A wooden maraca from Classic World's rainbow range. The handle is wood, lacquered in a colour at the end; the head is clear, so you can watch the coloured beads that make the sound move about. Below it sits a small collar in the same colour.
Shaking is the whole game, and that is exactly why this works for small children: one movement gives an immediate sound. Children shake along with a song, try to copy a rhythm or simply watch the beads in the clear head. In a music corner or at circle time, a maraca like this does well.
The maraca is about 16 cm long and is sold singly. The range runs to six colours - purple, blue, green, yellow, orange and red - and the shop cannot say in advance which colour you will get.
A small, affordable present, and a good addition if you are putting together a collection of little musical instruments.
