Creating Magical Parties and Crafts for Children: Earth Friendly Kid's Crafts: Part 2

In my first Earth Day post, we made Wooly Bear caterpillars out of re-purposed egg cartons. In this post, we'll be making homemade kaleidoscopes out of toilet paper or paper towel rolls. It's fun project for older children (my 1 1/2 year old just tore it apart every time she got her hands on it - but the five year old loved it) and they can assemble it with minimal parental assistance.

Earth Friendly Kid's Crafts: Part 2 - Home Made Kaleidoscopes:

You Will Need:
One cardboard toilet paper or paper towel tube (sans paper)

1 sheet wrapping paper, construction paper etc.

1 piece aluminum foil

1 small circle of construction paper

1 piece wax paper

1 piece plastic wrap

hole punch

tape

scissors

2 rubber bands

small handful of beads, sequins, pom-poms etc.

To Assemble:

Cut a piece of wrapping paper or other decorative paper and cover the tube of cardboard, securing it with tape.

Cut a small circle of construction paper just slightly larger than the opening of the tube and punch a hole in the center. This will become your eye piece. Tape it over one end of the tube.

Next, measure a length of aluminum foil just slightly shorter than the tube. Lay it out flat on a table, gently folding it into three even sections. Gently open the sections into the shape of a triangle, taping it in place. This will be your "mirror". Slide it carefully into the tube taking care not to cram it in there. If you are having trouble fitting it, take it out , and make a smaller one.

Once the foil triangle is in, cut a small piece of plastic wrap and secure it over the open end with a rubber band, pushing it down slightly in the center to make a pouch. Fill the pouch with your beads, sequins and pom-poms. Cover the pouch with a small piece of wax paper securing it with a second rubber band.