If there were only one shape or color in a kaleidoscope, it wouldn’t be as beautiful, would it? Just like a kaleidoscope, the world wouldn’t be as beautiful without all its different skin colors, eye colors, hair textures, sizes, shapes, families and neighborhoods! While you make your very own kaleidoscope, thank God for making such a colorful world of differences. You can build this craft by “upcycling,” or reusing, materials — just like creative kids who live in poverty in Africa do!
Decorate a cardboard tube.
Glue or tape a 4-by-6-inch sheet of colorful paper around the tube of an empty toilet paper roll.
Make a mirror triangle.
Measure an 8-by-12-inch piece of aluminum foil. Fold it in half twice so you have a slightly thicker piece of 4-by-6-inch foil. (You could also use a 4-by-6-inch sheet of mylar paper instead of foil.) Fold the outer edges of the foil inward and upward to form a 3D triangle. Tape the peak of the triangle closed. Then slide the triangle into the tube.
Cut out plastic circles.
Recycle a piece of clear plastic, such as a berry carton. Stand up your decorated tube on the clear plastic and trace around one end of it with a pen. Repeat to create a second circle. Cut out the circles and trim one slightly smaller. Place the slightly smaller circle in one end of your tube so it’s resting on the triangle.
Make a rotating end cap.
Trim off about an inch of a second cardboard tube to make a ring. You need it to be slightly smaller than your kaleidoscope tube. So snip open one side of the cardboard ring, slide the edges inward and tape closed. Slide it into your kaleidoscope tube so it touches the plastic circle. It should fit snugly but still rotate when you turn it with your hand. Adjust the size as needed.
Finish the kaleidoscope.
Remove the end cap and tape the second circle of plastic over it. You can wrap washi tape around the end cap to make it look nicer. Then place beads, sequins, glitter or any other small and colorful items into the end cap. Slide it back in the end of your kaleidoscope tube with the taped plastic ring facing outward.
Play with it!
You’re ready to ooh and ahh at the beautiful world inside your kaleidoscope. Look into one end while turning the cap on the other end to see all the cool designs created when the colors and shapes move together and reflect off the mirrors!
Decorate a cardboard tube.
Glue or tape a 4-by-6-inch sheet of colorful paper around the tube of an empty toilet paper roll.
Make a mirror triangle.
Measure an 8-by-12-inch piece of aluminum foil. Fold it in half twice so you have a slightly thicker piece of 4-by-6-inch foil. (You could also use a 4-by-6-inch sheet of mylar paper instead of foil.) Fold the outer edges of the foil inward and upward to form a 3D triangle. Tape the peak of the triangle closed. Then slide the triangle into the tube.
Cut out plastic circles.
Recycle a piece of clear plastic, such as a berry carton. Stand up your decorated tube on the clear plastic and trace around one end of it with a pen. Repeat to create a second circle. Cut out the circles and trim one slightly smaller. Place the slightly smaller circle in one end of your tube so it’s resting on the triangle.
Make a rotating end cap.
Trim off about an inch of a second cardboard tube to make a ring. You need it to be slightly smaller than your kaleidoscope tube. So snip open one side of the cardboard ring, slide the edges inward and tape closed. Slide it into your kaleidoscope tube so it touches the plastic circle. It should fit snugly but still rotate when you turn it with your hand. Adjust the size as needed.
Finish the kaleidoscope.
Remove the end cap and tape the second circle of plastic over it. You can wrap washi tape around the end cap to make it look nicer. Then place beads, sequins, glitter or any other small and colorful items into the end cap. Slide it back in the end of your kaleidoscope tube with the taped plastic ring facing outward.
Play with it!
You’re ready to ooh and ahh at the beautiful world inside your kaleidoscope. Look into one end while turning the cap on the other end to see all the cool designs created when the colors and shapes move together and reflect off the mirrors!
Decorate a cardboard tube.
Glue or tape a 4-by-6-inch sheet of colorful paper around the tube of an empty toilet paper roll.
Make a mirror triangle.
Measure an 8-by-12-inch piece of aluminum foil. Fold it in half twice so you have a slightly thicker piece of 4-by-6-inch foil. (You could also use a 4-by-6-inch sheet of mylar paper instead of foil.) Fold the outer edges of the foil inward and upward to form a 3D triangle. Tape the peak of the triangle closed. Then slide the triangle into the tube.
Cut out plastic circles.
Recycle a piece of clear plastic, such as a berry carton. Stand up your decorated tube on the clear plastic and trace around one end of it with a pen. Repeat to create a second circle. Cut out the circles and trim one slightly smaller. Place the slightly smaller circle in one end of your tube so it’s resting on the triangle.
Make a rotating end cap.
Trim off about an inch of a second cardboard tube to make a ring. You need it to be slightly smaller than your kaleidoscope tube. So snip open one side of the cardboard ring, slide the edges inward and tape closed. Slide it into your kaleidoscope tube so it touches the plastic circle. It should fit snugly but still rotate when you turn it with your hand. Adjust the size as needed.
Finish the kaleidoscope.
Remove the end cap and tape the second circle of plastic over it. You can wrap washi tape around the end cap to make it look nicer. Then place beads, sequins, glitter or any other small and colorful items into the end cap. Slide it back in the end of your kaleidoscope tube with the taped plastic ring facing outward.
Play with it!
You’re ready to ooh and ahh at the beautiful world inside your kaleidoscope. Look into one end while turning the cap on the other end to see all the cool designs created when the colors and shapes move together and reflect off the mirrors!
