Easy-tp-make DIY Toy Cardboard Maracas

Toy maracas are a great craft for kids. Children love creating, decorating and playing with toy maracas. Toy maracas are easy and inexpensive to create and they make great instruments for young children because they are more fun than the traditional wax paper and comb, but less expensive than buying a real instrument for a young child who will probably ruin anyways.

Materials

• Balloon
• Papier mache
• Cardboard cone with an open end
• Paint

Instructions

1. The first step to creating your toy maraca is to blow up a balloon and tie the end. If you're doing this craft with a smaller child, you may want to blow up the balloon yourself. An older child can probably blow up the balloon on his or her own but may need some assistance. When the balloon blown up, smear it all over with a small amount of cooking oil.
2. Cover the balloon with five or six layers of papier mache. Be careful as you spread the papier mache over the balloon, because it is really easy to accidentally pop the balloon and ruin the toy maraca when you've barely begun making it.
3. When you're finished spreading papier mache over the balloon, attach a cardboard cone with an open end to the base of the papier mache covered balloon.
4. Now, use papier mache to cover the cardboard cone (which will be the handle of the toy maraca). If necessary, cover the entire toy maraca (the balloon and attached cone) with another layer of papier mache.
5. Once the balloon and cardboard cone are well covered in papier mache, you should store the toy maraca in a warm and dry spot for several days.
6. After leaving the toy maraca in storage, pop the balloon and remove the balloon remains from the open end of the toy maraca.
7. Paint the toy maraca with whatever color or design you wish to use. If you have made two toy maracas and wish to use the toy maracas as a pair, you can paint them the same color and use the same design on both toy maracas. You can use acrylic paint or watercolor paint to decorate the toy maracas. Washable paint doesn't stay on the toy maraca as long, but is a better option if you are working with young children. Older children will enjoy using acrylic paint to decorate the toy maracas.
8. After the paint has dried on the toy maracas, drop a handful of beans or a sand and rice mixture into the toy maracas. Use a small piece of tape to seal the end of each toy maraca.

That's all there is to it! Enjoy your toy maracas!