JoJo Music - How to Make Maracas
Here's a super fun project that involves some of our favourite things: balloons, creativity, and making a mess! (The fun kind!)
Images found on Pinterest.
Preparation
Here are the things you'll need to make your own maracas:
- Newspaper. Ask friends and family to save their old newspapers for you so you have plenty.
- Flour
- Water
- Lentils, beans, seeds, rice
- Balloons
- Paints (poster paints work well) or different coloured craft tissue paper
- Sticky tape
- Long cardboard tubes
How to Make Maracas
Part 1
Now it's time to get your hands dirty!
1. Inflate balloons. Inflate as many as the amount of maracas you want to make.
2. Use some of your newspaper (but not all) and make strips of small squares each about the size of a coaster.
3. Cover your working surface with the rest of the newspaper.
4. On the newspaper place a bowl and pour the flour in. We're going to make paper mache.
5. Pour in the water. It should be a thin paste, like oatmeal.
6. Now mix the flour with the water by hand. The kids can join in with this. It will be a bit messy but that's what the newspaper is for!
7. Take one of the pre-inflated balloons and dunk it in the paste. Cover all of the balloon with the paste. You can use your hands to help this part along.
8. Now take your newspaper squares and place them on the pasted balloon. Make three layers of newspaper squares all around the balloon. Don't paper over where the balloon is tied, leave a little round gap there the size of your cardboard tube perimeter.
9. Leave to dry.
Part 2
When the newspapered balloon is 100% dry (it should feel rock solid), it's time to move on to Part 2.
1. You now have a balloon-shaped, solid paper mache container. You can remove the balloon from inside through the round gap at the bottom.
2. Pour your beans, lentils, rice or preferred filler into the container. You don't need much, just enough to make a sound when you shake it later. You can experiment with different fillers and amounts to achieve different sounds. Keep the container upside down when pouring in the filler, and with the next step too, to stop the filler falling out.
3. Create your maraca handle. Take your long cardboard tube and tape over one end of it to block that end. Slot it into the gap at the base of the container, taped-end first (this will stop the filler from falling out of the tube). Don't push it too far in the container or it will intefere with the sound of the maraca. Perhaps one inch inside. You can fix the tube in place with sticky tape.
4. Now you might want to decorate your maraca. You could try gluing strips of the craft tissue paper to it, this would also help strengthen the maraca and handle. Or paint it with your favourite colours.
5. Wait for the paint or glue to dry completely.
And now the final step... Play the maracas!
Did you make your own maracas using this tutorial? We'd love to see them! Why not send us your photos and we'll publish them on future social media updates.
Note: Responsible adult supervision is required at all times when creating with potentially harmful substances such as glue or items that might scare children such as popping balloons. This tutorial should be undertaken using your own discretion depending on the ability of your children, do not let them undertake activities they are not able to.
