Project: Bean Shakers

It was suggested I post some of my project ideas online so that other people can use them if they wish. I will do so, but would like to mention that most of the projects we do aren't extremely excited or anything. My boys just love doing "projects" each afternoon, so I have to come up with something for them to do each day. As long as a I call it a project and they get to sit on the floor or at the table to it they are happy.

One day last week we made music shakers.

Materials needed: dry beans (any kind will do) and empty water bottles

What to do: Give each child one water bottle and a small bowl full of beans. Let the child put the beans into the water bottle. Someone this can entertain them for quite awhile. When they have the bottle at least 1/4 of the way full of beans you can put the lid on the bottle and let them shake it. You can save the shakers and use them as musical instruments later on or you can dump them out and do the project again another day. To mix it up a little, you can make homemade funnels out of paper and let the kids see how a funnel works.