Handmade maracas ideas. Easy to make! Musical instruments for kids.
Maracas are such a fun instrument that make a rattling sound when you shake them.
Traditionally, maracas are made by putting seeds into dried plants, but you can actually make them easily using scrap materials and the like.
In this article, we’ll introduce various ways to make maracas.
There are ideas suitable even for babies, so if you want to handcraft instruments or toys for children, use these as a reference and give them a try.
If you put sparkly items like beads in place of seeds, they’ll be fun to look at, and the kids are sure to love them!
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Handmade maracas ideas. Easy to make! Musical instruments for kids (1–10)
Cheekful Maracas
Let’s make a squirrel maracas using nuts and large/small plastic cups.
Cut a round hole in the side of the large cup sized to match the bottom of the small cup.
Cut a round hole on the opposite side as well.
Put the nuts into one large plastic cup, align the rim with another large cup, and tape them together.
Prepare two small plastic cups, cut off their bottoms, and cover their drinking openings with circles cut from construction paper.
Insert and secure the small cups into the holes in the large cup, then decorate with a squirrel and colorful leaves made from construction paper to finish.
Try playing with your cheek-stuffing maracas full of nuts!
Pack Maracas
Here’s an introduction to making maracas using an egg carton.
Put beads inside the carton and wrap masking tape around a pair of chopsticks.
Use cellophane tape to attach the chopsticks to the egg carton and close the lid.
Be sure to tape it securely so the beads don’t spill out.
Decorate it with masking tape, and you’re done! Once finished, try shaking it to music and have fun! It’s also a great idea to make them with friends and play together as an ensemble.
Baby stroller maracas
Let me introduce a handmade baby maraca that’s great for your child’s brain, too.
Make a hole in the lid of an empty drinkable yogurt container.
Thread a string through the hole and tie it twice.
Do the same on the other side—thread the string and tie it.
Put beads or small bells into the empty container, then cap it and secure it with vinyl tape so the beads won’t spill out.
Make sure it’s fastened tightly.
You can wrap this around a stroller guard for play.
It might keep your child engaged during walks or outings.
Pochi-bukuro maracas
Here’s an introduction to making maracas using New Year’s gift envelopes (pochibukuro).
Cut a pochibukuro in half and shape it into a regular tetrahedron.
Put some beads inside the cut envelope, fold in the opening, staple it, and cover the staple with masking tape.
Draw a face on a circle cut from construction paper, and fold a small kabuto (samurai helmet) from origami.
Place the kabuto on the drawn face, glue it to the pochibukuro, and you’re done.
It’s also cute if you swap the kabuto origami for animals like a rabbit or a bear.
Have fun making it!
Sparkly Paper-Cup Maracas
Here’s an introduction to a cute star-shaped maraca made with paper cups.
Paint two paper cups in your favorite colors.
When you’re done, put beads inside and stick the two cups together.
Secure them vertically with tape so the beads don’t spill out.
Cut a wide ribbon to the height of the cups and staple it in place.
Once it’s assembled, decorate the cups with stickers to make them as cute as you like.
When you’re finished, give it a good shake and play—you’ll hear a lovely sound.
We used beads inside, but if you try putting finely cut pieces of wooden chopsticks or straws instead, you might hear a different tone and have even more fun.