easy, homemade new year’s eve shakers

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Any time we can use recyclables for learning or play, it’s a win in my book.

So each year as New Year’s Eve approaches, we clean out our recycle bin and put some of those small containers to use for easy, homemade shakers!

All you need are a few containers, beads, and ribbon, and you and your kiddos will be rockin’ and rollin’, shakin; and celebrating on New Year’s Eve—or any time of the year.

Here’s the skinny. . .

Easy, Homemade New Year’s Eve Shakers: Really, we’ve been making these for years and take them to every New Year’s Eve shindig we’re invited to.

We often leave them at the party or make enough for every child to have one. Maddy, Owen, and Cora love making them because they’re simple and easy to personalize.

All you’ll need are a few things.

You’ll need:

Clean, dry recyclables (from applesauce or fruit cups, yogurt or jell-o)

Beads or anything that will make sounds when shaken

Baubles or anything fun (small silk flowers, jewels, etc)

Ribbon

Hot glue (this is a job for adults!)

What we do first is dump out all of the containers and play match-up. Have the kids find pairs of every container. It’s not necessary that the pieces match exactly, but it makes gluing them easier.

Then fill! Add beads and baubles to one container, and have fun with it! The container need not be totally filled. Fill only about ¼ of the way full so there’s room to shake and make some noise.

Once the kids have filled the bottom of their shaker, it’s time to glue! I hot glued around the perimeter of the container and then secured the other container, rim to rim. The hot glue should seal the edges so that when it is shaken, the beads will stay in.

Then add ribbon.

The kids can choose a ribbon from our ribbon box, and I add it to the middle of the shaker, where both containers meet. I secured it with hot glue.

And that’s it.

Make them fancy, make them plain.

Make them out of two containers or make them out of one—it doesn’t matter. Though if I do make a shaker out of another recyclable with a lid, I’m sure to hot glue the top shut so that a little guy won’t grab it, open it, and try to eat those beads.

I love giving the kids a challenge when it comes to making these. Sometimes I’ll see if they can make:

-single colored shakers

-bi-colored shakers

-black & white shakers

-flower garden shaker

-rainbow themed shakers