Uploaded July 2022 | Updated September 2026, 3 hours ago
The Rainmaker or Rainstick is a musical instrument from Chile, South America, made of dead, dried cactus with the thorns pushed inward, and it creates the sound of rain.
We often use the rainstick as a sound effect in stories in class.
Whenever I travel to a new country, I search for a musical instrument to add to my vast collection. My mother actually bought this rainmaker for me. It is a "real" one, meaning it is one made of cactus.
The rainstick is generally used to create the sound effects of rain or, when shaken, a sound similar to the maracas.
It consists of a long, hollow tube, capped at both ends and filled with small pellets of some sort (possibly pebbles, sand, seeds, dried beans, etc.). Numerous small pins are placed along the length of the inside of the tube and are arranged inwards toward the center of the tube. When the rainstick is turned end over end, the pellets fall to the opposite end of the tube, creating the sound of a rain storm as they bounce off the pins. Turning the rainstick over at different angles provide different sounds and speeds of the pellets moving through the tube.
It is generally thought that the rainstick was invented by Chilean tribes in South America. The rainsticks were created from dead, dried cactus with the thorns pushed inward. The instrument was eventually used for ceremonial music when dancing and were decorated with symbols consistent with rain, weather, crops, and the spirits that rule them.
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youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpRwFn1EmqEu1S6eZwKGV_WD8ALBPGh5j
Kids music with high energy and lots of fun.
Real people, real music, real instruments – real fun!
Explore different musical instruments and sounds from all around the world with short instrument presentations by me and my students trying out different instruments. For babies, toddlers, kindergarten and preschool kids, and children of any age. A resource for nursery, kindergarten, primary/ elementary school, and music teachers with ideas for the classroom and for early childhood music education.
The Rainmaker or Rainstick is a musical instrument from Chile, South America, made of dead, dried cactus with the thorns pushed inward, and it creates the sound of rain.
We often use the rainstick as a sound effect in stories in class.
Whenever I travel to a new country, I search for a musical instrument to add to my vast collection. My mother actually bought this rainmaker for me. It is a "real" one, meaning it is one made of cactus.
The rainstick is generally used to create the sound effects of rain or, when shaken, a sound similar to the maracas.
It consists of a long, hollow tube, capped at both ends and filled with small pellets of some sort (possibly pebbles, sand, seeds, dried beans, etc.). Numerous small pins are placed along the length of the inside of the tube and are arranged inwards toward the center of the tube. When the rainstick is turned end over end, the pellets fall to the opposite end of the tube, creating the sound of a rain storm as they bounce off the pins. Turning the rainstick over at different angles provide different sounds and speeds of the pellets moving through the tube.
It is generally thought that the rainstick was invented by Chilean tribes in South America. The rainsticks were created from dead, dried cactus with the thorns pushed inward. The instrument was eventually used for ceremonial music when dancing and were decorated with symbols consistent with rain, weather, crops, and the spirits that rule them.
🎵Watch our playlists🎵:
🥁🎹Musical instruments and sounds from around the world for kids
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpRwFn1EmqEujVDxagnU9WX8Mos8x4PQt
🇮🇳India: 🪘Musical instruments from India
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpRwFn1EmqEsK77Js50zMe1IPjURtuAqL
🌏Asia: 🪘Musical instruments from China, Japan, India, Vietnam and other Asian countries
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpRwFn1EmqEshnauQd7O9Iioej_z5R4t5
🌍Europe: 🎹Musical instruments from Germany and other European countries
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpRwFn1EmqEvOFgqqJjfenfAeKZ7dy1T0
🌎The Americas: 🪕Musical instruments from North America, Caribbean, Central and South America
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpRwFn1EmqEsQZZh8c_2qo49ABzhQ_5-Q
🥁🪘Let's make music! Kids songs and stories with percussion instruments
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpRwFn1EmqEsdZ8tJlddlWVB-WMj4Zwgg
🥁🪘Hier spielt die Musik! Kinderlieder und Klanggeschichten mit Percussion / Orff-Instrumenten zum Mitsingen und Mitspielen
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpRwFn1EmqEu1S6eZwKGV_WD8ALBPGh5j
Kids music with high energy and lots of fun.
Real people, real music, real instruments – real fun!
Explore different musical instruments and sounds from all around the world with short instrument presentations by me and my students trying out different instruments. For babies, toddlers, kindergarten and preschool kids, and children of any age. A resource for nursery, kindergarten, primary/ elementary school, and music teachers with ideas for the classroom and for early childhood music education.
