Sing along to John the Rabbit!

Try This!

Use your child’s name instead of John and sing about a habit he or she has.
Make it fun! Make it silly! For example:

Oh my daughter, Alli! (Yes, ma’am!)
Has a mighty habit, (Yes, ma’am!)
Being neat and tidy, (Yes, ma’am!)
Keeping her room clean. (Yes, ma’am!)
Her bed is made. (Yes, ma’am!)
Clothes put away. (Yes, ma’am!)
And if she does, (Yes, ma’am!)
This for a week, (Yes, ma’am!)
Then I think she, (Yes, ma’am!)
Will deserve a treat! (Yes, ma’am!)

Coloring Pages (Click to Download)

Box Guitar

Materials: Cereal or cracker box (or similar), sharpened pencil, scissors, paint, rubber bands, hot glue gun (optional)

1. Draw a circle approximately 5” in diameter (Adjust size as needed for the size of your box.) in the center of your box. Cut out the circle.

2. Using a sharpened pencil, carefully poke six holes in a straight line 1” above the circle and 1” below.

3. With the box closed, give your box a paint job. Mix colors, paint a picture, make a pattern-get creative!

4. Let your box dry. Dry time will depend on the type of paint used.

5. Cut six rubber-bands to create the “strings.” It’s okay if you choose bands that are all the same size, you can change the pitch (how high or low something sounds) when you stretch and tie them a few steps later.

6. Thread the rubber-bands through the holes above your circle and tie a knot at the end on the inside of the box. Thinner bands may require two or more knots to keep from getting pulled through.

7. OPTIONAL: Add extra hold with by securing the knot on the inside of your box with a hot glue gun. 

8. Now thread the other end of the rubber-bands through the holes in your box at the bottom of the circle and tie a knot on the inside of the box. Careful here as you will need to stretch the rubber-bands in order to tie them. Again, thinner bands may require two or more knots to keep from getting pulled through.

9. OPTIONAL: Add extra hold with by securing the knot on the inside of your box with a hot glue gun

10. You’re a guitar genius! Play away!

Experiment and Observe:

• Which rubber-bands make high pitches? Thin or thick ones? 

• Which rubber-bands make low pitches? Thin or thick ones?

• How does the amount of stretch affect the rubber bands?

• Try playing your box guitar with the box open. Does it change the sound?

 Rainstick

Materials: Poster tube, hot glue gun, hammer and nails, uncooked rice, pasta or beans, paint or patterned duct-tape (optional)

1. If recycling a used mailing tube, remove labels/stickers. If painting, do so now, then let dry.

2. Remove end caps. Place a small amount of glue on the inside of ONE end of the tube and replace the ONE cap.

3. Hammer nails into the tube. The easiest way to place the nails is to follow the spiral pattern on the cardboard of your tube. Don't be shy here. You want to create enough "obstacles" for your noise makers. We used 101 nails.

4. Pour the desired amount of uncooked rice, spaghetti, beans or whatever you choose into the tube. You can use beads, popcorn, buttons, pebbles-whatever you have on hand. Part of the fun is listening to the different sounds the different objects make. We settled on rice and broken spaghetti noodles.

5. Place the second end cap on the poster tube and test your rainstick. You can adjust the amount/type of objects inside until you achieve the desired sound. Once you're happy with it. Glue the second end cap in place.

6. IMPORTANT: Wait for the glue to dry on the second end cap before using your rainstick again to avoid getting glue on your filling which may cause clumps or for the filling to stick on one end of the tube.

7. If you chose to use patterned duct tap, wrap it now. My boys really only had an interest in using the hammer and making as much of a mess with the rice as possible, so ours will stay brown. Sticks are brown, so that's okay, right?! #boymomprobs
   
   

Experiment and Observe:

• How does the amount of filling affect the sound of the rainstick?

• How does the type of filling affect the sound of the rainstick?

• What happens when you tip the rainstick over slowly? Quickly?