Children learn about cause and effect as they experiment with materials and containers to design, build, and play their own unique shaker!

Watch This Activity in Action!

• Containers:
  • Recycled metal cans with lids (ex. coffee cans)
  • Plastic bowls/containers (ex. yogurt container)
  • Wooden or cardboard bowls/containers (ex. shoe box)
• Materials for filling containers, such as:
  • Pebbles
  • Short, thick twigs
  • Loose buttons
  • Pom-poms
  • Chunky wooden beads
  • Jingle bells
  • Dry pasta
  • Dry beans
• Baskets or bins for sorting materials
• Tweezers and scoops

1. Before the activity starts, sort materials neatly into baskets or bins.
2. Ask children to pick a container to make a shaker with and to use the tweezers or scoops to fill their container with their chosen materials.
3. Encourage children to try out different combinations of materials and containers and to compare and contrast the sounds they hear.
4. Let children enjoy shaking their shakers and dancing to the music they make!

Try these add-on activities:

• Encourage children to walk around and collect their own natural materials to include in their shakers.
• Make a shaker for someone else, then ask them to guess what is inside by listening carefully to the sound it makes.
• Ask children: “How can you make a loud sound? A quiet sound?”
• Ask: “How many shakes make your name?” Say the child’s name and shake the shaker for each syllable. Continue to model syllable counting using familiar names and fun words.
• Play your shakers together! Encourage children to mimic your rhythmic patterns.
• Lead children in a sing-along with the shakers providing the rhythm. Start a dance party!