Afternoon Activities
Can you imagine walking through the jungle and listening to all the different noises, especially if it were raining? I think it would be super noisy, exciting and fun!
So today, I am combing our usual outdoor activities with our big project activity, and we are going to be making jungle inspired rain sticks and other instruments and see if we can make as much jungley noise as the real jungle animals (that’s why you might want to go outside!!)
While you make your instruments, you might like to listen to this jungle music…
Rain Sticks
Rain sticks are pretty easy to make.
You will need:
- toilet or kitchen roll tubes, or a poster roll
- tape
- rice, lentils, or similar
- coloured paper, paint, pens for decorating
- you may like to add cut outs and other embellishments
- nails (optional for a better noise)
I really like the look of these jungle themed rainstick from Odd Socks and Lollipops, but The Imagination Tree has a great tutorial that uses nails and thicker tubes to make a really amazing rain noise!
Can you make your rain sticks look like jungle animals? Or are you inspired by the jungle plants? I like the use of animal prints on the ones above – could you use the splatter painting cheetah prints idea to decorate it? Show me what you end up making
More Jungle Instruments
What other instruments can you make to go with your rain stick? How about some jungle drums? Here are some ideas I have found to inspire you:
Snake Castonets from RedTedArt
Easy tin can drums from Lessons by Molly
How about these mini lid banjos from The Craft Train?
Try a spin or hand drum like Moms and Crafters
Whatever you make, have fun!
An Alternative...
As an alternative project for older kids or grown ups – here is a challenge for you:
Paint an abstract painting based on a jungle or rainforest scene. Thing about colour and texture, layers and scale…
Some Afternoon Reading
Note: The Jungle Book and Ferny Gully would be great films to watch to go along with our Jungle day…
forest path of light
visions in gradient greens
incense of wooded rain
puddling streams
splash awakened in
bliss of dream
faerie orchids
rest upon mossery
scented rain
sprinkles on
hues of
green
Journal Prompts
Write or draw about what it would feel like to wander through a rainforest – what can you hear, smell and see?
What animals do you discover?
Pick one of the jungle paintings I’ve shared today and write a story or poem about it…
Could you research your favourite jungle or rain forest animal and write about it?
Colour a page in your journal with all the vibrant colours of the rainforest…
