How to Make Maracas

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Multiple ways to make your own instrument

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Last Updated: July 30, 2024 Tested

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Maracas are hollow musical instruments that make a rattling noise when they are shaken. Making your own maracas at home is easy and it is a fun craft project to do with children. You can quickly make maracas out of plastic Easter eggs or you can make paper mache maracas which take a bit more skill. Once you have decorated your maracas, they are ready to shake and make some noise!

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Making Plastic Easter Egg Maracas

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1
Open 2 plastic eggs. Place 1 hand on each half of the plastic egg. Gently twist and pull the halves to separate them. You will be able to make 2 maracas using 2 plastic eggs. If you want to make more maracas, simply use 1 extra egg for each subsequent maraca that you want to make.^{[1]
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- You can purchase plastic eggs from dollar stores or use leftover eggs from Easter.
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Fill 2 plastic egg halves with dry rice and then close each egg. Use a spoon to scoop dry rice into 2 of the plastic egg halves. Gently twist the plastic eggs back together after adding the rice. There needs to be enough rice in each egg to fill it halfway.^{[2]
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- You can use any type of rice, provided that it isn’t cooked.
- Alternatively, you can also use small plastic beads or small pieces of dry pasta if you prefer.^{[3]
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- Be careful to hold the half that is full of rice secure while you twist the other half back on.
- Filling each egg halfway with rice is only an approximate measurement. Try adding different amounts of rice to see how the sound changes when you use the maracas.
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Sit the plastic egg crosswise between the bowl part of 2 spoons, with 1 spoon on each side of the egg. When 1 spoon is resting on a surface, the egg will be able to easily balance in this position.^{[4]
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4
Wrap the plastic egg and spoons in washi tape to hold them together. Attach the plastic spoons to the egg by wrapping washi tape around the outside of the spoons and the egg. Make sure that you wrap the washi tape around the egg and spoons at least twice so that it is held in place securely. Either wrap the washi tape all over the egg and spoons or just wrap it a few times around the middle, depending on what you prefer. ^{[5]
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- You may need somebody else to help hold the plastic egg and the spoons in place while you wrap around the washi tape.
- You can stick to just 1 pattern or color of washi tape, or use a variety of different styles to make your maracas bright and colorful.
- If you don’t have washi tape, you could use colorful duct tape instead.^{[6]
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5
Hold the spoon handles together using washi tape if they are too far apart. Wrap washi tape tightly around the ends of the spoons to secure them. This allows the maracas to comfortably fit in your hand.^{[7]
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- If the spoon handles are close enough together for you to comfortably hold, then you don't need to wrap them in washi tape unless you prefer to add more decorations!
6
Decorate the maracas further with paint or stickers if you prefer. Once your maracas are held together securely, decide if you want to add any additional decorations aside from the washi tape. You could place small stickers over the plastic eggs and spoons to make your maracas stand out. Alternatively, you can get creative with paint and make a design or pattern on your maracas to make them bright and colorful.^{[8]
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- You could also wrap washi tape down the handle of the spoons for an easy decoration.^{[9]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Making Paper Mache Maracas

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1
Get 2 plastic bottles that are approximately 15 fl oz (440 ml). Plastic water, milkshake, or soda bottles are great for making maracas. Empty the bottles and clean them out thoroughly with hot, soapy water before you use them. Make sure that they are completely dry before you begin filling them.^{[10]
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- 2 plastic bottles will make 2 maracas. Get more plastic bottles if you want to make extra maracas.
- Check that each bottle has a secure lid.
2
Place 1 cup of dry rice, beans, or pasta into each plastic bottle. Put the lids back onto the bottles and give them a shake. Add more fillings or remove some to adjust the sound.^{[11]
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- Sand, salt, lentils, and bird seed also make good filling options.^{[12]
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Glue the lids onto the plastic bottles. Place a ring of craft glue either around the inside of each lid or the outside of each bottle where the lid goes. Secure each lid on tightly and make sure it is sitting straight.^{[13]
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- Alternatively, you can use hot glue rather than craft glue to secure the lid.^{[14]
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Attach the neck of each bottle to a toilet roll tube. Place craft glue around the inside of each toilet roll tube. Push a toilet roll tube gently onto the neck of each bottle to create a handle for the maracas.^{[15]
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- You will need 1 toilet paper tube per plastic bottle.
- Don’t lift the maracas up by the handle until the glue is dry.
- Alternatively, you can use masking tape to wrap the toilet roll tube to each plastic bottle rather than using craft glue.
Cut 2 pieces of masking tape that are approximately 3 in (7.6 cm) in length for each maraca. Stick these over the end of the toilet paper roll that is exposed and not attached to the plastic bottle. Place these in a letter “X” formation to cover the hole.^{[16]
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Combine 1 cup (120 g) of flour, 1 cup (237 ml) of water, and 1 tsp (5 g) of salt in a large bowl. Use a whisk to mix the ingredients until they are smooth.^{[17]
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Paper mache the maracas. Tear a few sheets of newspaper into long strips. Dip each strip into the paper mache paste and then draw the strip through your fingers to remove the excess paste. Paste each strip onto the maraca and make sure that you cover the plastic bottle, toilet roll tube, and masking tape fully. Cover each maraca with 3 layers of paper mache.^{[18]
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Let the maracas dry overnight. Leave the maracas for at least 12 hours so that the paper mache has enough time to dry. Avoid touching the paper mache while it's drying.^{[19]
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- If it’s very humid, the paper mache may take longer to dry.
Repeat the process of adding extra paper mache layers over the maracas. Let the maracas dry overnight again and then check that the paper mache feels firm before you begin decorating.^{[20]
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Decorate the maracas with paint. Once the paper mache has fully dried, pick your favorite colors of paint and decorate them however you see fit. Use multiple bright colors if you want your maracas to stand out, or stick to just 1 color for simple decoration. You can also paint patterns or pictures on the maracas if you prefer.
- Wait until the paint dries before you use the maracas.
- Feel free to decorate your maracas with other craft items too, such as plastic beads, buttons, ribbon, or washi tape.^{[21]
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Question

Aren't you supposed to burst the balloon after the papier mache dries?

Community Answer

It is entirely up to you. It can be difficult to pop the actual balloon, and there is no way to get it out.

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Do I make a hole in the maracas to put in the grains?

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If you put a hole in the maracas, not only will grain go in, but the grain will come out. So cover up the hole when you are done.

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Tips

Experiment with different dry fillings for the maracas to hear different sounds. Sand and rice tend to make softer sounds, while lentils, beans, and pasta tend to make a louder noise.^{[22]
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Making maracas is a great craft project for children of all ages to enjoy. If you are making maracas with young children, make sure that they have adult supervision so that they don’t swallow anything small.^{[23]
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