
Cloves (at least 25 -50 per child)
Hammer
Parts of color paper Contact
Scissors
Funnel
Cup 1 cup size
Plastic table cloth to cover the area
directions
Cover the area with a plastic table cover
Show the children how to use a hammer to hammer nails into a poster tube
Command to space the nails by hammering into the pipe
You hammer nails all over the tube.
Once all the nails are in the back panel place the cap over the bottom of the tube
Measure out one cup of rice, beans, corn or aquarium gravel
Using a funnel, pour rice, beans, corn or aquarium gravel into a cardboard tube
Cap the end of the tube
Talk to children about popular symbols in Native American Culture such as the sun, moon, stars, animals etc. .
Children carve shapes and designs from colored contacts.
Remove them from the paper backing and stick the contact paper on their rain stick
Demonstrate how to turn on the rain so that he can hear the gentle sound of falling rain.
If the children want a bigger or softer sound they can have them uncapped rain sticks and add or take away from the rice grain or gravel the aquarium.
Talk about the different sounds that the wood hanging on the rain makes as much as the sound produced by the material placed inside.
Caution Children should be closely supervised when using hammer and nails.
A good follow-up to this activity is to read Star Child by Paul Goble. This story tells how the Sun Dance was given to the American people and is a good way to talk with the rain staff about how important elements are in American Christmas culture.
