New Year's Noise Maker
Ring in the New Year with a handmade noisemaker! Decorated toilet paper tubes, shakers, or paper plate tambourines filled with dried beans produce festive noise that children can make and deploy at the stroke of midnight (or noon, for the preschool crowd).
What You'll Need
- Toilet paper roll or two paper plates — the base
- Dried beans or beads — for the rattling sound
- Tape — to seal
- Gold, silver, and colorful paint — for decoration
- Streamers and confetti — for extra festivity
- Stickers — star and burst shapes
How to Do It
Step 1: Make the shaker. Seal one end of the toilet paper roll with tape. Fill with a small handful of dried beans. Seal the other end.
Step 2: Decorate. Paint in festive colors. Add star stickers, draw fireworks, write the new year.
Step 3: Add streamers. Tape several streamers to one end so they fly when shaken.
Step 4: Practice. Shake vigorously to test the sound. More beans = louder noise.
Step 5: Ring in the New Year! Count down from 10 together and SHAKE!
🎓 Skills Your Child Will Develop
Sound and vibration — More filling = more sound — a simple physics relationship.
Celebration rituals — Counting down and celebrating a transition is a cultural and community experience.
Tips & Variations
- Make both a rattle shaker and a paper plate tambourine for a two-instrument celebration.
- Record the countdown and shaking on video for a New Year's memory.
My Two Cents
Hold a "noon year's eve" celebration for preschoolers — a countdown to noon with noisemakers, party hats, and sparkling cider. All the festivity, completely age-appropriate. Children who participate in a real countdown and shakeout are so proud and excited.
