Recycled Binoculars
This Earth Day, explore nature around you in your backyard or neighborhood. In this Art at Home project, we’ll recycle toilet paper rolls and turn them into wearable art. Then you can take your binoculars outside (or take a look through the window!) and notice the beauty of the outdoors.
What plants or animals can you spy through your binoculars? Try looking at a leaf, flower or insect up close, then from far away. Look up at the sky, then down at the ground. What do you notice?
For this activity you will need:
- Two toilet paper tubes
- Colorful paper
- Yarn
- Scissors
- Glue
- Binder or paper clips
- Hole punch
You can also use markers, stickers or ribbons to decorate your binoculars.
To make your binoculars:
- Cut paper into strips that are as wide as the toilet paper tubes are long. Glue down one end of the paper and wrap it around the tube until it is completely covered. Cut off any extra paper.
- Repeat step 1 with different widths of colored paper to create stripes. Or wrap your toilet paper tubes in yarn. Glue one end of the yarn down and wrap it around the tube, then glue the other end. You can use several different colors if you want.
- Add a thick stripe of glue down the long side of one tube. Press the two tubes together on the glue. Use binder or paper clips to hold the tubes together while the glue dries. (You can also use hot glue for this step, but get an adult to help!)
- Cut a final thin strip of paper that will wrap around both tubes. Glue the strip tightly around them. This will make your binoculars extra secure.
- Use a hole punch (or scissors) to add a hole to the outside of each tube. String a long piece of yarn or string through the holes to create a strap. This will let you hang the binoculars around your neck.
- Add any final decorations to make your binoculars unique. Then head outside with your new binoculars and take a peek at the world around you!
