May 5 represents an important day for some Hispanic communities. The date recalls an important military battle in the history of Mexico. In the U.S. celebrations joyfully honor Mexican and Mexican American heritage and culture. As part of this celebration, make maracas. For younger persons, cut a hole in the bottom of a plastic cup and insert a craft stick. Fill with rice or dry beans and cover the top and sides of the cup with tape. Decorate with poster paints or markers. An older crowd may enjoy making the musical instrument out of dried gourds or paper mache. Whatever the age, use the maracas to keep time with Spanish style music or shake while dancing to the tunes.
For children or even adults with language comprehension issues, maracas may be a useful tool. Let each member of the selected group create a set of maracas using the same materials. The filling of the instruments should be identical so the sounds are the same. After the creation process is completed, the group sets out to create a new language using the maracas. Assist them in getting started by demonstrating the different sounds the maracas make. Show them fast shaking, short, brisk shakes, sliding the internal materials and other motions that make various sounds. Let the group then make basic words using the sound. For example, the word "yes" may be represented by a single shake and the word "no" with two slow shakes. Additional words are added as the language grows. This activity allows the group to understand how language is developed, giving a deeper comprehension of the concept.
Increase listening and patterning skills using maracas. Whether for a group of young students learning patterning for the first time or as an adult game, this activity kills two birds with one stone. Give each member of the group a set of maracas. Play a set of sounds with a set of maracas and have each member repeat the pattern. For example, play two quick shakes then two slow. Each person repeats what she hears. Now ask each to continue the pattern played. Increase the complexity of the pattern with each round.
For a fun activity with maracas, make musical Easter eggs. Use over-sized commercial eggs, cut a small opening for a craft stick and tape or glue it in place. Fill the egg with items such as pennies, gum balls and jelly beans. Let those who find the eggs play them along to music and guess what is inside before opening.