Rainbow Cascade Rainmaker Rainstick Toy

What happens when your baby tips the rain maker

Lay the tube across your baby's lap or hold it upright in front of them, then turn it slowly. The beads bounce from disc to disc and the sound fades as the last ones land. Most babies stop still to watch, then reach to make it happen again. Tip it slowly and the rain is gentle; tip it fast and it pours, a first lesson in cause and effect they can see through the clear sides.

It also makes a calming rainmaker toy before a nap: a few slow turns, then put it away while it is still quiet.

Which size to choose

• Medium (19 cm, 170 g): light enough for a sitting baby to grab and roll, from 6 months.
• Large (34.4 cm, 380 g): a longer, slower fall of beads, from 1 year, when two hands can hold it steady.
• Small: the most compact version, easy to slip into a bag for a car journey.

Rain stick percussion for music time

For older children, the rainstick becomes a real instrument. Shake it to keep the beat, or let it run during a song to add the sound of a storm. It sits well beside maracas and a drum for a family band. The clear tube lets your child see exactly what makes the noise.

Simple, real sounds that a child controls with their own hands are at the heart of the Montessori method, and this is one of the easiest ways to start.

Specifications

• Sizes: small, medium or large
• Medium: 19 cm x 5.5 cm diameter, 170 g, from 6 months
• Large: 34.4 cm x 5.2 cm diameter, 380 g, from 1 year
• Clear tube with coloured beads and rainbow discs
• 2-year guarantee