Tag: maraca

Maraca Music

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Maraca Music (6)

I’ve made homemade maracas for Veronika before, but today the idea was to see which one she liked best out of a few variations!

I set out three small snack containers. Make sure whichever container you use has a tight-fitting lid, or one that you can tape shut.

Maraca Music (1)

The first received a few scoops of dried beans, the second some dried orzo pasta, and the third a little bit of dried rice.

Maraca Music (2)

Next I presented them to her to shake. Veronika has loved bopping along to music lately, so she loved having a container in her hand to shake, too. Beans were a big hit!

Maraca Music (3)

She seemed to enjoy the subtle sound of the shaking rice when I held it up to her ear.

Maraca Music (4)

Of all of them, the orzo seemed easiest for her to shake and made her preferred sound.

Maraca Music (5)

She also loved when I piled the “maracas” into a tower which she could then knock down, or reach over and pick up a container to shake.

Maraca Music (7)

These made for great solo play while I prepared dinner, too!

Maraca Music (8)

First Instrument

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first instrument (4)

We’ve played several games focused on hearing for Veronika lately, and today I made her her first “instrument”. Essentially a maraca, this easy little project had Veronika fascinated!

First, I showed her the two things we would need to make it: an empty plastic water bottle and dried lentils. Be sure to use a small water bottle, so that it fits in your little one’s hands.

first instrument (2)

I carefully spooned in the lentils, letting Veronika watch wide-eyed, until the bottle was about one-quarter full. Replace the cap, and shake shake shake!

first instrument (3)

First I just demonstrated shaking, but then we shook it rhythmically and sang some of her favorite songs like Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star and Row, Row, Row Your Boat.

Wheels on the Bus was fun because I could move the bottle along with the words of the song – up and town for the windows, around and around the town, etc.

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Next, let your child try to hold the bottle and shake along with you, so they can feel the rhythm. He or she probably won’t be able to grasp it solo, but let them feel the rhythmic motion and associate it with the visual of the lentils.

first instrument (5)

In sum, this toy makes a great musical intro.