RATTLES AND OTHER ‘NOISE TOYS’
A CHILDREN’S WORKSHOP FOR MAKING TOYS 469
Gourd rattle
Find a small
gourd (wild
gourds or
‘tree gourds’
may work).
Cut a round
hole at the
stem and
clean out
the seeds
and flesh.
Let it dry
out well.
Put 2 or 3
small rocks,
nuts or other
objects inside.
Find a stick the
size of the hole.
If the hole is
large, thin
down this
part of
the stick
Glue the stick
to the gourd.
glue here
To make it
stronger and
better looking,
mix white glue
and sawdust,
fill in here,
and after glue
dries, sand it
smooth.
Paint it
colorfully.
Plastic bottle rattle
a see-through
plastic bottle
stick of
wood
ring cut from a
plastic bottle,
bamboo, or
whatever
strips cut from plastic
bottles of different
colors, colorful
stones, nuts, etc.
Ring can be
wrapped with
strips of cloth
or tire tubing
for easier grip.
Bamboo rattle
SIMPLE FORM
Tin can rattle
cork or
plug
WITH HANDLE
Cowhorn rattle
Trim rough
edges.
Put in a
cardboard or
wood plug.
Then seal with a
mix of sawdust
and white glue, or
plaster of Paris.
glue
sawdust
Smooth the
surface and
let it dry.
small rocks
If the child
drops or
throws his
toys, try
attaching
strings and
help him
learn to get
them back by
himself.
IDEAS FOR HOMEMADE MUSIC (from How To Raise a Blind Child, see p. 639)
can
can lids
lids
gourds with
seeds in them
2 wood
sticks
tambourine
jingle bells
jingle
bells
xylophone
loose
hardwood
plates
‘castanets’
(wooden clappers)
disabled village children