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When my son was a baby, I took him to a Music and Me class where an angel of a music therapist introduced different instruments, movement and song to moms and babies each week. We sang and giggled at the little ones as they learned all about making sound. The smiles and belly laughs the instructor coxed from both exhausted parents and kids alike made the class a weekly highlight.
At the end of the class, we were given a homemade memento: a bottle maraca. A recycled water bottle filled with beads and rocks that made the noisiest and (apparently) the most fun sound in the world to small ears.
I was inspired by this craft to make my own bottle maracas for my son using the marbles he has had his eye on, but that I am in no way going to let him have quite yet. He can still look at them and play with them, but I don’t have to worry about choking — on marbles at least.
This would be a great birthday party favor as well. Perhaps for a music-themed birthday like Gloria’s First Birthday.
- Water bottle
- Goo Gone (optional)
- Marbles
- Beads
- Plastic adhesive
- Labels
- Wash the water bottle and remove the label with Goo Gone. Or maybe you will be lucky enough to get a bottle where the label just pops off! If not, Goo Gone works wonders on glue.
- Fill the bottle with a handful of marbles and beads. Or beads and rocks. Or sequins and beads and popcorn and rocks. You get the picture. Something heavy that will make noise and something colorful that adds visual interest.
- Glue the lid on the bottle with plastic adhesive to make sure those little bits don’t ever get out. Just use a little on the inside of the lid and let it dry for 24 hours. Just a tiny bit will keep the lid on. I don’t like to use a lot because of the possibility of stinky glue fumes lingering.
- Add personalized labels and then you can give them to the children. Let the party begin!
Used In This Project:
- Bottled Water Labels • I chose the “Floral Baby” style in aruba.
- Small Circle Labels • I chose the “Floral Baby” style in aruba.
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Stephanie Rose is a gardener who lives in Vancouver, BC, Canada, where she has grown over 100 edibles, 400 perennials, and countless other plants in her small urban yard; a hobby that continues to grow with each season. Stephanie writes DIY garden projects, yummy recipes and crafty goodness at Garden Therapy where she hopes you will find something to inspire you to get outside for a little, well, garden therapy.
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