Invent a noisemaker

What can we use instead of beads for the shaker if we don't have any?

If you don't have beads, use a small handful of rice, dried beans, small pasta, pebbles, or pennies in the bottle to make the shaker part.

The rubber bands keep slipping or make no sound — how do we fix that?

If the rubber bands slip or sound dull, add extra tape around the cap and neck (step: wrap tape around the cap and neck) to build up a firmer surface and use wider or tighter rubber bands stretched over the taped cap so they sit like strings and produce clearer plucked tones.

How can we adapt this noisemaker activity for different ages?

For preschoolers, an adult can rinse and dry bottles and pre-fill and tape them so the child only shakes and taps safely, while older kids can follow all steps—adding beads, capping and taping, stretching and sliding rubber bands, and filling bottles with water to explore pitch and volume changes.

How can we make the noisemaker more advanced or personalized?

To enhance the project, decorate and label each bottle, mount several taped-and-banded bottles on a cardboard base, and tune them by adjusting rubber band tension and water level (for example, fill the second bottle to about one-third full) to create a multi-note instrument you can photograph and describe.