You can make a rain stick using recycled materials and things from around the art room or house. I have boxes that contain scraps of wool, ribbon, tapes etc. and it is great to use this all up! I buy A2 poster tubes for the rain stick as they are about 50 cm long and 3.8 cm in diameter - so a good size. Firstly, mark out where you are going to place the nails, then carefully nail in some flat headed nails around the tube - 25mm nails are what I go for. Once done, get decorating. I get the children to first wrap the tube in washi tapes as this covers the nail heads. Then use ribbons, wool, pipe cleaners to give it a more rainforest finish. Finally use rice or coffee beans to fill and secure the lids with glue otherwise you will end up with rice or beans everywhere!