A noisemaker can be assembled simply by using common household items. Keep in mind that once these noisemakers are made, they will do exactly what their name indicates. They will be noisy. But if the occasion call for noise, these craft ideas will definitely do the trick. These crafts are best for elementary school aged kids (5-10).
Plastic Cups
Maracas are especially popular at Hispanic parties like Cinco de Mayo and the Days of the Dead. For a homemade version, fill half of a plastic cup with dried rice, sand or beans. Tape the rim of that cup to a second cup, and seal them tightly together so there are no leaks. Pick up your new noisemaker and shake the maraca.
Paper Plates
The paper plate noise maker is sort of a mix of a tambourine and a maraca. All you need is dried beans, a stapler, and two paper plates.
Separate the two plates, touching their rims together to make a flying saucer shape. Staple the edges, leaving no space between each staple until you've almost stapled all the way around. Before you seal the plates together entirely, pour in about a cup of dried beans. Staple the rest of the plates together until there are no gaps.
If you want to go an extra step, use crayons, markers or colored pencils to decorate your new noisemaker.
Stick Noisemakers
A simple hand-held noisemaker can be made with a Popsicle stick, glue, cardboard paper, a hole-punch, thread and old buttons. Cut two shapes of the same size out of the cardboard. While holding them together, punch six to 10 holes along the edges of the papers. Glue them together, with the Popsicle stick between the two. Put thread through each hole, and tie a single button to the end of each thread. After the glue has dried, twist the stick back and forth and the buttons will smack against the paper, making all kinds of noise.
Tin Cans
This homemade noisemaker is more useful at high school football games for accentuating crowd noise' it's not really intended as a kids craft. After you've used a small can, such as a soup can, keep the lid and can and wash them both. Drop some old nuts and bolts in the can and use duct tape to reattach the lid. A shake will produce an awfully loud noise. If you duct tape a paint stick or ruler to the side of the can as a handle, you'll get a much fuller noise as you shake it like a rattle.
References
Writer Bio
Ron Augustine is a rookie freelance writer and producer who has worked primarily in radio and print media for Chicago Public Radio's Sound Opinions, Relevant Magazine, WMBI Chicago and the Burnside Writers Collective. He graduated Moody College in 2007 with a degree in Communications.
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