Cardboard Tube Explorer Binoculars

You will need

• Two cardboard tubesToilet paper rolls work well; cut a paper towel roll in half
• Washable tempera paintBrown, green, or tan read as 'explorer gear'
• PaintbrushA medium flat brush covers the tube fast
• Strong tape or masking tapeTo join the two tubes side by side
• White school glueFor attaching any paper or fabric decorations
• Scrap paper or newspaperTo protect the work surface
• String or yarnoptionalAbout 24 inches (60 cm) to make a neck strap
• Washable markersoptionalTo add details like dials or a compass rose
• Tissue paper or foil scrapsoptionalFor decoration; gold foil reads as a lens

Steps

1. 1

   Prepare tubes and workspace

   Make sure both tubes are the same length and lay newspaper on the work surface. Set out a small amount of tempera paint in each jar lid — brown and green are natural starting points. Tell the child these are going to be expedition binoculars for spotting animals in the wild.

   Tip: If you only have one color of paint, that is fine — the decorating step adds variety later.

2. 2

   Paint the outside of each tube

   Have the child paint the outside of both tubes, rolling them slowly to cover all the way around. Stand them upright on a scrap of cardboard to dry, or set them horizontally and rotate every few minutes. Two thin coats look better than one thick one.

   Tip: Set a five-minute timer for drying time so the child knows when to expect the next step.

3. 3

   Add decoration while paint dries

   While the tubes dry, help the child cut or tear small shapes from scrap paper — leaf silhouettes, a compass circle, a patch of camouflage pattern. These will be glued on once the base coat is dry. Talk about what an explorer might need on their binoculars.

   Tip: A diamond or star shape glued on the end of each tube looks like a lens when the binoculars are finished.

4. 4

   Glue on decorative details

   Once the paint is dry to the touch, help the child glue their paper shapes onto the tubes. Press each piece for ten seconds and then move on. If you have foil scraps, a circle of foil glued to each open end makes convincing lenses and delights most children immediately.

   Tip: Do not worry about symmetry — explorer equipment is supposed to look well-used.

5. 5

   Join the two tubes together

   Hold both tubes side by side, making sure the ends line up. Have the child wrap several strips of tape firmly around the middle where the tubes touch. Wrap a second round to reinforce. Test by holding the joined binoculars up — if they wobble, add more tape.

   Tip: A rubber band wrapped around the middle while the tape goes on holds things steady.

6. 6

   Attach the neck strap

   If you are adding a strap, thread a piece of string or yarn through each tube opening and knot it at the ends so it cannot pull through. Check that the loop is long enough to hang around the child's neck without being tight. Let the child put them on and declare the binoculars ready for the expedition.

   Tip: For safety, keep the strap loose — it should slip off easily rather than fit snugly.

Take it to the table

Materials checklist, the steps and the variations on one Letter page.